Trevor Whitaker was born in West Grinstead, Sussex, on 3 February 1891, the son of John Arthur Whitaker and Emily Whitaker (née Wilkin). He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet on 15 September 1903 and was promoted Midshipman on 15 May 1908 and to Sub Lieutenant on 30 May 1911. Promotion to Lieutenant followed on 30 October 1912. 

Trevor Whitaker was appointed to HMS DOLPHIN ‘for Submarines’ on 11 February 1914, and to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS BONAVENTURE for HMS C12 to date 18 May 1914. On 18 January 1915 he was appointed to HMS E10 at Harwich, promoted to this submarine for his gallant conduct while serving in HMS C12 which ran aground and caught fire in December 1914.

HMS E10 was sent to patrol off the North-North-West of Heligoland on 18 January 1915. The submarine parted company with the sister submarine HMS E5 in the early evening of 18 January 1915 and was not seen again. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records that the loss of E10 took place on 21 January 1915 which, it is assumed is the day the submarine should have arrived back at Harwich.

Trevor Whitaker is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval War Memorial on Panel No. 7.

His elder brother Captain Harold Whitaker, Second Battalion, Rifle Brigade (a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society and an explorer) was killed in France overnight 1/2 December 1914 whilst on a reconnaissance patrol.