Peter Wise and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
George was born at Barnard Castle in 1893 the son of George and Mary Jane (nee Brown). The couple married in 1886 and went on to have 10 children but sadly 5 died. His siblings were Frances Ann (known as Annie), Mary Elizabeth, Albert and Laura.
In 1901 the family were living at Peel’s Yard, Barnard Castle. Father, George, was a general labourer, Annie aged 13 was a machine at flax mill, Mary, and Albert were at school. Also living with them was their widowed mother, Ann and a boarder.
By 1911 George senior was now working as a mason’s labourer as was George, his son. Annie was still at the flax works (shoe thread).
George enlisted at Barnard Castle and joined the Durham Light Infantry. He embarked for France on June 27th 1915.
George had been in France for 18 months and was looking forward to his first leave due at Christmas. He was on duty as a sniper and went to attend a wounded comrade when he himself was shot. He had previously been wounded in the foot in March 1916 as reported in the Teesdale Mercury 29/03/1916.
James Young who was married to George’s sister Annie, died of wounds in September 1916 which was only a few weeks before George’s own death. They served in the same battalion and are both commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
George Henry Wardle is remembered at Barnard Castle on B135.02, B135.23 and B135.25
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 270
