Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Perth Cemetery (China Wall) | III. C. 8. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.138 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 49B GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | Mentioned in Despatches Queen's South Africa Medal & 3 Clasps King's South African Campaign Medal 1901 & 02 Clasps | ||
Family :
Son of James and Elizabeth White; husband of Ida Elizabeth White, of Wiltshire Farm, Wokingham, Bucks. James was in Indian Civil Service.See Wokingham Remembers. Caroline Millard, grand-daughter, writes: “My grandfather was the second son of James and Elizabeth (nee Wingate) White. His father was English and served in the Bengal Civil Service. The family firm was RF White & Son Ltd, which started as an agency for provincial newspapers, and developed into an advertising agency. The children were born in India and educated in England. My grandfather fought in the Anglo Boer War, and in South Africa met Ida Elizabeth Hall who he married. They had one son, Peter James White. Wiltshire Farm in Wokingham was the home of my grandmother’s aunt, Mrs Herbert Edlmann nee Gertrude Hall. My grandmother lived there while my grandfather was at the Front, and continued to live there after his death in 1915 from sniper fire”
Education & Career :
Roger followed his father to Marlborough arriving in Sept 1893 and left in July 1897. He was in B3.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The Second Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902, South Africa.
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 364th Battery RFA |
| Action : The Battles of Ypres 1915 (Second Ypres) |
22 April - 25 May 1915. On the 22nd April 1915 the Germans used poison gas at Ypres. This was the first 'official' use of gas and took the Allies by surprise. After initial success capitalising on the confusion and horror of this weapon, a heroic stand, initially by the Canadians and then supported by British and Indian Battalions, held the German advance. However it became clear that the Germans had achieved a tactical advantage and eventually the British were forced to retire to more a more defendable perimeter closer to Ypres. These positions were on the last ridges before Ypres and their loss would have resulted in the loss of the town and possibly open the Channel coast to German occupation with disastrous consequences for the re-supply of the BEF.
Detail :
The Imperial War Museum holds a biography and confirms his portrait photograph: "MAJOR ROGER WINGATE WHITE, Commanding 364th Batter, ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY was the son of the late James White, I.C.S., and of Elizabeth Louisa, eldest daughter of Sir George Wingate, K.C.S.I., and was born at Aimere, Rajputana, India, on the 25th September, 1879. He was educated at "Northaw", the preparatory Scholl of F.J. Hall, Esq., at Marlborough College, and at the R.M.A. Woolwich. From the latter he was gazetted to the R.A. in December, 1898, and was promoted Lieutenant in February, 190. In 1899 he went with his battalion to South Africa, and took part in the Boer War, being present at operationas in the Orange Free State, Orange River Colony, Cape Colony, and Transvaal, including actions at Houtnek (Thoba Moutains), Biddulphsberg, Wittebergen and Colesberg. He was mentioned in Despatches (Lond. Gaz., 10th September, 1901), and received the Queen's medal with three clasps, and the King's medal with two clasps. He was promoted Captain in May, 1907, and from August, 1906, to August, 1911, was employed with the Transvaal Volunteers (Horse Artillery), where his services were much appreciated by both officers and men. In August, 1911, he was appointed an Adjutant of the XX. Brigade, R.F.A., at Neemuch, India. Major White was promoted to that rank in October, 1914, was qualified as a 1st Class Interpreter in Cape Dutch and Hollander Dutch, and 2nd Class in French. Owing to the Brigadier being on sick leave, he had been for a time in temporary command of the Brigade when he was shot by a bullet in the head on 18th May, 1915, when taking observations for his guns in the front trenches near Ypres, Belgium. For his services he was mentioned in Sir John French's Despatch of 31st May, 1915. Major White married Ida, daughter of Maurice Hall Esq., of "The Willows," Middelburg, S. Africa and left one son, Peter, born on Coronation Day, 1911."
Citations & Commemorations :
He was Mentioned twice - first in South Africa and then in France.Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Unity No. 3044 E.C. | South Africa (Eastern) |
| Joined : | Richmond No. 3045 E.C. | Unknown |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
13th December 1905 | 22nd February 1906 | 29th March 1906 |
Past Master.
Joined Richmond Lodge from L3044 on 28th March 1907
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley