Brookwood Military Cemetery
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
George Heyworth Jnr. was born 1899 in the district of Workington, Cumberland, the youngest of 3 sons and 2 daughters born to George Heyworth Snr. native of Sheffield, Yorkshire born 1873 and Elizabeth Ann Wildgoose born 1878 at Dronfield, Derbyshire. The Heywoth and Wildgoose families both migrated to the Workington area of Cumberland where the couple were married in 1898. Setting up home at 63 Cranbourne Street, Workington, George Snr. was employed as a weigh-man at the ironworks later becoming a blacksmith’s striker. Although in 1911 he was living alone, he was still listed as married not widowed, with his 5 children the eldest being George Jnr 12 years, the youngest Joseph only 3 years old. Between 1911 and 1914, the family migrated to the north east settling at Heworth, near Gateshead, County Durham.
On the outbreak of war in 1914 George Jnr was only 15, however, he enlisted at Newcastle-upon-Tyne passing himself off as being 18 years old. The persons at the recruiting stations did not always question the recruit's declarations, as depending on the area, they personally received, “a bounty”, per recruit of about 4-5 shillings each. He was assigned as Private 326214 Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment) and after initial training was drafted to France with the 11th battalion R. S., attached to the 27th Brigade, 9th Scottish Division, May 13th 1915 and went into action at the Battle of Loos. During 1916 on the Somme they were involved in the capture of Longueval, Battle of Delville Wood, and Transloy. They fought during the First and Second Battles of the Scarpe during the 1917 Arras Offensive in France and the Battle of Passchendaele and the Action of Welsh Ridge in Belgium. Returning to the French battlefields on the Somme in 1918 they participated at the Battle of Lys. April 7th-29th 1918.
Wounded or suffering from illness Private Heyworth was evacuated back to the United Kingdom. The location of his burial indicates he may well have been at Brookwood Auxiliary Military Hospital, a private residence belonging to Sir Hugh Locke-King offered by him to the North Surrey and Kingston Red Cross Branch due to the need for 150 beds in the area. The hospital provided a more extensive surgical treatment than most auxiliary hospitals.
Private 326214 George Heyworth Royal Scots died April 23rd 1918, exact cause unknown, and was interred at Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, grave XXII. D. 6B. He was 19 years old and single.
His father living at 74, York Street, Pelaw, County Durham, received all monies due to him and his awards of the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
George Heyworth is remembered at Heworth on H92.03 and in Newcastle on NUT046
