Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Annie Whitehouse, an orphan, born 20th February 1879 in Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire. David Lewin Whitehouse was born in the 4th quarter of 1895 in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire. In March 1901 David was residing at Church Lane, Barrow upon Soar, this being the home of his Uncle, George Ezekiel Lewin, a limestone quarry worker, born 1867 in Barrow upon Soar and his wife Mary E., born 1862 in Ratby, Leicestershire. David’s mother married Ernest M. Wakeling on the 2nd January 1909 in Rugby, Warwickshire, Ernest was born in 1883 in Whetstone, Leicestershire. In April 1911 David was employed as an elastic web worker and was residing at Sileby Road, Barrow upon Soar, in the home of his Uncle George Lewin, a lime burner and his wife Kate, born 1877 in Thrussington, Leicestershire and their children, Margaret Rebecca, born 1909 and George Spencer, born 1911, both children were born in Barrow upon Soar, also residing in the family home was an adopted daughter, Iris Mary Evelyn Moody, born 1906. David’s step father died in March 1929, in Rugby, aged 46 and his mother died in March 1947 in Rugby, Warwickshire, aged 68.
David’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into The Royal Scots, being allotted the service number 11244, and was posted as a Private to the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots and with this unit he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 11th August 1914. He was killed in action during the Battle of Le Cateau the date being given as on or since the 26th August 1914, death being presumed. He was awarded the 1914 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 26-Aug-14 – 7:00am. Took up position about 200 yards in front of village of AUDENCOURT, and commenced entrenching. GORDON HIGHLANDERS on left and MIDDLESEX REGIMENT on our right. Enemy advanced in force and heavy artillery fire about 2:30pm, order to retire received about 4:00pm. Small detachments held on to positions, remainder reorganised outside village and marched to ELINCOURT arriving there about midnight.
Casualties. Officers: Captain SHAFTO killed. Lieutenant Colonel McMICKING, Captain HILL-WHITSON, Lieutenant LAIDLAY wounded. Major DUNCAN, Captain LEGGOT, Lieutenant GRAVES, Lieutenant STRANGE, Lieutenant GRAHAM-WATSON, Lieutenant -?-, 2nd Lieutenant DONALDSON, 2nd Lieutenant COMBIE, 2nd Lieutenant ROSS missing.
Pipes and Drums destroyed during shelling of the village. 1st Line Transport was destroyed in village.
ADDENDUM:
Information received from Officers interned in Holland. Received 8.11.18. from Major Tweedie, the Royal Scots, re: operations in August 1914.
BATTLE OF LE CATEAU. 26th August.
At 4:00am, in accordance with orders given the previous evening, digging parties were sent out by the Company Commanders to prepare a position. Half an hour later orders were received to recall these parties and to prepare for an immediate move.
This was again countermanded and entrenching recommenced about 5:45am on a position some 200 yards North of AUDENCOURT. The Battalion had on its left the 1/Gordon Highlanders. About 7:30am hostile artillery fire on CAUDRY was observed. About 8:00am the Battalion occupied its trenches, as shown in the accompanying sketch, marked “B.” Both Brigade and Battalion Headquarters were understood to be in the village of AUDENCOURT, also the transport. The enemy’s attack at first appeared to be directed on CAUDRY, but shortly afterwards developed also towards AUDENCOURT and fire was opened by the Battalion on advancing infantry about 9:00am.
Information, which purported to be official, was circulated amongst the troops that the assistance of 40,000 French troops was momentarily to be expected on our left flank, but this unfortunately proved to be inaccurate. The hostile infantry were very slow in their advance and offered no good target.
About 2:00pm hostile artillery commenced shelling AUDENCOURT and continued a very heavy fire with both shrapnel and high explosive shell until dark, setting it in flames. Our artillery (estimated at one Battery) in position near the village, replied to the fire until about 4:00pm, when their fire ceased.
About 5:00pm an order came down the line from the right of the Battalion, to “Retire.” This order was verbal and was said to have been given by a “Staff Officer.”
(NOTE. From this point the narrative is written only from the personal knowledge of the Officer Commanding “C” Company, The Royal Scots, at the close of the day.)
“C” Company retired towards the village, but almost immediately returned (or a portion of the Company) and reoccupied its position in the trenches.
The Machine Gun Officer, Lieutenant J. Laidlay, ran back to the village to ascertain what this order meant, but did not return. (it is now known that this Officer was wounded on this errand).
Officer Commanding “D” Company decided to hold his position, as the Gordon Highlanders, on his immediate left, had not received the order to retire.
About 6:00pm the hostile infantry fire became more effective, and amongst a few casualties, 2nd Lieutenant R. C. Ross was shot through the head, and half an hour later the Company Commander, Captain A. Duncombe Shafto, D.S.O. was killed. Lieutenant C. G. Graves (now at TROGAU) became in command of “D” Company was in some danger from an enveloping attack, which, however, was effectively met by the fire of our Machine Guns (under Sergeant McKenna) which compelled the Germans to abandon 3 Machine Guns.
At dusk the enemy ceased shelling the position.
From this time “D” Company and the few remaining men of “C” Company came under the command of Bt. Colonel W. Gordon, V.C., A.D.C., 1/Gordon Highlanders, and the narrative as a separate unit ceases.
NOTES.
[1] It has since been learnt that the Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel H. McMicking, D.S.O. was wounded early in the day and subsequently fell into the hands of the Germans.
[2] It is believed that “A,” “B” and part of “C” Companies, and also No.15 Platoon of “D” Company (detached earlier in the day) retired from the position when the order to “Retire” was given, and got away safely.
(signed) G. S. Tweedie, Major, 2nd Battalion The Royal Scots.
TORGAU. 30.10.1914.
On Friday October 16th 1914 The Leicester Journal published the following article under the heading. “WOUNDED AND MISSING.” – Corporal D. Whitehouse, Royal Scots, who is officially reported as missing, is a nephew of Mr. G. E. Lewin, of Walton-lane, Barrow, and was himself very popular among his fellows in the village.