Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Edward Owen Whittle, a domestic groom, born 1868 in Oakham, Rutland and his wife Laura Isabel Whittle (nee Wilson, married in the 2nd quarter of 1890 in the Brixworth, Northamptonshire district), born 1868 in Little Brington, Northamptonshire. Vere Edward Roberts was born on the 10th June 1900 in Manton, Rutland, he had one sibling, a brother, Owen William Eric, born on the 18th July 1891 in Market Overton, Rutland, in March 1901 the family home was at Church Lane, Manton. In April 1911 Vere was residing in the family home at Ayston, Rutland, together with his father, a groom, his mother and siblings, Amy Isabel, a dressmaker, born 1894 in Market Overton and Owen, a domestic gardener.
He had been apprenticed to Mr F. Skillington, Draper of Market Overton, Rutland. His business taking him around the local villages he became very well known and a great favourite with everyone. He was also a member of the church choir. Prior to his enlistment on reaching the age of eighteen, he had been a Lance Corporal in the 1st Battalion Rutland Volunteers, having joined this unit before he was seventeen. He was training at Brocton Camp, Cannock Chase, when on the 11th February he was knocked down by a motor taxi in camp while proceeding to officer’s quarters, the evening being very foggy. He was taken to the Military Hospital, where Major Machie performed a marvellous operation, but internal haemorrhage setting in for a second time, he succumbed three days after the accident. His elder brother Owen William Eric fell in action in 1918.