Major Willie Oswald George

[Sandie Hayes]

Willie Oswald George fought in Gallipoli with the Welsh Regiment and was wounded at Sulva Bay. I believe his father also fought at Gallipoli. He was commissioned in the field and, by 1920, was using the title of Major.

He was awarded the M.B.E. during or soon after the war. 

He served in the Pioneer Corps at the beginning of the Second World War. He died in Liverpool in 1940 and is buried there. He lived in Port Talbot and was a native of Merthyr Tydfil. 

Can anyone tell me anything about Major George? I'm keen to know why and when he was awarded the MBE and when he became a Major.

He was 'gazetted' in 1939 but I can't find any details (I'm rubbish at searching the Gazette).

Anything about this man would help, anything at all. Cause of death would be brilliant but, the MBE is the most elusive at present. 

[HolymoleyRE]

Hi Sandie, 

 

His medal index card tells most of his first world war time story, service number 156 entered the war as the Company Sergeant Major of the 1/5th Battalion WR, landed Gallipoli 16th July 1915, Commissioned 16th August 1915, seems he reached Temporary Major, but his substantive rank was 2nd Lieutenant it would seem. 

 

To search the LG, try searching "willie Oswald George" or "W O George"  or "156" and narrow the date right down

 

The LG search function isn't working properly on my phone at the mo. 

 

Regards 

Andy 

[Dave66]

He’s listed as Willy Oswald George here....https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Edinburgh/issue/13420/page/1238

 

And also here in 1939, commissioned into the R.A.O.C..https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34729/supplement/7566

 

Dave.

Edited 9 July , 2019 by Dave66

[HolymoleyRE]

His post 1920 service number is 48261, and has an Officer file still at the MoD. 

[Dave66]

He becomes temporary major here, employed in a record office...https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31305/page/5147

 

Most of these rank notifications are all found by searching for W O George.

 

Best of luck with further research,

 

Dave

[Sandie Hayes]

Many thanks guys, you've been a big help.

Sandie

[Christian R]

On 09/07/2019 at 22:40, Sandie Hayes said:

Willie Oswald George fought in Gallipoli with the Welsh Regiment and was wounded at Sulva Bay. I believe his father also fought at Gallipoli. He was commissioned in the field and, by 1920, was using the title of Major.

He was awarded the M.B.E. during or soon after the war. 

He served in the Pioneer Corps at the beginning of the Second World War. He died in Liverpool in 1940 and is buried there. He lived in Port Talbot and was a native of Merthyr Tydfil. 

Can anyone tell me anything about Major George? I'm keen to know why and when he was awarded the MBE and when he became a Major.

He was 'gazetted' in 1939 but I can't find any details (I'm rubbish at searching the Gazette).

Anything about this man would help, anything at all. Cause of death would be brilliant but, the MBE is the most elusive at present. 

Hi there, he was my great uncle. The award was to with him being involved in starting the pioneer corps but sadly died before it all kicked off. My great grandparents, his parents, moved from Merthyr to live close to him in Portsmouth but sadly also died in 1940. Uncle Willy caught a nasty wound in no mans land in the first war. It ricocheted off his ankle and up. My Gt.Grandfather could hear his cries for his mother but could do nothing. Interestingly back in Merthyr my gt.grandmother woke the household  that night telling them all that willy had been shot. Christian R

[Christian R]

I have some photos of them in WW1, experienced soldiers, but his brother was killed in France a month before the end of the war. 

[Christian R]

This is my Gt Grandfather & Uncle Willy 

[Sandie Hayes]

Thank you so much for this information and the photograph.

You must be so proud of your family's history.

I really appreciate your help, 

Sandie 

[Christian R]

On 23/07/2019 at 00:08, Sandie Hayes said:

Thank you so much for this information and the photograph.

You must be so proud of your family's history.

I really appreciate your help, 

Sandie 

Thanks Sandie, I'm interested in anything you uncover as they kind of lost their story having not taken part in WW2 as they died in 1940 sadly. My gt. grandfather died having a beer in his local pub in Portsmouth where he & my Gt. grandmother (she passed around the same time) moved to live close to Willie.

[Christian R]

Also his brother was Ieuan George who dide just short of the end of the war after serving hard, but was loaned to the east lancs from the 5th welsh. He won the Miliary Medal but I don't know what for or how to find out.

GEORGE Serjeant 34526

JOHN IEUAN

Sunday, July 14, 1918 Age 28 LE GRAND HASARD MILITARY CEMETERY, MORBECQUE Plot 1. Row B. Grave 1.

Edited 28 August , 2019 by Christian R

[MaxD]

The award was published on 6 July 1917 giving his unit as 11 Battalion East Lancs.  Publication typically came a couple of months after the event.  The war diary is here:

 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7353720  It may hold a clue or if very lucky, details.  Here on Ancestry;

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/60779/43849_2366_1-00000?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return

 

Max

[Christian R]

Thanks Max

[GMB]

Bit late to the party on this, but I research men from Merthyr Tydfil for an ongoing War Project I have been undertaking for the past 2 years. I have a Facebook group where I provide write ups on soldiers who were KIA, as a list does not exist locally, and Ieuan was one of these. I have copied the write up below, along with a link to the group if interested;

https://m.facebook.com/groups/204409744783097/permalink/343276000896470/?sfnsn=scwspmo&ref=share

Sgt John Ieuan George (MM), 34526, ‘Y’ Company, 11th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment.

Killed by a German Sniper on 14th July 1918, age 28.

John lived at 9, Vaynor Villas in 1901 and joined the colours in December 1908, attesting into the 3rd Battalion Dragoon Guards, and was in Egypt when war broke out in 1914. In July 1916, he transferred to the East Lancashire Regiment, which he stayed with until he was killed.

Between July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme and his death in July 1918, he was awarded the Military Medal ‘for conspicious bravery during a bombing attack on the German lines, during which he was badly wounded in both arms’. In another article it states he was wounded in both arms, ‘May last’, and due to the fact that he was gazetted in July 1917, I am fairly confident that he was awarded the MM for actions around April/May 1917.

The 11th Battalion were in heavy frontline fighting with the Germans, repelling numerous trench raids, and proactively bombing german trenches, before moving in for hand to hand combat - unfortunately the war diary doesn’t specifically mention his award. Following his injuries, he was transferred to hospital in Brighton for a month, until he volunteered to return to the front line even though he was deemed unfit!

He was on patrol and on his return to the British Lines, he was shot by a German sniper and died ‘almost immediately’. When buried, the chaplain said ‘he died as he lived - a true gallant and brave soldier and one can say nothing more splendid. Everyone is most sorry to lose him for the splendid fellow he was’.

John is buried at Le Grand Hasard Military Cemetery, Morbecque, France.

Also serving at the time was his father QMS John Evan George (Welsh Regt/RAF - photo included) and his brother, Lieutenant Willie Oswald George (RASC/Welsh Regt).

Son of Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant, John Evan George, & Phoebe Ann George, 4 Llewellyn Place, The Walk, Merthyr.

Edited 25 July , 2023 by GMB