Born: 1899, Bradford
Died: 12 May 1917
Buried: NKG
Address: 17 Chapel Walk, Eccleshill
Parents: Thoas & Harriet Ann, nee Harrison
Spouse:
Siblings: Thomas, John, Richard, Charles, Mary Ann, Albert, Gwendoline, Gabriel
Occupation: Smith & Hutton, Eccleshill
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Pte
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: St Luke’s, Eccleshill; Arras Memorial
Children:
Regiment: South Wales Borderers
Ambrose Whyatt
Ambrose Whyatt was born in 1899
in Bradford. His birth and that of
his siblings does not appear to have
been registered under the name of
Whyatt or any other name
derivative. Neither do they appear
in census records under the name of
Whyatt.
The website of Forces Records
shows that Ambrose was born in
Bradford but had resided in Hull.
According to the Bradford Weekly
Telegraph he had three brothers
serving – Thomas, John and
Richard Henry.
Thomas Whyatt married Harriet
Ann Harrison and they appear to be
the parents of Ambrose Whyatt and
his brothers. They appear on the
1901 census under the surname of
White and had five children.
This family again appear
under the name of White in
the 1911 census and they are
still living in Pocklington at
14 Chapman Gate. Three
more children are listed.
At the time of his enlistment
Ambrose was employed by
Messrs. Smith and Hutton of
Eccleshill and the Bradford Roll of
Honour lists both Ambrose and his
brother Richard Henry with an
address at 17 Chapel Walk,
Eccleshill.
At the age of 17 years Ambrose
enlisted on the 17th of November
1915 in Hull as Private 14/158 in
the East Yorkshire Regiment but
was later transferred to the 2nd
Battalion of the South
Wales Borderers as
Private 45178.
In March 1916 his
Battalion arrived in
France in preparation
for the forthcoming
Battle of the Somme
and its first big action
was on the opening
day of the battle, the
1st of July.
The Battalion attacked Beaumont
Hamel advancing south of the
village in the leading line which
was mown down by machine gun
fire in the first few minutes. They
lost 235 men out of a total of 578.
Ambrose survived this day but at
some point was wounded in both
legs. He was returned to England
and admitted to Edgbaston Hospital
in Birmingham.
On his return to the front his
Battalion took part in the Arras
offensive in April and May 1917
and on the 19th of May or near to
that date Ambrose was posted as
missing and death presumed. He
was 18 years of age.
Ambrose is remembered on the
Arras Memorial which records the
names of the men who fell in the
Battles of Arras from the spring of
1916 until the 7th August 1918 and
who have no known grave.
He left his effects to his father
Thomas who received £2.5.8d on
the 27th of June 1918 and a War
Gratuity of £6.0.0d on the 2nd of
December 1919.
Researched and written by Jean
Britteon, to whom many thanks
