Pte 21871 George Thomas Wake

• Age: 22
• From: Fleetwood
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

George Thomas Wake was born in Fleetwood on the 16th of September 1894, the son of George Wake and his wife Elizabeth Mary Parry Hughes who were married in St Matthews Church, Toxteth on the 19th September 1892. William was a 21 year old iron worker, father Thomas, whilst Elizabeth was aged 26, father John, both of 4 St Anne Street. 

The 6 year old George was living with his family at 90 Cartwright Street, Warrington at the time of the 1901 census. His father George was 27 and born in Sunderland, was working as a caustic finisher in a soap works, his mother Elizabeth was 32 and was Liverpool born. The couple had three other children – Florence E. M. aged 7 who was born in Fleetwood, Albert V. aged 3 born in Liverpool and 11 month old Gladys P., born in Warrington.

George’s father died, aged 34, in 1907.

By the time of the 1911 census, Elizabeth had taken her children to Liverpool to live in 271 Victoria Square which consisted of large blocks of social housing. This census records Elizabeth, now recorded as a  46 year old widow, as having been born in Cerrig-y-drudion in Conwy, North Wales. All four of her children are living at home. Florence, aged 17 is a confectionery worker, George, aged 16 is a railway van boy and the two youngest children Albert aged 13 and Gladys aged 10 are at school. His mother advised that she had been married for 18 years and had four children.

George enlisted in Liverpool on the 14th of November 1914 joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 21871. He was aged 20 years and 59 days, his enlistment papers state that he was a clerk. He was described as being 5’ 5½” tall, weighed 127 lbs, 35" chest, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England. His next of kin was his mother, Elizabeth, at 40 Hibbert Street, Everton.

He was originally billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when the Battalion moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th 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. 

From the 4th-17th August 1915 he was admitted to the Military Hospital with scabies

He sailed to France with his Battalion on board the SS Invicta on the 07th November 1915 and was granted leave to the UK between 8th and 17th June 1916.

George was killed in action on the 01st July 1916, during the attack at Montauban, reportedly by shrapnel.

The events of the day for the 18th Battalion:

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”. 

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257.

George's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

His family placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on the 24th July 1916:

Wake – July 1, killed in action, aged 21 years, George Thomas (“Pals”), dearly beloved son of the late George and Elizabeth Wake – Sadly missed by Mother, Brother and Sisters, 40 Hibbert Street.

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