Every Name a Story
On the Helles Memorial Turkey (including Gallipoli) is the name of 4477 Lance Corporal George Allison, serving with the 8th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers who died 19/08/1915.
Tess McTiernan has provided the following:
George was born in 1883 in Aspatria, Cumberland, the youngest of six children, son of Walter and Hannah Allison. After the early death of Hannah, Walter married Elizabeth Dixon and fathered a further six children.
In 1901 George was living with his extended family in Prospect, Aspatria and was working as a coal miner hewer. He boarded at 16 Elm Terrace, Tantobie before his marriage to Margaret Hughes in 1911. Their son John was born in 1914.
8th Battalion Aug 1914 was formed at Newcastle as part of Kitchener’s First New Army. It moved to Belton Park, Grantham and joined the 34th Brigade of the 11th Division.
April 1915 – Moved to Witley and Frensham, Surrey for final training.
July 1915 – Moved to the Mediterranean, sailing from Liverpool to Murdos.
6th August 1915 – Landed in Gallipoli and engaged in various actions against the Turkish Army including the landing near Lala Baba at Sulva Bay, the Battle of Sari Bair.
George was presumed dead in Turkey August 19th 1915 aged 30 years. He was awarded the Victory Medal, British War Medal and 1914-15 Star.
Lynne Irving has added that he was the brother-in-law of Charles A. Hughes.
George Allison is remembered at Dipton on D46.06 and at Leadgate on L65.01 and at Tanfield on T35.04