Educated at Bradfield College,[1] he was in September 1902 appointed a naval cadet on the armoured cruiser HMS Aboukir, serving with the Mediterranean Fleet.

On 28 January 1918 in the Dardanelles, Turkey, Lieutenant-Commander White, commanding British submarine E.14 was under instructions to find the German battlecruiser Goeben, which was reported to be aground.

The KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned Officers : — Lieutenant-Commander Geoffrey Saxton White, R.N.

"E 14" left Mudros on the 27th of January under instructions to force the Narrows and attack the "Goeben"[3] which was reported aground off Nagara Point after being damaged during her sortie from the Dardanelles.

Heavy fire was immediately opened from both sides, and, after running the gauntlet for half-an-hour, being steered from below, "E 14" was so badly damaged that Lieutenant-Commander White turned towards the shore in order to give the crew a chance of being saved.