L/Cpl 15472 George Wynne

• Age: 36
• From: Trefeglwys, Montgomery
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 27th June 1916
• Commemorated at: Cerisy-gailly Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: II.K.24

George Albert Jones Wynne was born in about January 1881 at Trefriw, Denbighshire, the son and eldest of two children (the other being his sister, Rosa Ann, born in 1877) of George Wynne, a draper, and his first wife, Mary Abigail (nee Jones), whom he married in 1876 in Llanrwst, Denbighshire and were living at  Llys Tirion (spelt: “Leys Tivion” in official records), Llanrwst. His parents were both born in Flintshire, his father in Rhuddlan, and his mother in Mostyn.

At the time of the 1881 census the family is living in Liverpool House, Trefriw. His father, a grocer, is 28 years of age,  his mother Mary A.  is 24 years old. Rosa is 4, and George is 2 months old.

His mother died in the March quarter of 1885 at the age of 28, when George was 4 years old.

In 1891 George, 10, is living with his father, sister, and a domestic servant in Bradford House, Market Square, Llanwrst.  His father, 38, is a draper and clothier, Rosa is 14.

His father remarried in 1893 to Mary Angharad McDonald, she had a son Hugh McDutton born in the September quarter of 1890 who was raised as Wynne. He appears on the 1891 census with relatives Hugh and Anne Cawley at 8 Yates Court in Prescot.

George must have been away at sea for the 1901 Census but his family are at Llys Tirion, Llanwrst. Father George 48 sanitary inspector, step-mother Mary 32 b.Trefriw, step-brother Hugh D. 10 b.Liverpool. There a crew records aboard Cunarder's Saxonia and Laconia from 1907 until 1912

In 1907 George, age 27, is found as a waiter on board the Saxonia, earning £3-5s a month, his address shown as 2 Stockbridge Street, Liverpool. 

In 1911, his father, stepmother and stepbrother, Hugh, an officer in the mercantile marine, were living in 5 Salisbury Terrace, Llanrwst, while young George was boarding at 59 St Domingo Grove, Anfield, Liverpool, with a Mr & Mrs Exton. George was one of 3 boarders who were all employed by the Cunard Line, George as a steward.

In 1912 now age 32, George is on the Laconia, earning £3-15s, giving his address as 59 St. Domingo Grove.

He enlisted at St. George's Hall in Liverpool joining the 17^th Battalion of The Kings Liverpool Regiment as Private 15472. Based on his regimental number and the amount of the War Gratuity, George enlisted soon after war was declared, in the first days of September 1914.

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 7^th November 1915.

Geroge had been promoted and was serving as Lance Corporal he was killed in action on the 27^th June 1916, aged 36.

He earned all three medals. 

He was buried close to where he fell in Maricourt Military Cemetery and his grave marked with a cross.  The cemetery was at the south-east corner of the village, on the road to Clery. It was begun by French troops in December, 1914, and was known to the French by the name of Ferme Caudron.  It was taken over by British troops in August, 1915, and used until July 1916.  After the war when graves were concentrated his body was removed and reinterred in Cerisy-Gailly Cemetery where he now rests at Grave II K 24. 

Details of his death were published in the North Wales Weekly News on 3rd August 1916:

  "Lieut. Arnold I. Draper, 17th King's Liverpool Regiment, writing to Mr. George Wynne, surveyor, Llanrwst, announcing the death of his son George, says:-

  "I do not know whether you have yet received official intimation, but I regret to have to tell you that your son was killed on the 28th June [sic], two days before the attack.

  "Our trenches were heavily shelled, and he was close to one that came right into the trench.  He was killed instantaneously, and can have suffered no pain, and he was buried in the little graveyard at Maricourt with other men of the battalion.

  "To me his loss is very great, for when we organised our surprising section, I took charge of them, and picked him out as N.C.O. in charge.  He was invaluable to me, and took the greatest interest in the work.  Very clever at official sights and all the finer work involved, he was truly my right-hand man, and we used to go about together visiting the different posts and making new ones.

  "I dare say he may have told you how keen he was on the work, which was really interesting, and he was very grieved when we had to break up for the big advance, and go back to company work.  He was a really fine man, and the work he accomplished will not be wasted.

  "You have good reason to always be proud of his memory, and I can never think of him without feeling proud that I knew him.  Please accept my sincerest sympathy, for I feel sure that to you his loss must be very great."

  Lance-Corpl. George Wynne, who served with the Cunard Co. for about eight years, was attached to the "Lusitania" at the outbreak of hostilities, when he joined the (1st City) 17th Batt. King's Liverpool Regiment."

The writer of the letter became Major Arnold Inman Draper and was sadly killed in action on 21st October 1917, he now rests at Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery in Belgium. 

George's Army effects and War Gratuity of £8 went to Mrs. Mary Wynne as guardian of Miss Megan Wynne, sole legatee.  No pension card has been found, indicating that George had no dependents.

His step brother Hugh had joined the Royal Naval Reserve and was awarded the D.S.C., announced in the London Gazette, 25th October 1916:  

Showed great perseverance and energy when in charge of armed guard on board Norwegian Barque "Bucchanti" in January 1916. The vessel was dismasted in heavy weather. 

Hugh was killed on 20th July 1918 while serving on H.M. Submarine E-34, a mine-layer. All hands were lost when the submarine hit a mine, and their bodies later washed ashore on Dutch beaches. A local farmer found Hugh’s body on 07th August 1918 on the Frisian island of Vlieland. He was identified by an officer’s identity passport and a certificate of competency as master of foreign-going steamships dated 26th May 1917.  Many of his shipmates carried no such documentation and were never identified. He was buried with military honours the next afternoon in the local cemetery.  Lieutenant Hugh Tom Donald Wynne now rests in Noordwijk General Cemetery north of The Hague.  He was married and 28 years old.

George and Hugh are both commemorated on the War Memorial at Llanrwst and the British Legion also in Llanrwst.

George's father died in 1926 aged 73, having lost both his son and stepson.

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