In St. Sever Cemetery Extension, France is the Commonwealth War Grave of 2447 Private George Wilson serving with the 1st/8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry who died 12/11/1916.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
George Wilson, one of 7 children of whom 6 survived, was the youngest of his 3 brothers and had 1 older and 2 younger sisters.
His father, John Wilson, native of Durham, was born circa 1859 and mother, Jane Ann Turnbull, born circa 1863 at Chevington, Northumberland, who had transferred to Cornsay Colliery by 1881, a servant in the home of butcher William Hand. They were married in the district of Lanchester in 1884, their son Robert was born the following years at Quebec, as was Eleanor 1889 and Edward in 1891 whilst the family were living at 6, Front Street, Esh where John was employed as a coal miner.
By 1901 they had moved to 2, Dyke Street, Esh, Jane Ann had given birth to a further 3 children, George in 1894, Elizabeth in 1897 and Annie in1899. Robert (16) had joined his father at the colliery employed below ground as a putter.
Robert was married in 1910, he and his wife Kate and 2-month old son John moved in with the family. In 1911 they were all living at 20, Dyke Street, Quebec. Now all of John’s sons were employed as miners, Robert as a hewer, Edward (20) and George (18) worked as putters. To increment the family income he had also taken in a boarder, 54 year old Welsh miner Thomas Jones and in the census of 1911 had a visitor, Thomas Glaner, advertising manager.
George Wilson was one of the first to enlist at Durham. He was assigned as Private 2447 to the 1/8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. When war was declared with Germany the 1/8th Battalion was at the annual camp and recalled immediately to Roker and Whitburn as part of the coastal defences. Private Wilson along with the new recruits joined them there and over the next 9 months they trained for active service overseas.
As part of the 50th Northumbrian Division the battalion departed from Newcastle upon Tyne railway station, April 19th 1915 bound for Folkestone. Having arrived the following day they were rushed across France and, without any nursery training, within days were fighting in the trenches on the Ypres salient during the Second Battle of Ypres. Shelled and gassed, they suffered heavy casualties during their attack at Gravenstafel ridge and the defence of Boetieers Farm. [Bootlace farm], They remained on the Ypres salient until August 1916 when, as part of the 151st Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division they moved south to the Somme joining in the final phases of the Battles of the Somme. During September 1916 they suffered heavy casualties, south of La Sars and at the Butte de Warlencourt on November 5th 1916.
Private 2447 George Wilson, Durham Light Infantry, sustained wounds, exact date unknown, and was taken by Field Ambulance to the No.5 General Hospital, at Rouen, where he died, November 12th 1916 and was interred at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France, grave O. II. A. 2. He was 25 years of age.
His father John received all monies due to him and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Although both of George’s brother would have been eligible for service during WW1 only the record of Private Robert Wilson has been found.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
George Wilson is remembered at Quebec on Q2.05, and at Durham in the D.L.I. Book of Remembrance, page 315.
