Pupils of Gordon’s Boys Home who died in the Great War 1914-1919 No. 2057
George Lloyd was born on the 1st May 1891 the son of Edward Seago Lloyd and Annie Eunice (nee Nash). His birth was registered in Q2 1891 in Lambeth and he was baptised in the church of St. Mary, Lambeth on the 17th May 1891. The address was given as 4 Windmill St. and his father was an Engineer.
His parents were married on the 1st March 1881 at the age of 19 (with his mother named as Eunice Annie) but are entered separately under their birth names on the 1881 census taken on the 3rd April 1881. His father’s occupation given as “Fishmonger” at marriage and Fishmongers Assistant on the census.
On the 1891 census, prior to his birth, his mother who was born in Lambeth had produced 4 sons, Arthur aged (9), John (7), Fred (3) and Edward (1). The family were living at 4 Windmill St. Lambeth.
His mother died in 1898 and was buried at Walker, Northumberland on the 3rd May 1898. His younger brother Albert Ernest was born on the 11th April 1896 and baptised at Christ Church, Walker on the 20th May of that year.
By 1901 his father had re-married, to another Annie who was 6 years his junior (born 1870) and born in Perth Scotland. They were living at 28 Woodhay, Greenwich Edward (36), Annie (31), John (18), Frederick (13), Edward (11), George (9), Eunice (7) and Albert (2).
George entered Gordon’s in 1906 and his admission form dated the 6th April stated the he was born on the 1st May 1891 in South Shields, Northumberland.
His father was named as Edward Sago (sic) Lloyd and he had a brother John (22) who was in the navy and also Fred (19), Edward (16), sister Eunice (14) and Albert (12).
He trained as a “Shoemaker” and left in 1909 to enlist in the 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment).
His pension record survives and on his Attestation Form it states that he enlisted for 12 Years with the Colours at Woking on the 5th April 1909, his apparent age was 16 years and 10 Months, he was born in Newcastle and his trade was a Shoemaker”. His age was actually 17yrs 10mths.
He was just over 5ft (1.53m) tall, with a 31 (+2) inch (78.7 + 5cm) chest and weighed 95lbs (42.3Kgs). He was of fresh complexion, had dark brown eyes and light brown hair. He also had an extensive scar from a burn on his back.
He joined as a ”Boy” with the Sherwood Foresters and made Private when he attained the age of 18(?). On the 5th February 1912 he was transferred to the 1st Battalion South Wales Borderers (SWB) with the Regimental Number 10735 and on the 4th September he was posted to the 2nd Battalion who were at Teintsin, China. The Battalion provided the only British contribution to the Japanese invasion of Tsingtao - a German naval base in China. Shortly after its capture the battalion arrived in Hong Kong and then back home in January 1915.
On the 17th March 1915 the Battalion embarked at Avonmouth for operations at Gallipoli as part of 87th Brigade, 29th Division who landed at Cape Helles on the 25th April.
Three Companies landed at “S” Beach without much opposition as the Turkish defenders did not consider it a viable landing point due to the narrowness of the beach, the swift current at this point and the exposure to artillery from the Asiatic side of the Dardanelles Strait.
The other Company landed at “Y” Beach with the Kings Own Scottish Borderers and Marines of the Plymouth Battalion. They climbed to the cliff top completely unopposed and found the countryside Pupils of Gordon’s Boys Home who died in the Great War 1914-1919 No. 2057 devoid of Turkish troops. This landing point was never seriously considered by Major General Hunter- Weston who was in charge of operations at Helles and the success was ignored. The position was not reinforced with the result that later in the day and during the night when they were attacked in force the landing became untenable and had to be evacuated on the 26th.
George survived the landings, unlike Arthur William Giddings of the Battalion who was also at Gordons (2243) and who was killed on the 26th April.
During the next few weeks the landing forces slowly fought their way up the peninsular and on the 7th May the first attempt was made to capture Krithia with an attack across the peninsula. The 87th Brigade were on the left (west coast) with the Battalion at Gully Beach in support of the 1/Inniskilling Fusiliers who were on the right of the nullah (Gully).
It was in this area that George received a GSW (Gun Shot Wound – often mistakenly used when injury was caused by shrapnel) to his left eye on the 14th May.
The Battalion War Diary records “During the time the Battalion were in the neighbourhood of Gully Beach altogether 19 men were wounded and 2 killed, these casualties were mostly caused by spent bullets”.
He was probably taken to a hospital in Alexandria or Malta and then to the UK where he was admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital at Wandsworth on the 19th August and where he spent 5 days, He was operated on aboard the hospital ship bringing him back to Britain.
On his return he was posted, for official purposes, to the Depot and on the 4th September to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion who were part of the Mersey Garrison.at Hightown, near Liverpool.
On the 18th September 1915 he was posted to the 6th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers) – every Brigade had a Pioneer Battalion to do the manual labour.
The 6/SWB landed at Le Havre on the 25th September 1915 as part of 76th Brigade but George was still unfit for overseas duty as he was not with them and he was subsequently posted on the 1st November to the 9th (Reserve) Battalion at Rhyl, North Wales.
On the 4th February 1916 he was promoted to Lance Corporal and to acting Corporal on the 24th July 1916.
On the 1st September the 9/SWB were converted to the 57th Training Battalion and George was appointed a Corporal and sent to the Army Physical Training School at Aldershot to qualify as an instructor. On his return to his Battalion he was appointed Acting Serjeant on the 21st November and remained with them until the 6th March 1918 when he was transferred as a Serjeant to the 3rd Battalion.
During the time at “home” he underwent 3 monthly examination to assess his physical classification. On the 31st October 1917 at the Ophthalmic Centre 18 his condition “A perforating wound with shrapnel. “Had not improved with glasses” with a diagnosis of “Leave alone at present”.
On the 30th March he was posted to the 10th Battalion who were in France and from there to his old Battalion the 2/SWB on the 12th April.
His posting to France was in response to the final German offensive of the war - Operation Michael when on the 21st March 1918 they launched a last ditch attempt to win the war. Although the offensive had been stopped by the 5th April on the 14th the 2/SWB posted casualties (killed, Wounded and missing) of 21 Officers and 511 Other Ranks - the strength of the Battalion was just 413 (at full strength = 1009). Pupils of Gordon’s Boys Home who died in the Great War 1914-1919 No. 2057
After only 16 days with the 2nd Battalion he was posted back to the Depot and admitted to Bermondsey Military Hospital, Ladywell on the 28th April 1918 with Tuberculosis in his right lung and was discharged on the 29th July 1918.
He served for 9years and 137 days and was discharged from the Army on the 19th August 1918 as being “No longer physically fit for War Service”. His military character was “Good – an honest, sober and steady man”.
His intended place of residence was given as Miss E. Lloyd, Chessman (?) Rd, Lewisham, SE13.
On his Award Sheet – Disability Pension his date of birth was recorded as 5-6-92. He was classed as being 100% disabled with Tubercle of Lung and awarded a pension of 32/6 (£1-12-6d). He died on the 9th March 1919 and is buried at Ladywell Cemetery, Bermondsey, London.
Sources: 2. 3C), 7(a & b), 9, 10(Pension), 11 & 14
References 1. UK, Soldiers Died in WW1 (Details, often including place of enlistment) 2. Commonwealth War Graves Commission (Cemetery or Memorial) & relatives? 3. 1901 census (Military (M) or (C)) 4. 1901 census (Gordon Boys Home - Age only) 5. 1911 census (Gordon Boys Home - Age, place of birth and Trade) 6. 1911 census (Military (M) or Civilian. (C)). 7. Army Medal Card 7(a) - Rolls 7(b) - Effects 7(c) 8. Naval & Marines Medal Roll 9. www.1914-1918.net (Long Long Trail (Division, Regiment & Battalion dispositions – Chris Baker) 10. Service Record (some survived WW2 blitz - various state of damage) 11. War Diaries (29th Div. Piece 4311:29th Div:2Bn SWB (Gallipoli) & Piece 2340/2:2Bn SWB (France). 12. National Archive Naval Records. 13. Army Service Numbers 1881-1914 - Paul Noble (Blog) 14. Gordon’s Records (a) The Children’s Society (b) 15. Maps: Digital Archive @ McMaster University Library World War, 1914-1918, Trench maps