Recently enquiries were made and research undertaken in order to establish a memorial plaque to Lieutenant White as Victoria Cross recipient who was born in Bromley on 2 July 1886.
He was baptised at Saint Peter and Saint Paul Bromley Parish Church on 23 October 1886 son of William Henry White whose occupation is recorded as a Civil Servant and his wife Alice. The Baptismal entry in the transcript at Kent Online Parish Clerks website provided the crucial identification of the the family home needed to locate a commemorative plaque for a Victoria Cross recipient.
Although he is commemorated on Panel 28 Column 3 of the Portsmouth Naval Memorial in Hampshire since he has no known grave the recognition of his Bromley birth will be significant.
His family did not reside long in Bromley and Geoffrey entered naval service on 15 May 1901 and was found to be a promising naval Cadet advancing to Midshipman in December 1903 Assistant Sub- Lieutenant in February 1906 and Sub-Lieutenant on 15 February 1906. He became a Lieutenant on 1 October 1908 and on 1 May 1909 went to Forth for Submarine training. His service record comments on his abilities and "zeal and very good way of working the ship's company who work well under him".
In 1915 and 1916 he was based at Maidstone and attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander on 1 October 1916. His service record also records that he was married on 26 June 1911.
On 28 January 1918 when in command of HM Submarine E 14 in the Dardanelles,he was ordered to locate the German battle cruiser "Goeber" reported aground. Unable to locate her,he came across another enemy ship which he torpedoed but detonation of the torpedo damaged E14 forcing her to surface. The submarine was damaged by shellfire and he decided to ground the submarine to give his crew chance of safety. He himself remained on deck until killed by a shell.
The London Gazette of 23 May 1919 contains the Admiralty record of the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross. An image of him can be found on the Memorials to valour web page.
The torpedo fired from E14 detonated 11 seconds after it left the submarine's tube and burst open the forehatch of the submarine. Initial shelling from forts on both sides failed to damage the submarine and E14 then dived and sought a way out but "the boat became out of control,and as the air supply was limited was nearly exhausted,Leutenant Commander White decided to run the risk of proceeding on the surface. Heavy fire was immediately opened from both sides,and after running the gauntlet for over half-an-hour,being steered from below,E14 was so badly damaged that Lietanant Commander White turned towards shore in order to give the crew a chance of being saved. He remained on deck the whole time himself until he was killed by a shell."
E14 was a unique submarine in naval history as two Victoria Crosses were awarded to her crew;images of her and details of her wreck location are found in the Daily Telegraph article.
Lieutenant Commander White was killed om 28 January 1918 age 31.
I look forward to the Bromley commemoration of his gallantry and it seem fitting today to remember his Bromley baptismal anniversary.
© Henry Mantell Downe Online Parish Clerk 2013-2017
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