Pte 519351 George Tinson

• Age: 32
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: LABOUR CORPS
• Died on Monday 20th May 1918
• Commemorated at: Etaples Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: LXVII.C.10

George Tinson was born on the 08th July 1885 in Liverpool and was baptised 17th November 1885 at St Silas' Church, Pembroke Place, Liverpool. He was the son of Thomas Bolton Tinson and his wife Sarah Jane (nee McCabe).

The 1891 Census shows the family living at Chambers Street, Everton, Liverpool. His father Thomas Bolton Tinson is a widower aged 49, born  in Liverpool in 1842, he is a watchmaker jobber. At the time of the Census he has ten children, Thomas aged 21, born 1870 is a bookbinder, William aged 19, born 1872 is a plumbers apprentice, Emma aged 17, born 1874 has no occupation listed, Clara aged 16, born 1875 is a dressmakers apprentice, Emily aged 14, born 1877 is a grocers assistant, Eda aged 12, born 1879, Alfred aged 10, born 1881, Edwin aged 7, born 1884 and George aged 5,  are all scholars and Arthur aged 3, was born in 1888. The children were all born in Liverpool.

The 1911 Census shows George living with his married sister Emily and her family at 1 Wellbrow Road Walton Liverpool. Emily’s husband William Tilston is aged 37, born in Liverpool in 1874 and is a grocery shop assistant. His wife Emily now aged 34 has no occupation listed. They have been married for thirteen years and have had four children of which one had died. Their three children are Winifred aged 9, and Arthur aged 6 who are both at school, and George Bernard aged 2. George Tinson is now aged 25 and employed as a Carter delivering bread.   

George enlisted or was conscripted in about July 1916. in Liverpool and joined the 17th Battalion, King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 47326. 

He was later transferred to the 966th Area Labour Corps as Private 519351.

He died of wounds at No.24 General Hospital in Etaples on 20th May 1918 aged 32. 

He is buried at Etaples Military Cemetery where his headstone bears the poignant epitaph:

"HIS MISSION IN LIFE WAS TO LEAVE THE WORLD BETTER  THAN HE FOUND IT"

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.

Hospitals were again stationed at Etaples during the Second World War and the cemetery was used for burials from January 1940 until the evacuation at the end of May 1940. After the war, a number of graves were brought into the cemetery from other French burial grounds. Of the 119 Second World War burials, 38 are unidentified.

Etaples Military Cemetery also contains 662 Non Commonwealth burials, mainly German, including 6 unidentifed. There are also now 5 Non World War service burials here.

The cemetery, the largest Commission cemetery in France, was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

His death was announced in the Liverpool Daily Post on 5th June 1918:

 “Private George Tinson (K.L.R.) died of wounds May 20, General Hospital. - L.  Willow Road, Walton Village.”