De Ruvigny Roll of Honour Vol. page 270
London County Council entry page 172 ROH
London County Council entry page 176 ROH
East Lancashire Ambulance at Gallipoli
W Beach, Lancashire Landing Beach
George Reuben Treadwell was born in Kentish Town, London, on the 18th December 1888. He was the youngest of 4 children, there were 2 older sisters called Emelia and Sarah and an older brother named William. George was the only surviving son. His father Rueben Herbert Treadwell, resided at 3 Argle Street, Tynemouth, [bricklayer] was born in Northampton and married Susannah Tranter, who was the daughter of a Henry Tranter, of Hackney, London. They were all residing at Kingsley Gardens in Kingsthorpe Village in 1891.
George's father Reuben, also served in the war. He was a Sapper with the Royal Engineers and enlisted in August 1917 after George's death. Reuben was discharged on the 14th February 1918 as he was over military age. He died at home three months later, aged 56, and is buried in Tynemouth (Preston) Cemetery.
In 1901, George was a pupil at the High Felling Council School in Felling, and the family then were residing at 16 Stephenson Street, Felling.
In 1911, (age 22) he had returned to London and was a student teacher at the S.W. Polytechnic and was a boarder at 33 Rosenay Street, in Battersea, London.
He took a diploma in Physical Training and Swedish Gymnastics and as a result became a Master of Physical Training and Gymnastics activities there. He also enlisted in the Army Service Corps (Territorials).
Whilst he was in the North East he also attended Armstrong College between 1908 and 1910 where he trained to be a teacher.
The College had issued a newspaper report under the Heading 'Northern Notes' stating:- "Mr Robert Hindmarsh Stubbs, Mr Herbert W. R. Haselhurst, and Mr George Treadwell, of North Shields, all of whom have been associated with the Officers' Training Corps of the Armstrong College, have received commissions as second Lieutenants in Lord Kitchener's New Army. Lieut. Stubbs has been appointed to the 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, Lieut Haselhurst to the 8th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, and Lieut Treadwell to the 6th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers."
Source: Newcastle Journal Friday 18/02/1914
On the outbreak of War he joined the Durham University O.T.C. in August 1914, and volunteered for foreign service. He was gazetted a 2nd Lieutenant in the East Lancashire Regiment on the 9th September 1914. Then promoted to a Lieutenant on the 30th December before becoming a Captain on the 3rd of March 1915.
In 1915, Lieutenant George Ruben Treadwell was involved with the Felling Wesleyan Church, as he is remembered in the Wesleyan Circuit Magazine, also remembered under Felling in the above magazine of those serving.
George served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in Gallipoli from June 1915, but was invalided home in September after undergoing an operation for appendicitis, and under went another operation at Southsea in February 1916.
He rejoined his regiment in Mesopotamia in July 1917, and was acting second in command of the Battalion from January 1917. He was posthumously gazetted a Major on the 18th May.
On the 5th of February, George had left his company and joined the Headquarters staff, where he was killed in action near Kut-el-Amara, while directing operations during an assault on an enemy strong post. He was buried one and a half miles west by south of Kut.
Source: Newcastle Journal Wednesday 14/02/1917 carried this brief report:- Casualties in North Country Regiments.
Officer
" Mr and Mrs Treadwell, 3 Argle Street, Tynemouth have received official intimation of the death in action of their son, Captain G.R. Treadwell East Lancashire Regiment, on the 5th inst. The deceased officer, who was gazetted to the East Lancashire Regiment in September 1914, was invalided from the Dardanelles in September 1915, and re-joined his regiment in July last."
Another article headed University News Tuesday 13/02/1917 carried a report:-
The Roll of Honour
" Votes of sympathy were passed with the parents of the following members of the College who have been killed in action or died from wounds : - Captain J. N. Armstrong: Mr Philip Newbold, formerly lecturer in classics and ancient history in the College: Lieut J. R. Stead, son of Dr J . S. Stead, F.R.S., who had acted as external examiner of the University in Metallurgy: Second Lieut. L.M. Thompson, B.Sc., prize demonstrator in geology and College Fellow: Captain G. R. Treadwell and 2nd Lieut. J. B. Wright.
The Secretary reported that military distinctions had recently been conferred on the following former students:- Major Hugh Knothe, awarded the D.S.O., and promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel: and Gunner M. J. N. K. Hyslop, awarded the Military Medal.
The Council ordered their congratulations and best wishes to be forwarded to these gentlemen."
His commanding Officer had wrote:- "I cannot tell you what a loss your son is to the regiment. Having fine soldierly qualities and great energy and force of character, he was a splendid company leader and trainer of men. He was one of the best of those splendid types of officers that the New Army has produced," and a senior officer, who served with Capt. Treadwell during training in England, and afterwards in Gallipoli: "It was my fortune to have been in close touch with him during all the time we served together, and I was very fond of him indeed. He was one of the best of fellows, and an excellent companion. He was a very keen soldier, very conscientious in all his work, always ready to carry out anything he was asked: brave and fearless, and always to be depended on. He was one of the best Officers of the New Army I have ever had the honour of meeting, and his death I consider a great loss to the Army and the regiment". He was not married.
De Ruvigny Roll of Honour
Shields Daily News13/02/1917.
Captain G.R. Treadwell, East Lancashire Regiment killed in action. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Treadwell, 3 Argyle Terrace, Tynemouth
Shields Daily News 13/02/1917:
News of Local Men. Killed and Wounded in Action. CAPT. TREADWELL, OF TYNEMOUTH KILLED. Information has been received by Mr and Mrs Treadwell, 3 Argyle Street, Tynemouth, of the death in action of their son, Captain G.R. Treadwell, East Lancashire Regiment, on February 5th, 1917 in Mesopotamia. The deceased officer, who was gazetted to the East Lancashire Regiment in September 1914, and rejoined his regiment in Mesopotamia in July, 1916.
He is also listed in the London County Council Roll of Honour under the heading of teaching staff. As well as an additional mention of his death page 172 and page 176.
George Reuben Treadwell is remembered at Felling on F32.23, and at Tynemouth on T36.01 in T36.14 in T36.16