Pte 15198 George Reginald Schollick

• Age: 21
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 4th September 1916
• Commemorated at: Gorre Brit Cem, Beuvry
  Panel Ref: II.D.25

George Reginald Schollick was born on the 17th September 1893 in Liverpool and was baptised on the 25th October 1893 at St Peter's C. of E. Church, Liverpool. He was the son of Alfred Smith Schollick and Mary Elizabeth (nee Peacop) who were married on the 02nd August 1885 at the Parish Church, Llandudno. Alfred was a 25 year old clerk of 60 North-Brook Street, Toxteth, his father, Samuel, was a shipwright, whilst Mary was aged 25 of Old Road, Llandudno, her father, William, was a fruiterer.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 69, Lawrence Road, Wavertree, Liverpool. His father, Alfred, is aged 40, born in Fleetwood in 1861 and is a school-board office, his mother, Mary, is also aged 40, born in Aigburth, and has no occupation listed. They have six children in the household at the time of the Census; Alfred William aged 14, is an office boy for a surveyor, Lilian May aged 13, Elsie is aged 10, James Edward aged 9, Reginald aged 7, and Louise aged 6. Also living at the address are Sarah Graham aged 38, born 1863 in Liverpool with no occupation listed and her son Douglas Graham aged 16, born 1885 in Liverpool and he also has no occupation.

His father, a schoolboard inspector, died, aged 43 in 1904 and was buried on the 08th December 1904 at Toxteth Park Cemetery, his address at the time of his death was 69 Lawrence Road.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 103 Salisbury Road, Wavertree, Liverpool. His  mother, Mary, is a widow, aged 50, with no occupation and was born in Aigburth, Liverpool. She  advised that she had borne eight children of which two died. Those children in the houshold are listed as; Alfred William aged 24, born 1887 is a draughtsman for a safe manufacturer, Lilian May aged 23, born 1888 is an umbrella repairer, her twin sister Elsie aged 21, born 1889, is a dressmaker (The 1901 Census shows Elsie aged 10), James Edward aged 19, born 1892 is a junior clerk, Reginald aged 17, born 1894 is also a junior clerk working at the Liverpool Stock Exchange, Louise aged 16, born 1895 is a typist. Also living at the address are Marion Henry aged 15, born 1896 occupation domestic help, John Blevin aged 67, born 1844 a retired poultry farmer and his wife Maria aged 70, born 1841 are visitors and George Frederick Bretland aged 27, born 1884 is a boarder and his occupation is an elementary school teacher.    

He enlisted in Liverpool and he was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 15198.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th 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 07^th November 1915.

The 17th Btn. War Diary:

GIVENCHY, Left Subsector.

1-3 Sept – In the line.

4th Sept – 4pm 18th Btn. started to relieve us, 8pm in support at the VILLAGE LINE. 

George was killed in action on the 04^th September 1916, aged 21, during the Somme offensive.

He was remembered by his family in the Liverpool Echo on 08th September 1916;

SCHOLLICK - September 4th, killed in action, Private Reginald Schollick, K.L.R.(machine gun section), the dearly-loved youngest son of Mrs. and the late Alfred Schollick, 103 Salisbury Road, Sefton Park.

He now rests at Gorre British Cemetery, Beuvry, France.

The chateau at Gorre was occupied early in the war by troops serving with the British Expeditionary Force and the Indian Corps, and the cemeteries, located in the south-east corner of original the chateau grounds, were begun in the autumn of 1914. The Indian section of the cemetery was closed in October 1915, shortly before the Indian infantry divisions left France for redeployment to the Middle East.

Many of those who now lie in plots V and VI of the British section of the cemetery were killed during the Battle of Estaires in April 1918. There are now over 930 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated here. The cemetery, which was designed by Charles Holden, also contains nine war graves of other nationalities, most of them German.

Gorre Chateau during the First World War

For much of the war, the chateau stood approximately four kilometres behind a section of the British front-line that ran northward along the Aubers Ridge from Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée to Festubert. From the end of the Battle of Festubert in May 1915 until the spring of 1918, this was considered a relatively ‘quiet’ sector. The village of Gorre was occasionally bombarded by German artillery during this period, but the chateau remained intact and its rooms were used as an officer’s mess and headquarters for British units stationed in the area. The grounds of the chateau were also the site of several artillery emplacements, a rifle range and an improvised parade ground and football pitch. Throughout 1916 and ’17 British troops could be seen drilling in the fields next to the chateau or unloading supplies from barges on the La Bassée Canal, which runs just south of the village.

The British section of the cemetery was used by infantry and artillery units stationed in the area until April 1918, when the relative quiet of the sector was shattered by the German Spring Offensive and Gorre became a support post close behind the front line during the Battle of Estaire. This battle was one of two massive German assaults on the Commonwealth positions from Ypres to Festubert that became known as the Battle of the Lys. When the battle erupted on 9 April, the 55th (West Lancashire) Division occupied the front-line trenches running north from Givenchy to Richebourg L’Avoué. The Allied positions to their left, around the village of Le Touret, were held by Portuguese units.

After a preliminary artillery bombardment that began on the evening of 7 April the German Sixth Army, spearheaded by storm troops, attacked in force early on the morning of the 9th. Heavy mist enabled the attackers to get very close to the Allied lines before they were observed and Portuguese units suffered heavy casualties and began to retire. Further south, the various formations of the 55th Division were hard pressed from the outset and the front line trenches around Givenchy were the scene of fierce fighting between British and German troops. The divisional brigade holding the northern section of the British line was forced to pull back, but well-organised counter-attacks and determined defence elsewhere enabled the 55th Division to hold its ground for the rest of the battle and prevent a major German breakthrough. Fighting continued in the trenches east of Gorre until 17 April when the German forces finally broke off the attack. In just over a week of fighting almost 3,000 officers and men of the Division had been killed, wounded, or taken prisoner, but the territory over which they had fought remained in Allied hands.

He was remembered by his family in the Liverpool Echo on 04th September 1918:

SCHOLLICK - In ever loving memory of dear REG, killed in action September 4th 1916, youngest son of Mrs Schollick, 103 Salisbury Road, Sefton Park.

He is also commemorated on the War Memorials at SS Agnes and Pancras’ C. of E. Church, Toxteth and the Liverpool Stock Exchange.

Soldiers Effects, army pay of £2 3s 8d, War Gratuity £8.10s and Pension to his mother Mary Elizabeth.

His mother died, aged 69, in 1929 and was buried on the 07th September 1929 at Toxteth Park Cemetery, her address at the time of her death was 94 Huskisson Street.  

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