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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Thomas Sidney Edwards Whittaker

In memory of:

Warrant Officer Class II Thomas Sidney Edwards Whittaker

April 30, 1941

Military Service

Service Number:

P/40015

Age:

41

Force:

Army

Unit:

The Royal Canadian Corps of Signals

Additional Information

Son of Sidney H. and Jessie E. Whittaker, of Ossett, Yorkshire, England.

Commemorated on Page 48 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information

Cemetery:

HALIFAX MEMORIAL
Nova Scotia, Canada

Grave Reference:

Panel 14.

Location:

The HALIFAX MEMORIAL in Nova Scotia's capital, erected in Point Pleasant Park, is one of the few tangible reminders of the men who died at sea. Twenty-four ships were lost by the Royal Canadian Navy in the Second World War and nearly 2,000 members of the RCN lost their lives. This Memorial was erected by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and was unveiled in November 1967 with naval ceremony by H.P. MacKeen, Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia, in the presence of R. Teillet, then Minister of Veterans Affairs. The monument is a great granite Cross of Sacrifice over 12 metres high, clearly visible to all ships approaching Halifax. The cross is mounted on a large podium bearing 23 bronze panels upon which are inscribed the names of over 3,000 Canadian men and women who were buried at sea. The dedicatory inscription, in French and English, reads as follows:

1914-1939
1918-1945
IN THE HONOUR OF
THE MEN AND WOMEN
OF THE NAVY
ARMY AND MERCHANT NAVY
OF CANADA
WHOSE NAMES
ARE INSCRIBED HERE
THEIR GRAVES ARE UNKNOWN
BUT THEIR MEMORY
SHALL ENDURE.

On June 19, 2003, the Government of Canada designated September 3rd of each year as a day to acknowledge the contribution of Merchant Navy Veterans.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Halifax Memorial– WOII Whittaker was among the 73 Canadian military who lost their lives when the SS Nerissa was sunk after being struck by German torpedoes off the coast of Ireland. It was making its way across the North Atlantic without escort. The ship was carrying a mix of military and civilian passengers and it was the only time a ship carrying Canadian troops was sunk while crossing to the U.K.

    Details

    Halifax Memorial
    Halifax Memorial – WOII Whittaker was among the 73 Canadian military who lost their lives when the SS Nerissa was sunk after being struck by German torpedoes off the coast of Ireland. It was making its way across the North Atlantic without escort. The ship was carrying a mix of military and civilian passengers and it was the only time a ship carrying Canadian troops was sunk while crossing to the U.K.
  • Attestation paper– This is Whittaker's attestation paper signed in Calgary on September 8, 1939.

    Details

    Attestation paper
    Attestation paper – This is Whittaker's attestation paper signed in Calgary on September 8, 1939.
  • Document– A record showing Whittaker's service in the Canadian Army before WWII.

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    Document
    Document – A record showing Whittaker's service in the Canadian Army before WWII.
  • Document– A record showing Whittaker's service in the RAF during the First World War.

    Details

    Document
    Document – A record showing Whittaker's service in the RAF during the First World War.
  • Letter– Whittaker's family lived in the U.K. and this is a letter he received from his father in 1932.

    Details

    Letter
    Letter – Whittaker's family lived in the U.K. and this is a letter he received from his father in 1932.
  • Document– The Alberta death registration for WOII Whittaker.

    Details

    Document
    Document – The Alberta death registration for WOII Whittaker.
  • Letter– In September 1932, from the Armouries in Calgary, Cpl Whittaker wrote the Commanding Officer requesting a month's furlough to visit his father who was ill. The furlough was granted.

    Details

    Letter
    Letter – In September 1932, from the Armouries in Calgary, Cpl Whittaker wrote the Commanding Officer requesting a month's furlough to visit his father who was ill. The furlough was granted.
  • Essay– Extract from the WWII memorial page for WOII Thomas Whittaker on the website of the town of Ossett, West Yorkshire.

    Details

    Essay
    Essay – Extract from the WWII memorial page for WOII Thomas Whittaker on the website of the town of Ossett, West Yorkshire.

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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