Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916

CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916

Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916

Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916

Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918

Pte 85178 George Jaffray Margerison

Age: 20
From: Walton Le Dale, Lancs
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
K.I.A Friday 8th November 1918
Commemorated at: Dourlers Cc Ext
Panel Ref: II.C.11

George Jaffray Margerison was born on 09th September 1898 in Walton Le Dale, Lancashire, the son of Caleb McKune Margerison and his wife Fanny Mary (née Thompson). George was a twin to Louis Caleb. He seems to have been born Jeffrey on the GRO. His father, born in Bristol, and his mother, in Holbeach, Lincolnshire, married in Holbeach in 1893 and had ten children. George and Louis had older siblings Margaret, Arthur, and Frances, and younger siblings Michael, Mercy, Elizabeth, James, and Hugh.

In 1901 the family, with six children, is living at 11 Church Brow (Cooper Hill), Walton Le Dale, Lancashire. His father Caleb, 39, is a soap manufacturer/employer, George is 2 years old. Caleb and his brothers had taken over the successful soap manufacturing business started by their father, Joshua Margerison, at the White Windsor Soap Works in Preston.

His father retired from the business and the family moved to the Isle of Man.

The 1911 census finds George and Louis, 12, as pupils at King William’s College, as are their brothers Arthur, 15, and Michael, 10. His parents are living at Crogga, Port Soderick. His father, 49, and mother, 45, have Margaret, Mercy, Elizabeth, James, and Hugh at home, with a cook, a nurse, and a housemaid. Frances is likely pursuing education away from home.

As his service record has not survived, the details are not known, but George’s name appeared in the Preston Herald on 20th February 1915 as having enlisted (he would have been 16). We do know that he enlisted in Seaforth, Liverpool joining the 14th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private No 85178. He was transferred to the 18^th Battalion of the K.L.R. and was serving with them when he was killed in action on the 8th November 1918, aged 19, just three days before the Armistice.

At the time of his death, warfare had become mobile, with the British Army harrying the Germans, who would retreat to a position, fight, then retreat once more. The day before he was killed the Battalion had just marched from Mariollers to Marbaix in France, when it was ordered to take a position in the line near Marbaix, from the 1/5th Gloucestershire Regiment. On the following day, 8th November an attack was commenced at 07.30am supported by the 100th Battalion Machine Gun Corps and artillery fire. Despite their support, the advancing troops encountered fierce rifle and machine gun fire from the German position’s. Although the attack was eventually successful, two more officers and thirty six other ranks were to be wounded, and fourteen other ranks Killed, only three days before the Armistice.

George was one of those 14 other ranks referred to and he now rests at Dourlers CC Ext, France where his headstone bears the epitaph:

“FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH”

Dourlers village was in German hands during almost the whole of the First World War. It was taken on 07th November 1918, after heavy fighting, by the 6th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 1st K.O.Y.L.I. The communal cemetery was used by the Germans during the war, but in November 1918, a small extension was made by Commonwealth troops at the west end. After the Armistice, the German graves from the communal cemetery and others from the battlefields, together with Commonwealth graves from isolated positions and small cemeteries, were brought into the extension which contains 161 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 14 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to four casualties known or believed to be buried among them. The extension also contains 108 German burials, 62 of which are unidentified.

His death was announced in the Lancashire Evening Post on 29th November 1918:

“Killed in action in France, Nov. 8th, aged 20 years, George Jaffray, twin son of Fanny and Caleb Margerison, Crogga, Isle of Man. He gave his pure soul unto his Captain Christ, under whose colours he had fought.”

His father was awarded George’s effects of £22-6-9d, as well as a War Gratuity of £7, but there is no record of them being paid.

George’s twin Louis enlisted in the Army Reserve on 8/8/1916, giving his occupation as student and residence as Preston, and his age as 17 years and 11 months. He is 5’ and half an inch tall. He was mobilised on 11/4/1917, and served at home, but was discharged on 1/2/1917 as no longer physically fit for war service.

Older brother Arthur served in France from 15/7/1915, and was commissioned as 2nd Lt., Lancashire Fusiliers, in 1918. He emigrated to Southern Africa after the war, as did younger brothers James and Hugh and older sister Margaret.

His cousin, Capt. Harry C. Margerison, Loyal North Lancs, won the Military Cross in 1918.

His brother Michael, while a pupil at King William’s College, won a classical scholarship to Christ Church College, Oxford and became a chartered accountant.

His father died in 1922, leaving effects of over £16,000 to his widow, son Louis, an undergraduate, and daughter Frances.

Louis was ordained in 1926 and died in 1972.

His brother James died suddenly in Bulawayo in 1939, aged 32.

His sister, a surgeon, Dr. Frances M. Margerison, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., died in the London blitz in 1941.

Mercy, Elizabeth, and Michael remained in England and lived long lives.

His mother died in 1952 at the age of 86.

George is commemorated on the following memorials -

Santon Memorial

St. Brendan’s Church Roll of Honour

Manx National War Memorial

Memorial to Private G.J. Margerison, St. Brendan’s Church, Braddan:

This memorial is in the form of a chalice, flagon and two patens, suitably inscribed and presented by Mr and Mrs Caleb Margerison of 'Croga', Santon, in memory of their son Pte. G.J. Margerison who was killed on 8.11.1918 in France. Presented on Easter Monday April 1922 at a service in Braddan Oakhill Chapel.

Photograph courtesy of the Imperial War Museum.

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

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