Graylingwell War Hospital, Chichester
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
George Alfred Pendleton one of 12 children of whom only 9 survived, was the 4th born of 7 sons, he had 1 elder and 1 younger sister. His father Hugh Pendleton born 1864 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, married August 7th 1886 at St. Hilda South Shields to Sarah Charlton Gray originally of Wardley, near Gateshead, County Durham, born 1870, who in 1881 was living in Gosforth a suburb of Newcastle. Their son Hugh Pendleton Jnr was born at South Shields before the end of the year however within 2 years they had moved to Annfield Plain, County Durham where Mary Jane was born in 1888 and Richard in 1890, whilst they were living at 108, South Pontop, Greencroft where Hugh Snr was employed as a coal miner. By 1901 their family was complete with the birth of Daniel 1892, George Alfred 1895, Margaret 1897, Henry 1899, William 1901 and John 1904, At the age of 15 years his brother Hugh Jnr had joined his father, a putter below ground at South Pontop Colliery, employed as a driver, George Alfred and also his brother Daniel by 1911, his younger siblings were scholars. In 1911 they were living at 13, Eastwood Row, Burnhope, Lanchester. Hugh Pendleton Snr died in 1913 at the age of 49.
Prior to the outbreak of war George Alfred had been living with his brother Richard at 46, Granville Avenue, Annfield Plain. He enlisted at Stanley, September 6th 1914, and was assigned as Private 18672 to the Durham Light Infantry joining his regiment at their barracks at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland and posted to the 3rd Battalion Durham Light Infantry at South Shields, September 15th. The 3rd Battalion was part of the Tyne Garrison defending the north east coast but also trained new recruits for service overseas.
He was transferred to the 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry and departed to France via Folkestone as part of the British Expeditionary Force June 9th 1915 and joined his regiment in the field on the Ypres salient in Belgium. He was wounded, a shrapnel wound to the head, July 31st 1915 and taken to the Casualty Clearing Station at Etaples for initial treatment. Private Pendleton was shipped back to England, August 5th landing at Dover and from there he was admitted to the Graylingwell War Hospital, Chichester, in Sussex, underwent an operation and was given stitches to the scalp. After 25 days the stitches were removed and he was discharged as fit enough to return to duty. September 6th 1915 he returned to the 3rd Battalion Durham Light Infantry at South Shields for retraining
Posted to the 2nd Battalion D.L.I. of the Regular Army he again departed to France, December 9th 1915, once there made a will dated December 17th 1915 in which in the event of his death he left all his effects to his younger brothers John and William of 46 Greenville Avenue, Annfield Plain, County Durham. Having crossed France, he arrived on the Ypres salient in Belgium on Christmas Day 1915 and spent a miserable winter in the mud filled trenches of the salient. Just as preparations were underway for the regiment to be moved to the Somme he was killed in action June 8th 1916 and interred at Essex Farm Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, near Ypres in Belgium, grave II. L. 6.
Due to an error in communications his next of kin brother Richard’s first knowledge of his death came via an article in the Newcastle Journal 28/06/1916. He wrote a letter to the Records Office, York, dated June 28th 1916, it reads, “Dear Sirs, Can you relieve my anxiety regards to the press report of the death of Private G. A. Pendleton 2nd Battalion B Comp. D.L.I. No.18672. Private Pendleton is my brother and lived with me before he enlisted, we have not had any word from him in about five weeks. I hope it is not true as we have not had any official word but some definite news is preferable to suspense. Yours respectfully, Rich. Pendleton.” Unfortunately their worst fears were confirmed.
As per his will his brothers John and William Pendleton received all monies due to him and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Private George Alfred Pendleton Durham Light Infantry was 21 years of age and single.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
George Alfred Pendleton is remembered at Annfield Plain on A38.01 and at South Moor on S129.01
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 145
