Mystery of Victoria Cross hero's Wellington death

With the advance held up by enemy machineguns, he repeatedly rushed the machinegun posts and then consolidated the position.

But what was it that brought him to Wellington, where he was to end his days?

With the centenary of the action which led to him being awarded the VC fast approaching, the team planning a public event in which a commemorative stone will be unveiled in his London birthplace is appealing to Shropshire Star readers to help unravel the riddle of Captain White's final period in Shropshire, a county to which he had no known previous connections.

Indeed after his death at the Priory nursing home in Wellington on September 13, 1974, at the age of 79, and his cremation at Emstrey crematorium at Shrewsbury a week later, his ashes were taken to his wife's grave at Tonbridge, Kent, and interred there.

However, he is said to have lived at a "family home" in Wellington.

"I’m afraid the details I have for William’s time in Shropshire are very vague but I wondered if your readers might have any other information, or be able to supply details of any family contacts," said Sarah Gould, heritage officer for the London Borough of Merton.

"I am currently part of a team planning a public event to accompany the unveiling of a commemorative stone to William Allison White VC, who was born in Mitcham in 1894.

"I am contacting you in the hope that the Shropshire Star may be able to identify any surviving relatives of Mr White.

"Our commemorative service on September 18, which is 100 years on from the date of the action for which William was awarded the VC, will feature civic dignitaries, military representatives and members of the wider Merton community.

"I would dearly love to trace any surviving relatives of William White, or even of his wife, Violet, to see if they would like to attend and participate in the unveiling ceremony.

"I and my colleague have done a range of checks but to date these have drawn a blank.

"My contact at the Old Comrades Association of the Machine Gun Corps has a dim recollection of having met Mr White’s son – if correct, this would be great, as all of our sources refer to 'no known children.'

"His siblings emigrated to Australia at around the time of the First World War and it would appear that both they, their husbands and children are now dead.

"I am therefore contacting local family history societies and archives in other parts of the UK associated with William White to see if they can trace any surviving relatives from his extended family."

Anyone who can help can contact either us and we'll pass the information on, or Sarah direct at Merton Heritage Centre on 020 8545 3239 or local.studies@merton.gov.uk by email.

Sarah knows that before the Great War William was living with his uncle William Messenger in Barrow-in-Furness and working as a ship plater.

"Following the outbreak of war, William joined the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment and rapidly rose through the ranks, before being transferred to the Machine Gun Corps in 1918.

"During 1918 William’s unit, the 38th Battalion, served with distinction in several major offensives, including the Battles of Ancre, Albert, Bapaume, Havrincourt and Epehy.

"By mid-September he had achieved the rank of Temporary Second Lieutenant, a rank often awarded to working class men who had risen through the ranks on merit – few were ever given a full commission.

"On September 18, at Gouzeaucourt, France, William performed a series of courageous actions, the description of which frankly leaves me gobsmacked.

"His unbridled heroism in the face of the enemy earned him a Victoria Cross, which was awarded by King George V on March 27, 1919."

In 1921 he married Violet Price in Cardiff. Sarah says they do not appear to have had any children and Violet died in April 1956 in Tonbridge and was buried there.

"William spent his final years in Wellington, Shropshire. I am afraid that to date I have been unable to find an address."

Why widower William, who was apparently known as "Chalky" White during his Army days, should come to Wellington is unknown, but perhaps there was a family link.

Sarah has contacted Wellington History Group for help but members have no knowledge of him, nor does 95-year-old Wellington local historian and author George Evans, who is also a former councillor and teacher with an unrivalled first hand knowledge of Wellington of yesteryear.

No standard death notice appears to have been carried in the local press at the time of Captain White's death - possibly an indication of a lack of any local relatives to put one in - although the Telford Journal of September 20, 1974, died carry a brief front page report of his passing.

Captain White's Victoria Cross is now part of the Lord Ashcroft Collection.