Photo: Derek Johnstone
Photo: Sydney Graham
Royal Marines Light Infantry
G. Walding
Portsmouth Battn. R.N.D.
16th June 1915, age 19.
Ever remembered by
his loving father & mother
brother & sisters
In St Peter's West Sleekburn Cemetery is a family headstone which reads:
George Walding,
dearly beloved husband of
Sarah Walding,
who died January 10th 1928,
aged 64 years.
Also their son
George,
who died of wounds May 16th 1915
aged 19 years
Also the above Sarah
who died February 4th 1955
aged 91 years.
The Portsmouth Division took part in the Gallipoli Campaign and casualties were shipped to Egypt. It is likely that Pte Walding was one of those.
Acknowledgments: Sydney Graham
Derek Johnstone and Carole Fife have provided the following:
George was born on July 29th 1895 at Blyth to parents George Walding, a coal miner, from Northampton and Sarah Walding from Backworth in Northumberland.
The 1901 Census shows George, aged 4, living in his parents’ house at 16, Mawburn Terrace, Cambois with siblings Ada 9, Edith 8, Elizabeth 6 and Maude 2.
Military information shows George enlisted October 1st 1914 in the Royal Marine Light Infantry, probably in the hope of going to sea. Unfortunately the Government found itself with more sailors than it needed so they were formed into the Royal Naval Division where they had a naval uniform and fought with the Army.
George was sent to Gallipoli where he was wounded and evacuated to a military hospital in Alexandria Egypt where he died. His effects went to his mother which indicated he was not married.
George Walding is remembered in Cambois on C6.02 and in West Sleekburn on W34.01
