George Whitehead

Lieut George William Edendale Whitehead (R.F.A., attached R.A.F.), born 1895, killed on October 17. Among the many public school cricketers lost during the war perhaps none, except John Howell of Repton, had better prospects of winning distinction at the game than George Whitehead. In the Clifton College XI for four years - he was captain in 1913 and 1914 - he had a brilliant record at school. Starting in 1911 he was third in batting with an average of 33, and in the following year he did still better, playing a remarkable innings of 259 not out against Liverpool and averaging 41. Moreover he took 14 wickets with a fairly good average. Against Cheltenham he played a first innings of 63. In his two years as captain he was conspicuously successful, heading the batting in both seasons with averages of 46 in 1913 and 40 in 1914. He also bowled well, especially in 1914, when he took 36 wickets for a trifle over 13 runs apiece. He played three times at Lords for Public Schools against the MCC, and in 1914 he was given a couple of trials for Kent.

An old Cliftonian writes: -

Goerge Whitehead was a perfect flower of the public schools. He was not limited to athletics only, great though he was in this respect. Intellectually he was far above the average, and was as happy with a good book as when he was scoring centuries. His ideals were singularly high and though gentle and broad-minded, he always stood uncompromisingly for all that was clean. So modest was he, that strangers sometimes failed to realize his worth. He insisted on being transferred to the Royal Air Force from the R.F.A., fully appreciating the risks, because he knew of his country's then urgent need of air-men and so he died, greatly patriotic. Clifton has lost more than 500 of her sons in the war. She is proud of every one of them, but of none more than of this very perfect gentleman.