Pte 300266 George Heaton

• Age: 22
• From: St Helens, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 29th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

George Heaton was born in May 1895 at 185 Greenfield Road, St Helens to George Heaton and his wife Margaret (nee O'Kell) who were married on 17th April 1881 in Farnworth. He was baptised on 19th June 1895 his parents address given as 185 Greenfield Road, St Helens and his father's occupation as a labourer. George junior was the sixth child of six children. The eldest being Joseph born in 1882 and four sister sisters Mary A., Maggie, Ruth and Sobyno.

The 1901 Census finds George aged 5 living with his parents and five siblings at 125 Greenfield Road, St. Helens. His father is a 38 year old butcher (wholesale and retail) born in St Helens, whilst his mother is 39 years of age and was also born in St Helens. His siblings, all born in St Helens are recorded as; Joseph aged 19 and a butcher's assistant, Mary A. aged 15 recorded as home service, Maggie 12, Ruth 9 and Sobyno 7.  

His mother died in February 1905 at the age of 44, and is buried in St Helens Cemetery.

His father remarried in 1910 to Jane Saunders at the Wesley Chapel, Corporation St, St Helens

On 1911 Census he is a 15 year old working from home at 125 Greenfield Road, St Helens. Father George is a 44 year old butcher, his stepmother Jane is 55 b.Staffordshire, sister Sobyno now aged 18.

He enlisted at St Helens and served originally as Private 250129 Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry and was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 300266 when he was killed in action on the 29^th April 1918, aged 22, during the German Spring Offensive. 

On the day of his death 29th April 1918, the Battalion was serving on the Ypres Salient and was in the front line at Elzenwalle, near Ridge Wood, awaiting a renewal of the German assault on that front.

At 02.30 am the attack began with a devastating bombardment along the whole battle front, from the forward positions back to a depth of over a mile. At 6am the enemy Infantry attacked, the main force of the assault being directed at a position near Ridge Wood, where one of the Battalion’s forward listening posts was captured and held. Then, 16999 Company Sergeant Major G Sutton of No.1 Company gallantly drove out the attackers with Mills Bombs, an action for which he was later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. After a strong defence along the Battalion frontage, the Germans withdrew. They continued their artillery barrage throughout the rest of the morning and afternoon, however, and at about 17.00 began to mass once more for another Infantry attack. This was contained by Rifle and Lewis Gun fire, until a large British Artillery barrage at 18.00 finally broke up all enemy activity.

George has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

His soldiers effects and Pension went to his father George, Dentons Green Lane, St Helens.


CWGC shows George's service with the 1^st Battalion of the K.L.R. whereas he served with the 18th Battalion of the K.L.R.

His father, of 127 Greenfield Rd, died at the age of 72 on the 5th Feb 1936. Probate Liverpool 27th Feb to Joseph Heaton, George Bramwell Heaton and Percy Smith. Effects £3893 5s 2d.

Grateful thanks are extended to the St Helens Roll of Honour for their kind permission to use the photograph George.

We currently have no further information on George Heaton, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.