Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
George Hall was one of 12 known children, the 5th born of 6 sons he had 6 elder sisters. His father Jonathan Hall born 1846 at Brancepeth and mother Dinah Roberts native of Usworth born 1856, both in County Durham, were married at Durham in 1876. in 1881 his father was a butcher at Hedley Hill, however, 10 years later as well as having a butchery business he was also the licensed victualler of the Deerness Valley Hotel, eldest son Thomas (14) was an apprentice butcher, William (12), Ellen Jane (10), Jonathan Jnr (9), Elizabeth (7) and Mary Isabella (5) were scholars, Kate (3) and Edith (1) were cared for at home by their mother. Having given birth to a further 4 children, Joseph in 1891, Annie 1893, George 1895 and Edward in 1896, Dinah Hall nee Roberts died in 1899, only 43 years of age. Widower Jonathan Hall moved to 34, Russell Street, Waterhouses where he ran a butcher’s shop for his own account from his home assisted by son William (22), until he too died, December 29th 1909. His effects in the sum of 1 thousand 5 hundred and 82 pounds, 2 shillings, 7 pence were left to his 3rd born son Jonathan Hall Jnr, a farmer. After the death of his father William took over the running of the family business assisted by George, his apprentice and 19-year-old Fred Cameron Crowther, Edith was their housekeeper.
By 1914 George was living at Cornsay Colliery and enlisted at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, assigned as Private 75530 Durham Light Infantry. His training complete he departed to the Western Front landing in France where he was transferred to the 15th Battalion which had been at the front since September 1915, he joined them on the Somme where preparations were underway for the commencement of the Battles of the Somme due to take place June 29th 1916. Due to bad weather the opening attack was delayed until July 1st 1916, at 7.30 a.m. the 15th D.L.I. attached to the 68th Brigade, 21st Division, attacked the German front line at Fricourt and by early afternoon had advanced to Shelter Wood taking 200 prisoners with a loss of 450 men killed or wounded, followed by Bazentin Ridge. They did not participate in any other major battles until September 1916 at Flers-Courcelette 15th-22nd, Morval 25th-28th and Le Transloy October 1st-18th 1916.
They left the Somme and were in the Arras sector for the opening Battle of Arras, April 9th which raged until May 16th 1917. They came under constant, heavy machine gun fire with many losses and failed to capture the German front line. They returned to the battle at the end of April after a period of rest and May 6th were holding the Frezenberg Line. As the fighting died down the machine guns and snipers remained active. Concluded their participation at Arras they were moved to Belgium joining the Battle of Passchendaele in its final stages in October 1917 before spending the rest of the winter in the mud filled trenches of the Ypres salient. During February 1918 they received a draft of officers and 100 men from the recently disbanded 10th Battalion.
March 21st 1918 when again the Germans attacked on the Somme, the 21st Division was in reserve but rushed toward the front to counter attack, only to be driven back after 4 days of fighting. By the end of March they had lost 500 men killed, wounded or missing including their commanding officer who was killed in action.
Private 75530 George Hall Durham Light Infantry was reported as missing and after extensive investigations as to his whereabouts was struck off, presumed to have been killed between March 21st-31st 1918. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 14,708 names inscribed on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France, near the village of Albert, commemorating servicemen from the United Kingdom and South Africa who died on the Somme, March 21st to August 7th 1918 who have no known grave. The memorial forms the perimeter wall of the Pozieres British Cemetery.
Private Hall was 23 years of age and single. Recipient of the British War Medal and Victory Medal. The Register of Soldiers Effects give no indication as to whom the 7 pounds 8 shillings 7 pence owed to him by the Army was to be paid.
The CWGC have adopted the date of March 31st 1918 as the official date of his demise.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
George Hall is remembered at Cornsay on C116.01
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 69
