GEORGE, John Ieuan (MM)

‘HE GAVE ALL LET NONE FORGET HOW VAST THE DEBT THEY OWE TO THOSE WHO DIED’

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

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 - I am however waiting on a response from someone who has access to the Lancashire museum and its records. 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’.

Also serving at the time was his father QMS John Evan George (Welsh Regt/RAF - photo left) 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.