WAINWRIGHT, THOMAS, brother of John Wainwright (qv); b.; adm.; QS 1706; elected to Christ Church, Oxford 1710, matr. 9 Jun 1710, aged 18, Westminster Student from 18 Dec 1710, Tutor 1717-20; BA 1714; MA 1717; d. unm. 9 Mar 1721, . Buried Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford.
Waite, Peter Wilfrid, son of Wilfrid Fabian Waite, barrister-at-law, and Dorothy, d. of Edward James Ebden ICS; b. 18 June 1922; adm. Jan. 1936 (H); left. Apr. 1941; Lance-Cpl The Queen's Regt; killed in action (ltaly) 9 Sept. 1944.
Peter Wilfrid Waite was born at Chelsea, London on the 18th of June 1922 the only child of Wifrid Fabian Waite, a barrister at law and Counsel to the Board of Trade, and Dorothy (nee Ebden) Waite of 201, Hood House, Dolphin Square, Westminster in London. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from January 1936 to April 1941. On leaving school he enlisted as a Private in The Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey) on the 5th of May 1941 and was later promoted to Corporal.
On the afternoon of the 8th of September 1944, the 2/6th Battalion, The Queen’s Royal Regiment was detailed to make an attack on the left of their Brigade to clear the village of Poggio of its German defenders and to capture a hill, codenamed “Soldier” to the west of Gemmano. At the same time, the 2/7th Battalion was to make an attack on the right to capture the village of Gemmano and the adjoining hamlet of Borgo. The 2/7th Battalion moved into the attack at 2.30pm with the 2/6th Battalion following a short time later.
As the 2/6th Battalion climbed the first hill towards their objective they came under very heavy enemy fire from the wooded slopes rising up to Gemmano village. In spite of this C Company captured Poggio, losing their company commander and two other officers in the process. As night fell the Battalion waited in the area around Poggio for news of progress of the 2/7th Battalion. The area was lit up by the light from burning haystacks which enabled enemy snipers to bring them under fire.
After nightfall D Company advanced and captured “Soldier” hill but they too lost their company commander in the attack. The Germans immediately counterattacked with A and B Companies being ordered forward to reinforce the defenders. As they moved up the hill they came under intense enemy fire and were forced to go to ground. D Company held onto its gains throughout the following day and during the fighting they captured forty enemy prisoners and badly mauled a party of enemy troops who were bringing up supplies using mules and wheelbarrows. By the afternoon of the 9th of September, D Company was almost completely surrounded and was ordered to fight its way out and back to the lower slopes. By the end of the night the survivors had rejoined their comrades on the slopes below to the south and east of their objective.
Peter Waite was killed during the fighting: -“The only remaining member of his section, he died attacking a German position, alone in a vital and successful action in which he played an important part.”
He is buried at Coriano Ridge Cemetery Plot XX, Row E, Grave 6.
WAKEFIELD, JOHN HOWARD, brother of Edward Gibbon Wakefield (qv); b. 2 Jun 1803; adm. 29 Apr 1816 (Best's); KS 1818; elected to Trinity Coll. Cambridge 1822, adm. pens. 18 May 1822, but did not matr. or reside; Cadet, EICS Bengal 1822; Ensign, 17th Native Infantry 11 Jul 1823; Lieut., 13 May 1825; Brevet Capt., 11 Jul 1838; Capt., 9 Jul 1840; Brevet Maj., 11 Nov 1851; Capt., 3rd European Regt., 15 Nov 1853; retd. as Lieut. -Col., 1 Jan 1857; m. at Bareilly, India 9 Jan 1832 Maria Suffolk, “a converted Hindu”, dau. of the Wuzar of Bussahor; d. 25 Jun 1862.
Wakeford, Richard, brother of Victor David Wakeford (qv); b. 23 July 1921; adm. Sept. 1934 (R); left Apr. 1940; Roy. Hampshire Regt 1941-5 (temp. Lieut.-Col.), three times wounded, despatches (N. Africa) Sept. 1943; awarded the Victoria Cross July 1944 for leadership in an attack near Monte Cassino in May 1944; Trin. Coll. Oxf., matric. 1946, BA 1948, MA 1962; adm. a solicitor Oct. 1951; partner Layton & Co.; a Master of the Supreme Court (Chancery Divn) 1964; member Court of Assistants Haberdashers' Company, and a governor of Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham Schools; JP (Surrey); m. 31 Mar. 1951 Denise Elizabeth, d. of Sidney Thomas Corlson; d. 27 Aug. 1972.
Wakeford, Victor David, son of Victor David Collins Wakeford MD and Mary Ellen, d. of James Kite of Church Stretton, Shropshire; b. 31 May 1916; adm. May 1930 (R); left July 1934; Exeter Coll. Oxf., matric. 1934, BA 1937, MA 1941; ord. deacon 1946, priest 1947 (York); Curate Scarborough 1946-51; chaplain Oakham Sch. 1951-4, Eshton Sch. Gargrave, Yorks, 1955-8, King's Sch. Gloucester 1958-72; retd.; d. 7 May 1994.
Wakely, Charles Peter, son of Leonard John Dean Wakely (qv); b. 27 Oct. 1939; adm. Sept. 1953 (G); left July 1958; Shell Internat. Petroleum Co. 1958; Deutsche Shell 1966-8; man. dir. Nippon LNG KK Tokyo, Japan 1976-9; Shell Internat. 1979-; m. Jacqueline Margaret, d. of Leonard Hughes, building contractor; d. 24 May 1999.
Wakely, Kenneth George, son of Brig. William Hugh Denning Wakely (qv); b. 7 Jan. 1939; adm. Sept. 1952 (QS); left July 1957; RMA Sandhurst 1957, Queen’s Medal 1959; 2nd Lieut. Queen’s Roy. Surrey Regt. 1959, Lieut. 1961, Capt. Dec. 1964, retd. Aug. 1970; New Coll. Oxf., matric. 1961, BA 1964, MA 1971; industrial relations consult. Engineering Employers’ Fedn. 1970-3; training man. Cape Industries 1973-8; personnel man. Exchange Telegraph Co. 1978-84; man. consult., John Courtis and Partners 1986-9; Ferdinand Pieroth Wines, sales consult. 1990-8; South West Trains, station man. 2004-15; m. 8 May 1965 Susan Margaret Ubsdell, sec., d. of Maj. Edward Thurlow Hope Ubsdell SLI, of New Milton, Hants; d. 13 Mar. 2023.
Wakely, Leonard John Dean, son of Sir Leonard Day Wakely KCIE CB, Dep. Under Sec. of State India Office, and Florence Dean, d. of William Titley; b. 18 June 1909; adm. Sept. 1923 (G); left 1928; Ch. Ch. Oxf., matric. 1928, BA 1931 (1st class hons Mod. History), MA 1945; passed into ICS 1932; SOAS Lond. 1932-3; Asst Commr Punjab 1933; Asst Supt Simla Hill States 1935; SDO Rajanpur 1936; Under Sec. Punjab Govt 1937-8; successively Under Sec. Defence Coord. and Dep. Sec. Defence and Legislative Depts, Govt of India 1938-47; MBE 1942, OBE 1945; Dominions Office 1947; Sen. Sec. Office of UK High Commr in S. Africa 1950-2; Dep. High Commr Madras 1953-7, Ghana 1957-60; Head of Constitutional Dept CRO 1960-2; Dep. High Commr Canada 1962-5; CMG 1965; HM Ambassador Rangoon 1965-7; 111. 10 Nov. 1938 Margaret Houssemayne, d. of Lieut.-Cdr Charles Wills Tinson OBE RN; d. 24 June 1994.
Wakely, William Hugh Denning, brother of Leonard John Dean Wakely (qv); b. 20 Feb. 1912; adm. Sept. 1925 (G); left July 1930; St John's Coll. Camb., matric. 1932, BA 1934; 2nd Lieut. RE Jan. 1932, Lieut. Jan. 1935, Capt. Jan. 1940; GSO 1 MELF, despatches (Middle East) June 1942; Maj. July 1946; psc; Lieut.-Col. Aug. 1953, Col. 1959, Brig. 1963; retd Apr. 1964; m. 21 Dec. 1937 Diana Mary, d. of Lieut.-Col. Richard Montague Raynsford DSO DL, of Milton Manor, Northants; d. 26 Sept. 1979.
WAKLEY, THOMAS, only son of Thomas Henry Wakley FRCS, Arlington Street, Piccadilly, London, surgeon and editor of The Lancet, and Harriette Anne, third dau. of Francis Radford Blake, Rickmansworth, Herts.; b. 10 Jul 1851; adm. 31 Jan 1865 (James'); QS 1866; elected to Trinity Coll. Cambridge 1870, matr. Mich. 1870; St. Thomas’s Hospital; a serious bicycle accident interrupted his medical studies for some six years; LRCP 1883; entered the office of The Lancet as assistant to his uncle James Wakley, its then editor; Joint Editor of the Lancet with his father 1886-1907, sole Editor from 1907; m. 8 Aug 1903 Gladys Muriel, dau. of Norman Barron; d. 5 Mar 1909. DNB.