Pte 17488 George Tunstall

• Age: 20
• From: Poulton, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• D.O.W Saturday 8th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Abbeville Cc
  Panel Ref: IV.D.1

George Tunstall was born in Poulton, Cheshire on 12th January 1896 and was baptised on 24th March 1896 at St Hilary’s Church, Wallasey. He was  the only son of George Tunstall and his wife Alice (née Gouldson) who were married on the 26th December 1891 at St Peter's Church, Birkenhead, Cheshire.  

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 6 Seaview Avenue, Liscard.

George is five years of age and is living with his parents and sister Alice. His father, George, is 37 years of age and is recorded as a steam engine fitter born in Newton Le Willows, whilst his mother is 37 years old and was born in Birkenhead. His sister Alice is 7 years of age.

By the time of the 1911 Census the family have moved and are living at  97 Seaview Road, Liscard.

George is now a 15 year old schoolboy  living with his parents and sister Alice. His father George is aged 46, a superintendent in an electric power station, mother Alice is aged 46, and they state that they have been married for 19 years and have had 3 children with only two surviving. Their first child, whom they christened George, was born in late 1892 and his death was registered in January 1893. As often happened in those times, the deceased child was replaced by the next male child and given the same forename. 

At the outbreak of the war George was one of the office staff of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

He enlisted in Liverpool on the 01st September 1914, joining the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 17488. He gave his age as 19 years and 220 days (he was actually 18) and his occupation as a clerk. He was five feet nine inches tall, weighed 132lbs, 34” chest, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and dark hair. He gave his religion as Unitarian and next of kin his father, 15 Kenwyn Rd. 

Formed on 07^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation 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. On completion of his training in the UK, he crossed to France with his Battalion on 07th November 1915.

During a German minenwerfer bombardment on 22nd January 1916, the dug-out in which George was sheltering received a direct hit causing it to collapse. George received a light wound to his arm and five other men were injured but his comrade Lance-Corporal No 17322 John Downie was killed. He did not return to his Battalion until the 03rd February. 

His service record:- 

23.01.16 - Wounded, to F.A. 

26.01.16 - Transferred to 3 Ambulance Flotilla (barges based at Abbeville working the River Somme route as far as Corbie.) 

03.02.16 - Discharged to duty. 

28.04.16 - Struck down with a scabies infection, admitted to 55 F.A. 

03.05.16 - Transferred to 96 F.A. 

06.05.16 - Rejoined Btn. 

20-31.05.16 - Granted leave to allow him to attend his father's funeral. 

His father George Tunstall died aged 51 on the 27th April 1916 probate to Elizabeth Alice Tunstall – Spinster.

At the end of April he was struck down with a scabies infection and didn't rejoin his Battalion until the 06th May. Between the 20th and 31st May he was granted leave to allow him to attend his father's funeral. 

In the attack on the 01st July 1916 George was hit in the back, chest and shoulder and admitted to 96 Field Ambulance. The following day he was transferred to No. 5 Casualty Clearing Station (Corbie) and then transferred to 1/1 South Midland Casualty Clearing Station on the 03rd July. He was to remain at the Casualty Clearing Station until his condition had stabilised before being admitted to No 2 Stationary Hospital (Boulogne) at noon on the 07th July where he died of wounds the following day, aged 20. 

19^th Battalion Diary

Zero Hour 7.30am First day of the attack. The Battalion used up entirely in “carrying parties” for the Brigade. Battalion H.Q. in the “Chateau”, Maricourt. Total casualties 01 -04/07/1916: 1 officer wounded, 12 other ranks killed, 53 wounded and 3 missing.

George was one of the Other Ranks killed referred to in the diary as wounded.

He now rests at Abbeville Communal Cemetery, France where his headstone bears the poignant epitaph:

"BRAVE, GOOD AND TRUE NO MORNING DAWNS NO NIGHT RETURNS BUT MOTHER THINKS OF YOU" 

For much of the First World War, Abbeville was headquarters of the Commonwealth lines of communication and No.3 BRCS, No.5 and No.2 Stationary Hospitals were stationed there variously from October 1914 to January 1920. The communal cemetery was used for burials from November 1914 to September 1916, the earliest being made among the French military graves. The extension was begun in September 1916. During the early part of the Second World War, Abbeville was a major operational aerodrome, but the town fell to the Germans at the end of May 1940. On 4 June, an attempt was made by the 51st Division, in conjunction with the French, to break the German bridgehead, but without success. Towards the end of 1943, eight large ski shaped buildings appeared near Abbeville. These proved to be storage units for flying bomb components an they were heavily bombed by Commonwealth air forces. Abbeville was retaken on 4 September 1944 by Canadian and Polish units. Abbeville Communal Cemetery contains 774 Commonwealth burials of First World War and 30 from the Second. 

The Courier newspaper of 10th July carried details of George being treated for his wounds:

"Another Wallasey member of the Liverpool "Pals" Private G Tunstall is in a French base hospital but no information has been received to indicate from   what he is suffering. Private Tunstall had a narrow escape last year, when he was buried beneath the debris of a collapsed dugout". 

A local newspaper reported the following:

Second Time Wounded

Liscard man in the "Push"

Private G Tunstall of the Liverpool Pals, is another local man to be wounded in the great attack. News has been received at his home, 15 Kenwyn Road, Liscard on Thursday, that he is at present lying in hospital in France, and will be shortly removed to England but the nature of his injuries was not disclosed. 
This is the second time Private Tunstall has been wounded as last year he was buried through the collapse of a dug-out. Prior to the war, Private Tunstall was connected with the office staff the C.P.R. in Liverpool.   

George Tunstall is remembered on his 21st Birthday on the Roll of Honour in the Liverpool Echo 12th January, 1917. 

TUNSTALL – In honoured Birthday Remembrance (21st) of our darling Sonny (Private G Tunstall), K.L.R., only son of the late George Tunstall and Mrs Tunstall, 15 Kenwyn Road, Liscard, who died of wounds in France July 8th 1916. (A bright life freely given for his Country) Dearly loved and sadly missed by his Mother and Sister. 

Personal items returned included 2 letters, 2 photos and  1 prayer book.

George earned his three medals. 

Soldiers Effects, army pay of £2 9s 3d, war gratuity of £8 10s and Pension to his mother Alice. 

George is also remembered on the following Memorials:

Roll of Honour in the Memorial Church, Manor Road, Liscard, Wirral,

Wallasey War Memorial (the Roll of Honour is now in Wallasey Library, Earlston Road)

Wallasey War Memorial which is located in the Hospital, Mill Lane, Wallasey.

His mother went on to marry John Kuy Sutherland in March 1920 at Birkenhead. On the 1921 Census they were living at 1 Belmont, Birkenhead, John was aged 63, born Aberdeen, and was a Presbyterian missionary agent. He died aged 74 in 1931. 

His mother Alice died 11th October 1964 and is buried with husband George and daughter Alice in Rake Lane Cemetery, Wallasey. Private George Tunstall is also commemorated on this family grave.

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