George Thomas was born in Upton Park, Essex, on 06th December 1891, the son of George Taylor Orme and his wife Eliza Ann (née Bell). He was known as Tommy and was baptised on 13th March 1892, at St. Stephen's Church, Upton Park. His parents, both from Liverpool, married in a West Derby Register Office in 1886 and had four children: Harriet Annie, born in 1887 in Liverpool, then the family moved to Essex, where Georgina Eliza was born in 1890 and Tommy in 1891. They returned to Merseyside, where another son, Henry, was born in 1896 in Birkenhead, but sadly he died in infancy.
By 1901 the family is living at 217 West Derby Road, Liverpool. His father is aged 43, and a public house manager, mother Eliza is aged 42. They have three children, Harriet A. 13, born Liverpool, Georgina E. 11, Tommy is 9 born East Ham. The address, 217-221 West Derby Road, is the location of the Eureka Hotel.
On 21st June 1898 Tommy was briefly enrolled in St. Francis Xavier School, Everton, the family’s address 62 Poplar Street, Rock Ferry, but was withdrawn on 01st July 1898. He attended St. Margaret’s Church of England School, Aigburth, from November 1900, (former school Star of the Sea, Seaforth, a Catholic primary school), then the Boaler Street School, Everton, after which he attended Newsham School from December 1903, the family living in West Derby Road.
The 1911 census finds the family at 4 Lilly Grove, Walton, Liverpool. His father is 53, is a canvasser (sewing machines), his mother is 52, Harriet is 23, a sweetshop assistant, Tommy is 19, a decorator (house painting). They also have a boarder, 2 year old Violet Crawford, “boarded out by guardians of the poor”.
Tommy enlisted in Liverpool and joined the 20th Bn as Private 22202 on 11 November 1914. His enlistment papers show he was 22 years and 11 months old upon joining. He stated his occupation was a designer (sign writer). He was described as being 5"10 tall and weighed 140lbs, 36” chest, with a sallow complexion, brown eyes, and brown hair. He gave his next of kin as his father, of 180 Richmond Row. He stated his religion as Roman Catholic.
Formed in November 1914 the 20th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7th November 1915.
He served for a period of time with the 19th Bn K.L.R., also a Pals battalion. His service record survives and shows:
20/2/1916 to 98 F.A., then 21 C.C.S., influenza
25/2/1916 to No.9 Stationary Hospital, then to Etaples
01/7/1916 rejoined unit in the field
The Battle of the Somme began the same day Tommy rejoined his unit. He was wounded in action in the failed attack on Guillemont on 30th July, with a gunshot wound to the thigh, and evacuated to England on 4th August. He remained in the U.K. recuperating from his wounds (posted to 3rd Garrison Bn K.L.R.) until he returned to France on 19th December 1917 and was posted to the 8th (Irish) Battalion K.L.R. on 31st January 1918. At this time the 8th Bn was at Nieppe, near Armentières. The battalion saw action during the second battle of Arras in April and May.
He was again wounded in action on 17th May 1918, when the battalion was at Gommecourt, with a wound to the right leg, and admitted to 98 F.A., then through a chain of hospitals until being sent to a convalescent depot on 19th July 1918. He appears to have spent time in hospitals again with the leg wound during September and October, until rejoining base depot in Etaples on 24th November 1918, after the war had ended. The next day he was admitted to No.56 General Hospital in Etaples with influenza (mild).
The medical report records that Tommy was admitted complaining of a severe headache, and pains in his back, legs and shoulders, with a temperature of 103F.
26 Nov - Temp. 98.4, dry cough, general condition somewhat improved
27 Nov - Temp. 104F, very restless, annoying cough
28 Nov - Temp. 104F, crepitant rales affecting both lower lobes, especially right
29 Nov - Temp 104, condition unchanged
30 Nov - Temp. 103, takes nourishment poorly, slightly cyanotic
1 Dec - Temp. 99, very drowsy, much weaker
2 Dec - Temp. 102F, cough severe, takes very little nourishment
3 Dec - Temp. 103F, pulse 140 weak and intermittent, resp very shallow, semi comatose.
Tommy died of bronchopneumonia at 3:30 p.m. on 03rd December 1918 at 56 General Hospital, Etaples, three days before his 27th birthday.
He now rests at Etaples Military Cemetery where his headstone bears the epitaph:
"AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE SHALL REMEMBER HIM".
During the First World War, the area around Etaples was the scene of immense concentrations of Commonwealth reinforcement camps and hospitals. It was remote from attack, except from aircraft, and accessible by railway from both the northern or the southern battlefields. In 1917, 100,000 troops were camped among the sand dunes and the hospitals, which included eleven general, one stationary, four Red Cross hospitals and a convalescent depot, could deal with 22,000 wounded or sick. In September 1919, ten months after the Armistice, three hospitals and the Q.M.A.A.C. convalescent depot remained.
The cemetery contains 10,771 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, the earliest dating from May 1915. 35 of these burials are unidentified. It is the largest CWGC cemetery in France, and was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens
We can only imagine his family’s relief that their son had recovered from his wounds and survived the war, and their shock at learning that he had died of sickness.
His parents placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 9th December 1918:
“December 3, suddenly, at Etaples, of pneumonia, after four years’ service, Private T. Orme (Tommy), 8th K.L.R. (late Pals), the dearly-loved and only son of George and Eliza Orme, 180, Richmond Row. R.I.P.”
Tommy served for four years and earned his three medals.
He was also remembered in the Liverpool Daily Post on 03rd December 1919:
ORME - In affectionate remembrance of Private THOMAS ORME, late 20th K.L.R., who died of pneumonia, in France December 3, 1918 after four years service.
For greater love has no man than this, that he laid down his life for his friends.
Ever remembered by Dolly, Jack and little Eric.
His father died in Birkenhead in 1920, aged 63.
His mother Eliza, by then living at 170 Mill Lane, Liscard, Cheshire, received his Army effects of £38-17s-5d, a War Gratuity of £23-10s, and a pension of 13/- a week. She appears to have lived a long life and lived through the Second World War, she died, aged 77, in 1967.
Tommy is commemorated on the following memorials:
Boaler Street School, Everton
Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 62 (as T. Orme, 20th Bn).
We currently have no further information on George Thomas Orme, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
