Pte Sam George Weller

• Age: 23
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: 14th Kings
• Died on Thursday 14th September 1916
• Commemorated at: Doiran Memorial

Sam George was born in Liverpool in April 1893 the son of John Weller and his wife Jessie (nee Benson) who married at West Derby Register Office in 1890. His father was born in Ormskirk and his mother in Liverpool. Sam was the second of nine children, and the eldest of seven sons, all born in Liverpool. His siblings were sister Louie, and brothers John, Frederick, James, Victor, Geoffrey, and Harry. The youngest, Phyllis, died at age 1. 

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 120 Picton Road, Wavertree. His father, John, is aged 32, and employed as a mechanical dentist, his mother, Jessie is aged 32. They have six children in the household; Louie 9, Samuel 8, John 6, Frederick 4, James 3, and Victor 1, who were all born in Liverpool.


By 1911 the family have moved to 26 High Street, Wavertree. His father is a dentist, working at home on his own account. His parents advised that they had been married for 21 years and had nine children, eight of whom have survived. All eight children are declared in the household, though Sam and Frederick are declared as away. Sam is 18, and a dental student. His brothers John aged 16 and Frederick aged 14 are dentistry apprentices, James aged 13, Victor aged 11 and Geoffrey aged 9 are at school and Harry is aged 4. 

Sam had completed a four-year apprenticeship with Scholefield, which had expired in 1911.

Sam enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 03^rd September 1914, as Private 17985, joining the 19^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment. He gives his age as 21 years and 156 days, and his occupation as dental student. He was described as being 5’6” tall, weighing 120lbs, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England. He gave his next of kin as his father, John, at 40 High Street, Wavertree. He signed his attestation Sam George Weller, his legal name.

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. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

While training at Knowsley on 19^th February 1915, Sam was admonished for being absent from parade. 

Sam arrived in France, disembarking at Boulogne on 07^th November 1915. 

On 14^th March Sam was admitted to 24^th General Hospital at Etaples with a left inguinal hernia. He was transferred to England the next day on the Hospital Ship, St. Denis. He was admitted to the 1^st Scottish General Hospital in Glasgow on 17^th March and underwent an operation for a left inguinal hernia. His convalescence was satisfactory and he was discharged on 10^th May 1916.

His sister Louie died on 14th April 1916. Her death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 15th April 1916:

WELLER - April 14, after a very brief illness at her Aunt's residence, 11 Morecroft Road, Rock Ferry, aged 24 years, Louie May, dearly-loved daughter of John and Jessie Weller, 40 High Street, Wavertree. Interment at Bebington Cemetery on Monday next at 2:30 p.m.

An article appeared in the Liverpool Post & Mercury, on 07^th July 1916 which stated,

“Private Samuel Weller has returned from the firing-line to his home in Wavertree as cheerful as his illustrious name-sake,  even though he has a scarcely-healed wound received at Maricourt which necessitated half a dozen stitches.”  

The reference to a Dickens character is Sam Weller who appeared in The Pickwick Papers. His service record doesn't support him being wounded at Maricourt.

After his recuperation Sam joined 24^th Infantry Base Depot on 26^th July, he was transferred to 14^th K.L.R. He embarked at Devonport with the battalion on 31^st July 1916 and disembarked at Salonika on 17 August.

He was reported Missing on 14^th September 1916.

He had taken part in the fighting during September 13-14^th when the 14^th King’s were engaged in the Battle of Machukovo, North of Salonika on the Macedonian border, against the Bulgarian and German armies. The battalions involved assembled in Machukovo Ravine after dark. The objective was to take the hill called the Dorsale. The preliminary barrage lifted at about 2:00 a.m. on the 14^th, and the 14^th King’s, together with the Lancashire Fusiliers (who were to take a neighbouring hill), advanced against rifle and machine gun fire.  The positions were taken, but the Germans concentrated their artillery fire on the two hills, causing heavy casualties. The Germans counter attacked and were repulsed, but the King’s and Lancashire Fusiliers were forced to pull back. 

Sam was killed in action on 14th September 1916 during this action, he was 23 years of age.

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Doiran Memorial in Greece.

The DOIRAN MEMORIAL stands roughly in the centre of the line occupied for two years by the Allies in Macedonia, but close to the western end, which was held by Commonwealth forces. It marks the scene of the fierce fighting of 1917-1918, which caused the majority of the Commonwealth battle casualties. From October 1915 to the end of November 1918, the British Salonika Force suffered some 2,800 deaths in action, 1,400 from wounds and 4,200 from sickness. The campaign afforded few successes for the Allies, and none of any importance until the last two months. The action of the Commonwealth force was hampered throughout by widespread and unavoidable sickness and by continual diplomatic and personal differences with neutrals or Allies. On one front there was a wide malarial river valley and on the other, difficult mountain ranges, and many of the roads and railways it required had to be specially constructed. The memorial serves the dual purpose of Battle Memorial of the British Salonika Force (for which a large sum of money was subscribed by the officers and men of that force), and place of commemoration for more than 2,000 Commonwealth servicemen who died in Macedonia and whose graves are not known. The memorial was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer with sculpture by Walter Gilbert. It was unveiled by Sir George Macdonogh on 25 September 1926. The memorial stands near DOIRAN MILITARY CEMETERY. The cemetery (originally known as Colonial Hill Cemetery No.2) was formed at the end of 1916 as a cemetery for the Doiran front. The graves are almost entirely those of officers and men of the 22nd and 26th Divisions and largely reflect the fighting of April and May 1917 (the attacks on the Petit-Couronne), and 18-19 September 1918 (the attacks on Pip Ridge and the Grand-Couronne). In October and November 1918, after the final advance, a few burials were added by the 25th Casualty Clearing Station. After the Armistice, graves were brought into the cemetery from the battlefields and from some small burial grounds, the most important of which was Strumnitza British Military Cemetery, north-west of Doiran, made by the 40th Casualty Clearing Station in October and November 1918. The cemetery now contains 1,338 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 449 of them unidentified. There are also 45 Greek and one French war graves.

On 18^th October 1916 his father wrote requesting information:

“Dear Sir, Kindly let me know at your earliest convenience nature of wound of Pte Sam.G. Weller, No.17985, at hospital in Salonica. & oblige, Yours truly, John Weller (father).”

Sam was reported Missing in the Liverpool Daily Post 20th Nov 1916

King's Liverpool Regiment - Weller 17985 S. G.

His sister was remembered in the Liverpool Echo on the first anniversary of her death on 14th April 1917

WELLER - In sad but loving memory of our daughter Louie May, who passed away April 14, 1916. Also dear Jack, brother of the above, who died November 23, 1911.

There is a link death cannot sever;

Love and remembrance last for ever.

- Deeply regretted by all at 40 High Street, Wavertree.

It was not until 10^th May 1918 that the War Office informed Infantry Records that, “the Army council has decided that this soldier is to be regarded for official purposes as having died on or since 14^th September 1916. The next-of-kin should be notified accordingly.”

His brother Frederick died on 27th March 1918, aged 21 serving with the Royal Garrison Artillery, as Gunner 174265. He rests at Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Flanders. His mother had inscribed on his headstone:

“To Memory, Ever Dear”.

His father died in 1919 age 50, a year after learning of the loss of two of his sons.

His brother James enlisted in the King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 20080 and later served in the Royal Army Medical Corps, 120449; he was discharged on 31^st March 1919 with a disability.

Infantry Records requested the assistance of Liverpool City Police on 25^th November 1920, in ascertaining the address of S Weller, as correspondence addressed to 29 Oxford Street has been returned undeliverable.  Liverpool City Police sent a memo received by Infantry Records on 8/12/20 stating: “Army enquiry re Mr. S. Weller, 29 Oxford Street: I beg to report having made enquiries at above address where I saw Mrs. Jessie Weller, who informed me that she has resided at this address since May 1917, since which date no letters addressed as stated have been returned by her.  There is no Mr. S. Weller now living at this address, but she states that she had a son Samuel, who was reported missing believed killed in September 1916. She was then residing at 40 High St Wavertree.”

Soldiers Effects to mother Jessie, Pensions for Sam and Frederick Louis to father John and mother Jessie.

Sam earned his three medals. 

His mother died in 1952.

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