31 March 2025

Commonwealth War Graves Volunteer: David Whithorn

We shine the spotlight on another of our brilliant Commonwealth War Graves volunteers with David Whithorn and his role moderating our digital stories archive For Evermore: Stories of the Fallen.

David Whithorn: Commonwealth War Graves Volunteer

David Whithorn has been a diligent moderator of For Evermore, our online stories archive, to ensure public submissions are top quality and well written since we launched. However, his interest in the World Wars and the work of Commonwealth War Graves goes much deeper than that.

David was kind enough to chat with us about his role with Commonwealth War Graves, his fascination with all things First World War, and how he came to volunteer with us.

Hi David! Let’s start at the beginning. When did you first hear about Commonwealth War Graves?

David Whithorn in a recreated WW1 British infantry uniform poses behind a row of CWGC headstones at Serre Road No.1 Cemetery.

Image: David Whithorn (Donald Packett)

For this, I have to go back to around 1968 as a small boy on a family camping holiday in France. My uncle decided to return to the channel port ‘across country’. Only that ‘country’ must have been the Somme/Arras.
 
Every few miles there seemed to huge cemeteries with row upon row of white stones, and road signs starting with ‘Commonwealth War Graves Commission’. I still remember the growing silence in the car as we drove on and on.

As a boy, I spent much time living with my Grandparents. My Grandmother told me at times about her childhood in Bradford during the Great War and her father who was ‘gassed’ (though I had no idea what that meant). 

She took me to visit her friends. On their walls and piano tops were always photographs of soldiers in uniform. I once asked a lady who one was, and she said nothing, but there were tears in her eyes. My Grandmother later said to me, “Never ask anyone about such photographs in peoples’ houses”.

But on one visit an old man showed me such a photograph and smiled, “That’s me!”, he said!

One night my Grandparents took me down to the local club, they to play dominoes. During the game, totally bored, I wandered off. At one end of the room, away from the rest, was a large table around which sat a large group of old men. I went up to them, and the old men welcomed me, sat me down and talked to me, asking who I was, etc.

Sometime later my Grandmother, embarrassed, came to pick me up offering her apologies. As we left, I waved at the old men – they all waved back and smiled. On our way home, I asked my Grandfather who the old men were and why they sat on their own. He replied, “They are members of the ‘Bradford Pals’, they talk about the war, but only they understand…” He said no more.

A series of WW1-era letters and images of Bradford Pals servicemen and a women of that era.

Image: David's Bradford Pals research

It wasn’t till a wet day in June 1977, my final week at school. Wimbledon was rained off. The BBC decided to re-show a 60th Anniversary programme by Malcolm Brown, ‘The Battle of the Somme’. It was then I learned just who the ‘Bradford Pals’ were and what had happened to them.
 
A vivid dream that night resulting in me waking in tears and a sworn oath to somehow find out more and visit these places set me on a lifelong path to preserve the memory of the soldiers of the Great War.

Interesting and moving. Thank you for sharing where it all began. Let’s turn to your volunteering with Commonwealth War Graves. When did that begin? What motivated you to donate your time?

All through the next years, from trips to the Great War battlefields (the first to Ypres in 1979 was again life-shattering and changing), meeting with surviving Bradford WW1 veterans and taking a university degree, I always wanted to be part of Commonwealth War Graves.

In 1983, I did write to the Commission asking to become a gardener out in France, but it was no good. I had no horticultural knowledge/experience. However, I always hoped that someday I could be part of the CWGC.
 
A few years ago, I was told that the Commonwealth War Graves were looking for volunteers for the Eyes On Hands On (EOHO) project to look after war graves in local cemeteries. I did so volunteer, as one of the very first ones – I still look after the war graves in five local cemeteries!

Through this, I got to know the local EOHO coordinator. She soon learned of my expertise in tracing Great War soldiers and their stories. 

When ‘For Evermore’ came along, she suggested that I apply. I did so and was accepted! I have continued as a ‘moderator’ ever since!

Lovely stuff. What has been your experience been like on For Evermore?

I find both using For Evermore for submitting stories and moderating them simply brilliant! It is a wonderful means to preserve the stories of the men and women who laid down their lives in the world wars. 

With a lifetime immersed in the story of the Great War, I feel now in my ‘retirement’ – this is what I was always meant to do.

The submitted stories to For Evermore come from a wide background of authors from published historians right through to people researching their local war memorials. 

But for me, the best are those stories from actual family members, maybe struggling with written English, grammar, etc., and worrying their efforts and historical knowledge are not adequate, but they just want somehow to preserve these stories from within their own families, passed onto them. 

All these stories get my VERY best. When completed, I know I have done everything I can to ensure the published piece reflects both the subjects’ stories and the hopes of the authors – after all, these stories are being written/preserved For Evermore for future generations to read, who will never know the subject, the author, or the moderator.

Your enthusiasm is fantastic to see, David. So, How many families have reached out to you to help with their research? Which stories have most interested you?

David as a your guide inspecting a circular cross headstone in a CWGC cemetery with two tour guides.Image: David working as a tour guide

Truthfully, I have lost count, and really all these stories do. Over the past 20 years, rarely will a week have gone past without me helping someone on facebook etc. to find their Great War relative! 

In the main, these come from Bradford people both individuals and organisations such as Undercliffe Cemetery in Bradford, to research and preserve the stories of Great War soldiers buried and commemorated here.

Another Bradford team visit West Yorkshire cemeteries, recording war graves and memorials. They then look them up on the Commonwealth War Graves website if they cannot find then; then, they come to me. I will find them, one way or another.

A work colleague once told me about his grandfather who had served in the Great War and had survived and showed me his photograph.

What he didn’t know was about the others in his family who had served and had not come back. Here is their story.

I used to act as a Battlefield Guide for schools. I asked the teachers months in advance to ask their pupils if they had relatives killed in the Great War. Names always came back.

What the pupils (and one teacher!) did not know, is that I then researched these soldiers, took the party to cemeteries/memorials on the Somme and Ypres and told the soldier’s story by his graveside, giving the pupil a written report for their families. Ever seen 30 15-year-olds in tears? I have.

Two men inspecting the Tyne Cot Memorial

Image: David at Tyne Cot

For one teacher, who had a relative (Sgt, 6th Bn West Yorks) on Thiepval Memorial, I told his story there and asked her, "Would you have preferred a grave to put flowers on?" She bravely smiled, for her finding this soldier was enough. 

Later, we visited a cemetery, well off the beaten track, close to where her relative had been killed. I told the party that six others had been killed alongside the teacher’s relative, "Four are on Thiepval, but three are buried here! The chance are this Sgt is too in an ‘unknown' grave". 

I sent out the whole party to look for ‘Unknowns, West Yorkshire Regt. ’ Minutes later there was frantic waving. The teacher by now could barely stand. We got there, the grave: "Unknown Sergeant, West Yorkshire Regt." At that point, even I could barely keep things together.

There are many more stories I could tell you but in all of these, I have never charged anyone or asked for anything in return for what I have been able to do. After all, what had those Bradford veterans charged me to listen to their stories and those of their friends who had not returned.

Only one veteran asked something of me. Ernest Newsome, became a good friend.

I took him to York to a Western Front Association meeting to see the 1916 film "Battle of the Somme". I gave a lift back to two more Bradford Great War veterans. Going to Ernest’s home last, he asked me to come in.

Ernest was quiet, he broke down, he thanked me for all the times we had shared. He told me he knew this would be the last time we met. He took my hands in his and said, "Please promise me – please don’t let them forget us!"

Tears in my eyes, I made Ernest that promise, Ernest passed away shortly afterwards. I have kept that promise for 44 years and thanks now to ‘For Evermore’ – I keep it still.

Thank you, David. That was very moving to hear. Away from For Evermore, do you volunteer for Commonwealth War Graves in any other capacity?

I do look after local war graves as an EOHO volunteer as mentioned above.

Not strictly as a ‘volunteer’ as such, I have helped the CWGC identify three previously non-commemorated Great War casualties.

Edgar was 18, from Bradford, and had only been in France weeks before he went missing (presumed killed). His name is now due to go on the Arras Memorial.

Major Crossley was 62, second in command of BOTH ‘Bradford Pals’ battalions in training, he died in 1916. He has a grave in Hirst Wood cemetery near Bradford. His son, also once of the Bradford Pals is buried nearby, in an established CWGC grave.

A recent new commemoration, George will be getting a CWGC headstone in due course and I have one other case currently being assessed by CWGC.

Fantastic to see. Lastly, are you related to anyone in CWGC’s care? If so, could you please share their story?

Yes indeed! Someone rather special: Private Percy J. Whithorn possibly one of the longest stories on For Evermore, but he deserves it. It is definitely worth a read!

Since publication, I have discovered although Doldzelli was never re-occupied after the war, the village spring and stream is still there. It is used by British parties walking this part of the Salonika battlefields to top up their water bottles! Percy is not forgotten!

I hope you find our chat interesting. There would be more I could tell you, but hopefully, as you will see, although I did not manage to get a position with Commonwealth War Graves all those years ago, I have supported you as best as I can!

How to Volunteer with Commonwealth War Graves

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