Arras Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
George was born at Malton Colliery. One of 11 children, he was the 3rd born of 7 brothers and had 2 elder and 2 younger sisters. His father Joseph Wardle of Felling, Gateshead, born 1863, married in the district of Chester-le-Street in 1882 to Mary Jane Routledge, born 1863 at Birtley. Joseph supported his family employed as a coal miner. Newly married they had settled at Hedley Hill where their daughter Dorothy was born in 1885 before moving to Malton Colliery by 1888 where their other children were born, Sarah Isabella 1888, Joseph Jnr 1889, William Henry 1891, George 1892, Thomas 1895, Mary Jane 1896, Jonathan 1899, Robert 1902, Lillian 1905 and Walter Vincent 1907. In 1901 their address was 7, Jubilee Terrace, Malton Colliery. By 1911 Joseph was an overman at the colliery, living at 8 Malton Colliery, William (20), George (18) and Thomas (16) were all employed as putters while the remainder of their younger siblings were scholars. Sarah Isabella and her husband, coal miner John Irwin, who were newly married, also lived with the family.
George by 1914 was living at Langley Park. He was 22 years of age when WW1 began and married during the 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1914 Elizabeth Anderson. He had already enlisted at Durham by the time their son Joseph W. Wardle was born during the 2nd quarter (Apr/May/Jun) 1915, initially assigned to the Royal Field Artillery as service number 84099, later transferred to the 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade as Rifleman S/11358.
The main body of the 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade had departed in 1914 attached to the 11th Brigade, 4th Division landing at Le Havre for service on the Western Front both in France and Belgium during 1915-1916 before moving to the battlefields of Arras. The Battle of Arras raged from April 9th-May 15th 1917.
George Wardle was killed in action May 5th 1917. His sacrifice is recorded on the Arras Memorial.
His widow Elizabeth received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and their son, and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal. She married in the district of Lanchester in 1919, George Jameson with whom she had a further 5 children: Roland 1920, Joyce 1922, Irene 1924, Elizabeth 1926 and Harold 1932, registered under her single name of Anderson.
George’s brother Thomas Wardlealso served during WW1 and was killed in action March 26th 1918. His brother William Henry married Ethel Wynn whose half brother Joseph Hope Teasdale died November 7th 1918 while his brother Thomas Teasdalesurvived the conflict.
Joseph Wardle died in 1922 aged 59 years, registered in the district of Lanchester, County Durham, details of Mary Jane Wardle nee Routledge unknown.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Acknowledgements: Ian Murray
George Wardle is remembered at Lanchester on L62.01 L62.02 and L62.04 at Malton on M49.01 at Langley Park on L64.02 and possibly as C. Wardle on L64.01
