Record

KWH - Whitney Collection of Photographs
- WP - Whitney personal collection.
  - 1 - Photographs taken by Ernest Whitney during his sevice in the First World War. He was conscripted into the army in March 1916, and had to close his photographic business in Huntingdon. He served initially in the Cambridgeshire Regiment, and was later transferred to the Sixth Gloucesters. He saw service in France and fought in the third battle of Ypres.The Hunts Post reported in October 1917 that he had been wounded, but had recovered from his wounds. The Hunts Post of the 1 March 1918 reported that Mr Whitney had recently been attached to the photographic section of the RFC in Italy. All these photographs in WP1, except one (WP1/2), appear to have been taken in Italy and were presumably taken in 1918. They include military photographs as well as images of days spent on leave in Venice and with the villagers in the surrounding countryside, and also one of the Prince of Wales, who served on the Italian Front for short periods in 1917 and 1918. Only WP1/2 is of the battlefield between the Yser and Paschendaele Canals on the Western Front

RefNo	KWH/WP/1/45
AltRefNo	WP1/45
Title	Photograph of a newspaper cutting concerning Major Barker, RAF.
Description	The newspaper headline reads "Canadian Brings Down 10 Planes in one Fight Single-handed against 60". Major William George (Billy) Barker, D.S.O. (with two bars), D.F.C., M.C. and bar, and the Italian Cross of Honour, who was wounded in both legs and one arm, fought 60 enemy machines, destroying four and bringing down six according to this newspaper report. He was later awarded the Victoria Cross, and was the most decorated Canadian to have served in the First World War. See WP1/59 for an image of Major Barker in a Sopwith Camel The Prince of Wales, while serving on the Italian Front, wrote to Mrs Freda Dudley Ward "I had a marvellous 'fly' this evening in a Bristol fighter with a wonderful Canadian pilot called Baker [sic, he presumably means Barker] who had downed about 40 Huns & Austrians; I went to tea with his Squad & he took me up afterwards & it was too thrilling for words darling, & we went up to 10,000 ft & over the mountains & got a marvellous view of the lines & saw miles into Switzerland & Austria!!" [see "Letters from a Prince" ed. by Rupert Godfrey]
Date	1918
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CreatorName	The Whitney Collection
Repository	Huntingdonshire Archives

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West Wickham parish inclosure map, 1812

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Seal of Charles II, 1668

West Wickham parish inclosure map, 1812

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