Photo: Pauline Priano
Photo: Pauline Priano
Pension Card
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
George Strong, one of 7 children of whom 3 had died in infancy by 1911, was the youngest of 2 brothers and had 2 elder sisters. His father George Strong Snr born at Penrith, Cumberland, in 1861 was only 7/8 years of age when his mother Dorothy Strong nee Robley died aged 41 years. George’s (Snr) father, coal agent, George Strong was left with the responsibility of 4 children under the age of 16 and took the decision soon after his wife’s death of sending young George (Snr) to live with his uncle and aunt, George and Elizabeth Stephenson, at Castleside, County Durham. His uncle George was a grocer, however ten years later, he at the age of 19 was a labourer at Consett Iron and Steel Works.
George Snr was married at the Primitive Methodist Church, Shotley Bridge, February 21st 1882 to Mary Colling born January 7th 1857 at Arkengarthdale, Yorkshire, whose family had moved to the local area. Daughter Dorothy was born in 1883, Hannah Elizabeth October 5th 1886, baptised January 4th 1887 at Shotley Bridge, Robley 1894 and George Jnr in 1898, baptised at Shotley Bridge, June 21st. They had moved to 1, Consett Road, Castleside by 1901, George supported his family employed as a weigh-man at the iron works, with the exception of Hannah (14), who had moved into the home of her uncle and aunt, Joseph and Margaret Lee and their 4 children at 1, Watergate, in the village of Watergate where her uncle was a farmer and cartman for his own account. The Strong family had moved to Teasdale by 1909 and Hannah was married that same year to William Soulsby with whom she had a son George William Gorden Soulsby, she had moved back into the family home by 1911, it consisted of 3 room at Boldron, Barnard Castle. George Snr worked for Startforth Rural Council as a road man/labourer, Dorothy and Hannah assisted their mother in the home, George Jnr (12) was a scholar, his brother Robley (16) was employed as a servant/farm labourer at Startforth Farm, Rokeby, Barnard Castle, the holding of John and Elizabeth Raine.
When war was declared in 1914 George was 16 years of age, still too young to enlist which he could once he turned 18 years in 1916. He was attested at Startforth stating in error he was born at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, he was assigned to the Royal Field Artillery, service number 185322 and later transferred to the North Staffordshire Regiment as Private 40169. Unfortunately, his record has not been found and it is therefore impossible to follow Private Strong’s exact movements.
There is a discrepancy comparing documents, his WW1 Service Medal and Award Roll states he was with the 2nd/5th Battalion, the CWGC the 2nd/6th, fortunately the movement of both battalions was the same until February 1918. The battalions moved to Ireland in 1916 to quell the troubles and then to Fovant in Wiltshire west of Salisbury Plain in January 1917, landing at Le Havre, France, February 25th 1917.
Germany launched the spring offensive in March 21st 1918 attacking once again on the Somme in an attempt to push the British Forces back to the English Channel and force the French to seek an armistice. Operation Georgette and Operation Mars were designed to strike further north to seize ports in Belgium and France. The main phase of Operation Georgette was the Battle of Lys, April 9th-26th 1918. The attack began at Feuenwatze where the British relieved the exhausted Portuguese Expeditionary Corps but found difficulty in hold the line along the River Lys without French reinforcements. Sir Douglas Haig issued an ‘Order Of The Day” April 11th 1918 stating, “With our backs to the wall and believing in the justice of our cause, each one of us must fight on to the end.”
Private 40169 George Strong North Staffordshire Regiment was declared as missing April 15th 1918 and after extensive enquiries as to his whereabouts, struck off. It is presumed he died April 15th 1918, as adopted by the CWGC. Private George Strong has no known grave, his sacrifice is recorded as one of the 11,395 names inscribed on the Ploegsteert Memorial, which stands within Berks Cemetery Extension, Hainaut, 12.5 kilometres south of Ypres in Belgium. He was 19 years of age and single.
His father received all monies due to him from the Army and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to the family’s home address at Barnard Castle.
The death of their youngest son only added to their grief as his brother Gunner Robley Strong Royal Field Artillery had been killed in action, September 30th 1917.
George Strong Snr continued to work for the Rural Council until 1931, retiring at the age of 65 years, the following year he and Mary celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary.
George Strong died aged 74 years in 1933, district of Teesdale, his widow in 1939 was living at Old Station House, Crook and Willington district, with widow Dinah Parker, further details as regards as yet unconfirmed.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
George Strong is remembered at Castleside on C113.01 and C113.05 and at Startforth on S150.01 and S150.02
