HE IS one of Hull's most celebrated sons – a national singing sensation of the 1950s.
But David Whitfield, whose teenage years were interrupted by the Second World War, played an important role in the Home Front.
Records, unseen since the war, showing Mr Whitfield, then aged 16, was a member of the Cyclist Messenger Corps during the height of the Hull Blitz have been unearthed.
According to his widow Sheila, Mr Whitfield had never spoken of his time delivering vital messages for the emergency services, often during air raids, while others sought shelter.
Ken Parker, a volunteer at Hull History Centre in Worship Street, helping collate the city's war records, made the chance discovery last week.
Mr Parker, 69, of Thorngumbald, said: "As soon as I saw the card, I thought, 'Wow'.
"I knew David Whitfield lived off Lorraine Street in east Hull, so when I saw the address, I knew it was him.
"It's fascinating what you find when you look."
Carol Tanner, access and collections manager, said: "We have been checking the details and it is definitely him."
Members of the Cyclist Messenger Corps played an important role as Hitler's Luftwaffe dropped thousands of bombs on the city in a bid to strike a blow to morale while destroying infrastructure.
Often, the messengers – most of whom were in their teens – would run errands for the stretched emergency services.
According to the personnel cards, Mr Whitfield enrolled in the service on August 5, 1941, and left in March 1942.
More than 1,200 people were killed in the Blitz from May 1941 to July 1943. At the time, Mr Whitfield was living with his family at 6 Florence Grove, off Lorraine Street, east Hull.
Ms Tanner said: "We also have his personal equipment card, which details what equipment, such as helmet, respirator, haversack, eyeshields, defence armlet and battledress, blouse and trousers were issued."
Mr Whitfield is noted to have returned his issued equipment, before joining the Royal Navy aged 17. He went on to serve mainly in the Far East.
Mr Whitfield was also sent to support the Allied invasion of Normandy in France on D-Day – June 6, 1944.
In later interviews, Mr Whitfield would describe how he entertained shipmates, as well as the sick and injured at base hospitals.
Mrs Whitfield, six years younger than her husband, said she had no idea he was a member of the Cyclist Messenger Corps.
She said: "It's lovely to hear about the records. No one had any idea. It's fascinating. I will certainly be telling the rest of the family."
While Mr Whitfield ran errands dodging Luftwaffe bombs, his future wife was watching the aircraft approach the Humber estuary from the relative safety of the East Yorkshire coast, where she was evacuated.
"We had a caravan on the coast and I can remember watching the aircraft come in," said Mrs Whitfield, who was 13 when she met her husband.
Mr Whitfield notched up a string of hits in the 1950s, and was the most successful UK male singer in the US during the pre-rock years.
He used a variety of popular orchestras of his day, including Stanley Black, Mantovani and the Roland Shaw orchestra to supply him with his backing accompaniment.
Mr Whitfield died in 1980, aged 54, from a brain haemorrhage during a singing tour in Australia.
His ashes were scattered off Spurn Point.
Ms Tanner said she would be contacting Mrs Whitfield to arrange for a copy of the cards to be given to her.
Dozens answered the plea from Ms Tanner last summer for volunteers to help clean and index thousands of the city's priceless war records for future generations.
The work is likely to extend into next year, due to the sheer volume of records.
Some records, particularly those relating to wardens, are available to view on the centre's website.
Visit www.hullhistorycentre.org.uk and click on "search catalogue".
• Gallery: Archive pictures of David Whitfield
• Gallery: Remarkable pictures from the Hull Blitz
• Gallery: More remarkable pictures from the Hull Blitz
