In Authuile Military Cemetery, Authuile, Somme, France, is the Commonwealth War Grave of 1485 Private George Henry Willans serving with the 17th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers who died 26/01/1916.

He was the son of the late Robert and Martha Willans, of Sedgefield, County Durham.

In Duncombe Cemetery Ferryhill is a family headstone which reads:-

In loving memory of
Robert Willans
died Jan. 28th 1919 aged 66 years

Also Martha Willans wife of the above
late of Sedgefield Station
died April 4th 1899 aged 45 years

Also Pte. G.H. Willans their beloved son
who was killed in action in France
Jan. 26th 1916 aged 19 years

Resting in perfect peace

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

George Henry Willans was one of 10 children of whom only 9 survived to adulthood.

His father Robert Willans Jnr was born in the village of Whashton, Richmond, Yorkshire in 1853. When he was 5 years of age his mother Mary Ann Willans nee Greathead died and by the age of 17 he had left his widowed father’s home. He was employed as one of several farm servants by widower Francis Wright who farmed 250 acres at Selaby Farm, in the township of Gainford, County Durham part way between Barnard Castle and Darlington.

His father Robert Willans Snr died in 1874 and the following year Robert Jnr was married in the district of Sedgefield to Martha Hutchinson who was born in the parish of St. Helen’s, Bishop Auckland, County Durham in 1854, she was the daughter of labourer John Hutchinson and Elizabeth Allison.

Martha gave birth to their son John in Sedgefield, March 15th 1876, followed by Fred in 1877, William 1878, Florence Maud 1880 and Maria Elizabeth 1882. 

Poor little Florence Maud was only 3 years old when she died in the most tragic of circumstances whilst the family were living in the Railway Cottages, Sedgefield, where Robert Willans was employed as a railway signalman. 

Sunday, February 18th 1883, Florence Maud came downstairs with her father, who lit the fire in the kitchen, and then left his daughter sitting in a chair while he went upstairs to wash himself. A few minutes later he heard his daughter screaming violently and rushing downstairs found little Florence Maud running wildly about the room with her clothes on fire. Gathering her up he plunged her into a tub of water which happened to be at hand and extinguished the flames. Florence Maud was terribly burned all over her body and despite the best efforts of the local practitioner Dr. Thompson, died between four and five o’clock, Tuesday, February 20th 1883. An inquest held March 7th 1883 returned a verdict of accidental burning.

It was just over two years before Martha had any further children. April 13th 1885 Annie was born, Emily in 1887, Jane 1889, Martha Elizabeth 1892 and George Henry 1896.  

Martha Willans nee Hutchinson died in 1899 leaving Robert with 5 children under the age of 15 years. 

By 1901 John Willans was married, Fred, a miner, had departed to America, June 2nd 1900 but later returned to England and Annie Willans (15) was working as a domestic servant employed in the home of widow Phylis Hardwick and her daughter Isabel, at “Allergarth” Burswell Avenue, Hexham. The remainder of the family was still living in Sedgefield at Sedgefield Station Cottages. 

Robert and his son William (23) were both employed by the railway as a signalman and a shunter respectively. Maria (18) worked from home for her own account as a dressmaker, Emily (13), Jane (11) and Martha Elizabeth (8) although of school age were not listed in 1901 as scholars, George Henry (4) remained at home. To increment the family income they had taken in a lodger, Alfred Wright, a railway porter.

Robert, his daughter Martha and George Henry in 1911 were still living in 5 rooms at Sedgefield Station. George Henry (14) was working as a railway book lad, Martha (18) attended to household duties and their father’s employment remained unchanged. 

George Henry was 18 years of age when Britain declared a state of war existed with Germany, August 4th 1914. In answer to Kitchener’s call to arms men from all walks of life volunteered to serve their Country and all regiments were ordered to raise new battalions. George Henry Willans was one of the first to enlist and as Private 1485 joining the 17th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, a Pals Battalion raised in September 1914 by The North Eastern Railway.

The 17th became a Pioneer Battalion, January 11th 1915 and was assigned to the newly formed 32nd Division. In May 1915 after training near home the division was moved to Prees Heath but due to the ground conditions which were too wet in June they transferred to Wensley and Richmond in Yorkshire where they had full use of the firing ranges at Strenshall. Final training and firing practice began in August 1915 at Codford on Salisbury Plain, Sussex.

Taken over by the War Office, September 1st 1915 and their training complete, the 17th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers departed to France, November 21st 1915, landing at Le Havre as part of the 32nd Division. The 17th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers did not take part in any major battles until the commencement of the Battles of the Somme, July 1st 1916. In the interim the Pioneers were set to work in preparation for the forthcoming attacks repairing old and digging new trenches, repairing roads and bridges and generally assisting the brigades of the 32nd Division, more often as not under fire and shelling.

Private 1485 George Henry Willans Northumberland Fusiliers was killed in action January 26th 1916, aged 19 years and single. He was taken for burial to Authuile Military Cemetery, Authuile, Somme, France and laid to rest grave A. 50. The cemetery which is set out on a slope up from the River Ancre itself was used by the Field Ambulances and fighting units for burial as of August 1915 to December 1916 and the town itself remained in the hands of British troops from the summer of 1915 to March 1918. 

His father Robert received all monies due to his late son from the Army and his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Meal and Victory Medal. 

Robert Willans died in the district of Sedgefield in 1919 prior to the erection of his late son’s military headstone and the completion of Authuile Military Cemetery, July 17th 1920. George Henry’s eldest brother John Willans resident of 21, Commercial Street, Ferryhill Station, County Durham, commissioned at a cost of 3 shillings 9 pence an additional inscription to be added to his late brother’s military headstone, it reads, “THY WILL BE DONE.”

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

George Henry Willans is remembered at Sedgefield on S119.03 and S119.11 and on the North Eastern Railway War Memorial (York).