|
|
|
Introduction:
In contrast to previous
publications by this agency, we do
not cover an event on this
Commemoration-page but instead pay
tribute to a
warrior fallen for the freedom of
Western Europe: Paratrooper Lawrence
Withlock who was just 19 yeard old
and was killed in action mere weeks
after he finished jump school.
|
Private
LAWRENCE WHITLOCK
Service Number: 14794329
13th
(2/4th Bn. The South Lancashire
Regt.) Bn,
The Parachute
Regiment |
Eaton Socon
Eaton Socon, a village in the civil
parish of St Neots, in the
Huntingdonshire district, in the
county of Cambridgeshire, England,
was home to this agency for a few
days in September 2025. In the
center of the village, on the
village green near St Mary's church,
we found a war memorial honoring the
fallen soldiers from Eaton Socon in
both world wars. The memorial has
the shape of an obelisk on a square
plinth with a three-stepped stone
base. Bronze wreaths can be seen on
the top of the plinth and around the
base. There are 78 names for World
War 1 and 26 for World War 2. |
(click to enlarge)
Fig.: The War Memorial in Eaton
Socon, Cambridgeshire, England.
Fig.: The monument on the green near
the church
when it was unveiled
after the end of the First World
War. |
One name caught our attention in
particular because of the unit
engraved next to it:
“L. WHITLOCK
PTE PARATROOP BATT.”
Due to this
agency’s focus on Airborne
Operations, we decided to research
this son of Eaton Socon’s
background.
|
|
(click to enlarge)
Fig.: The War Memorial in Eaton
Socon with Private Whitlock's name
on it.
|
Lawrence Whitlock
Lawrence was the son of Samuel J and
Hannah Ellen (Diemer) Whitlock, of
Eaton Socon, Huntingdonshire, he
enlisted in the General Service
Corps and volunteered for airborne
forces.
Private Whitlock
successfully completed parachute
training at RAF Ringway on course
number 150B from 24 January to 8
February 1945. His course report
stated, “Average performer, very
nervous before jumping”. He was
posted to 13th (2/4th Battalion The
South Lancashire Regiment)
Battalion, the Parachute Regiment,
and took part in Operation Varsity
(Rhine Crossing).
|
The 13th (Lancashire) Parachute
Battalion
Lawrence Whitlock’s unit was
formed from the 2nd/4th Battalion
The South Lancashire Regiment in May
1943 and belonged to the 5th
Parachute Brigade of the 6th
Airborne Division. The battalion
jumped into Normandy on D-Day
6JUN1944 remaining in the line until
the final break-out to the Seine in
August.
During the heavy winter
fighting in 1944-5 in the Ardennes
'Battle of the Bulge' the 13th
Battalion was tasked to capture the
village of Bure, which it
accomplished after a costly
three-day battle.
After Lawrence
Whitlock joined the battalion; it
participated in the Rhine Crossing
Operation “Varsity” air assault on
24MAR1944 and advanced across
Germany with the 5th Parachute
Brigade to the Baltic.
|
Killed in Action
Pte Whitlock was killed in action on
3APR1945, at the age of 19, while
taking part in Operation “Varsity”
and was given a field burial at
Hellern, Germany. He was re-interred
to Reichswald Forest War Cemetery,
Germany, on 23MAY1947.
|
(click to enlarge)
Fig.: Documents from the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
about the reburial of Lawrence
Whitlock.
Fig.: The epitaph on Lawrence
Whitlock's grave marker
in the
Reichswald Forest War Cemetery,
Germany |
|
EXHIBITS:
We visited
Lawrence Whitlock's grave at the
Reichswald Forest Commonwealth War
Cemetery on 13SEP2025. |
|
(click to enlarge)
.jpg)
Fig.: Lawrence Whitlock is
buried in the "Airborne Extension"
of the Reichswald Forest War
Cemetery and rests among many
British soldiers from the Parachute
Regiment and Glider Pilot Regiment
who were
Killed in Action during
Operation "Varsity" and the battles
that followed on German territory. |
|
Back to Commemoration Pag |
