George was born on 10th February 1894 in Bootle, Lancashire to parents Luke and Sarah (nee Teat). George was the second eldest child of six children, the youngest Francis Charles, born the year after his father Luke had died, aged 28, in 1900. The family were listed on the 1901 census living at 45 Recreation Street, Bootle, Sarah a widow aged 25 with 5 young children. She did not remain alone for long and remarried to George Greig, an Able Seaman in the Merchant Service in June 1903.
On the 1911 census all six children lived with Sarah and George at 14 Kent Street, Bootle - they either attended school or worked on the docks as labourers.
George joined the Royal Navy Reserve on 11th January 1913, enlisting at Liverpool and training until April 1913. Once war was declared he was posted to HMS HYTHE on 21st August 1914 and transferred to HMS PEMBROKE on 18th April 1916. He left 3 weeks later, being posted to his only warship, HMS VANGUARD on 5th May 1916. He was aboard during the Battle of Jutland until it's explosion.
He was 5’8” tall with grey eyes and a fair complexion. George died aged 23 and left a young wife Margaret (Murphy) and children George and Margaret; they had married in 1914. He never got to meet his daughter as she was born in December 1917.
His Star, Victory and British war medals were claimed by his widow following his death and he is remembered locally, in perpetuity on the war memorial in Stanley Gardens along with his youngest brother Francis. Francis was killed, aged just 16, on the Hospital Ship Llandovery Castle when it was torpedoed by German submarine SM U86 on 27th June 1918.
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England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 - FreeBMD & GRO
1901 & 1911 England Census
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 FreeBMD
Web: UK, Royal Naval Reserve Service Records Index, 1860-1955
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; Piece: 010 (1914 - 1919)
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; Piece: 014 (1914 Jan 01 - 1919 Dec 31)
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty and predecessors: Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Service Registers and Registers of Deaths and Injuries. Registers of Reports of Deaths
CWGC Register
Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 Class: ADM 171; Piece: 124
Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919 TNA Series: ADM 242/10; Scan Number: 0880
WWI Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 185/0967/WAL-WAL
seftonwarmemorials.org/bootles-fallen-service-men-women
https://www.wrecksite.eu
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