LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI
Private George Eldridge
2nd Bn. The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
Town Memorial P2.R4.C1.
Taken, Not Given
PteGeorge W Eldridge
3rd [sic] Royal West Surrey Regt
Festubert
May 16 1915
Both the War Memorial and the May 1915 issue of the Parish magazine (1) give George Eldridge's unit as the 3rd Bn. Queens.
However the Regimental records which are better informed place him in the second Battalion (2). Nevertheless his original attribution to the third would suggest that he had originally been a Reservist.
The Regimental records state that he was actually born in Farncombe, Surrey, and enlisted at Guildford and was “killed in action“. His death took place in the first British offensive of the 1914–18 war.
What happened to the battalion, but not individuals like George Eldridge, is told in the War Diary of 2nd Bn. the Queens (3).
The entry begins by noting that showers
fell on the night of 15/16th, then at 2.30 a.m. the rum was issued and
that at 2.45 the preparatory British bombardment of the enemy trenches
commenced. It only lasted half an hour (the British had a shell
shortage) before the men went "over the top“.
The War Diary continues:-
3.15 a.m. (just daylight) 'A' Coy leaves trenches. 'C 'and 'D' Coys get into enemy trenches.
It continues that the enemy fire remained "as hot as ever“ and that the artillery were asked to repeat the shelling. Most of the British casualties took place between the "British and enemy lines”. However the Queens managed to get into and beyond the trench lines and into the 'communication' trench. Then they were enfiladed and losses were evidently so heavy that a subaltern took command of the battalion.
The regimental signallers were commended for repairing the field telephone lines under [fire], amongst them a Private Aldridge. It would be nice to think that a mistake has been made and that it was actually George Eldridge's efforts which were recognised.
The two lines of trench had cost the Queens dearly. Nine Officers had been killed, ten wounded, two of those mortally, whilst the Other Ranks had lost 107 killed, 237 wounded; six died of wounds and 42 missing, believed dead or wounded.
The War Diary continues:-
3.15 a.m. (just daylight) 'A' Coy leaves trenches. 'C 'and 'D' Coys get into enemy trenches.
It continues that the enemy fire remained "as hot as ever“ and that the artillery were asked to repeat the shelling. Most of the British casualties took place between the "British and enemy lines”. However the Queens managed to get into and beyond the trench lines and into the 'communication' trench. Then they were enfiladed and losses were evidently so heavy that a subaltern took command of the battalion.
The regimental signallers were commended for repairing the field telephone lines under [fire], amongst them a Private Aldridge. It would be nice to think that a mistake has been made and that it was actually George Eldridge's efforts which were recognised.
The two lines of trench had cost the Queens dearly. Nine Officers had been killed, ten wounded, two of those mortally, whilst the Other Ranks had lost 107 killed, 237 wounded; six died of wounds and 42 missing, believed dead or wounded.
In all 19 Officers and 392 men had become casualties, a total of 411 altogether – or roughly half the battalion strength – among them George Eldridge.
Notes on sources
1. List in Parish magazine of St Mary and St Nicholas, Leatherhead. May 1915 (courtesy of Mr L Anstee of the parish).
2. Regimental Records of the Queens, Clandon Park, Surrey.
3. File WO95–1664 War Diary of 2nd. Bn. The Queens, Public Record Office, Kew, Richmond.
Further research
PrivateELDRIDGE, GEORGE
Service Number S/528
Died 16/05/1915
2nd Bn.
The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
Commemorated at LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Location: Pas de Calais, France
Cemetery/memorial reference: Panel 4 and 5.
On 29 December 1898, aged 17, George William Eldridge enlisted at Guildford and served in the Queen's Own (Royal West Surrey Regiment) as a Private (5870), serving in South Africa and then India. In 1904 he extended his service to eight years, transferring to the Reserves on 14 January 1907.
Linking to very detailed research done by Andrew Bailey of Ewhurst, George enlisted in the army in Guildford at Stoughton Barracks, the depot of the Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), attesting on 5th September 1914, aged 33. He became Private S/528 of 2nd Bn The Queen's (RWSR) (this service number indicating that George had already served in the Army as the S prefix was for those of the 3rd, or Reserve Battalion of the regiment [as Liam Sumption suspected] and explaining why he joined the 2nd Battalion so early in the war.
He arrived in Belgium on 7 October 1914. He was killed in action at the Battle of Festubert. His brother, Henry Eldridge, served and survived.
George was wounded and as he was being carried from the field he was hit by a shell burst:
Surrey Advertiser
Monday 14 June 1915
The death has occurred of Pte George Eldridge, formerly of Ewhurst, of the 2nd Queen's. Pte. Eldridge, who went through the South African war, was wounded in France, and as he was being carried from the field, a shell burst near him, and one of his legs was blown off. He died as the result of his injury. Much sympathy is felt for his wife.
Monday 14 June 1915
The death has occurred of Pte George Eldridge, formerly of Ewhurst, of the 2nd Queen's. Pte. Eldridge, who went through the South African war, was wounded in France, and as he was being carried from the field, a shell burst near him, and one of his legs was blown off. He died as the result of his injury. Much sympathy is felt for his wife.
Surrey Mirror
Friday 31 December 1915
ROLL OF HONOUR.
BRAVE SURREY MEN FALLEN IN THE WAR.
LEATHERHEAD AND DISTRICT.
Pte. George William Eldridge, the 3rd [sic] Queen's Royal West Surrey Regt., killed in action in France, May 16th.
Friday 31 December 1915
ROLL OF HONOUR.
BRAVE SURREY MEN FALLEN IN THE WAR.
LEATHERHEAD AND DISTRICT.
Pte. George William Eldridge, the 3rd [sic] Queen's Royal West Surrey Regt., killed in action in France, May 16th.
His life
He was born 18 April 1881 in Farncombe, Surrey and baptised George William Eldridge on 26 June 1881 at St John's, Farncombe.His father was William Eldridge, born about 1847, Newington, Surrey. He was a gardener. He died aged 39 just 5 years after getting married and was buried at St John's, Farncombe on 15 May 1886 when George was about 5. years old.
His mother was Mary Ann Tidy, a servant born about 1848 in Ockley, Surrey and baptised 15 October 1848 at Ewhurst, Surrey. Her father, George Tidy, was a Labourer.
His parents were married at St Peter & St Paul, Ewhurst Parish Church on May 18 1880 and lived at one of the Milton Cottages, Farncombe
On 23 August 1890 she remarried, to James Shurlock (1852-1929), a Bricklayer, at St Nicolas, Cranleigh. In the 1911 Census they were living at Gadbridge Cottages, Ewhurst.
His siblings were Henry Eldridge (born 1885, still living in Ewhurst in 1901 and 1914, died 1922) and Ivy Shurlock (born 1901).
He had completed his first period of Army service in 1907, a veteran of South Africa and India and was now in the Reserves.
In October 1907 he was sentenced to three months hard labour for assaulting a police officer:
West Surrey Times
Saturday 26 October 1907
HEAVY SENTENCE FOR ASSAULT
At the Guildford County Bench, on Saturday, George Eldridge and Samuel Pelling were charged with having assaulted P.C. Noah in the execution of his duty on October 12th.
P.C. Nash said he heard a lot of shouting, and saw defendants drunk with some others. They used threatening language, and when asked for their names Eldridge gave a false one. When witness was putting his notebook in his pocket, Eldridge struck him a violent blow on the nose, which knocked him backwards. He closed with Eldridge, and Pelling then struck him and knocked him down. They kicked him on the ground, and caught hold of his throat. Witness kicked the men off and got up. He threw Eldridge. but Pelling knocked him down again. Finally some people came up, and prisoners were handcuffed and taken to the station, still being very violent.
Saturday 26 October 1907
HEAVY SENTENCE FOR ASSAULT
At the Guildford County Bench, on Saturday, George Eldridge and Samuel Pelling were charged with having assaulted P.C. Noah in the execution of his duty on October 12th.
P.C. Nash said he heard a lot of shouting, and saw defendants drunk with some others. They used threatening language, and when asked for their names Eldridge gave a false one. When witness was putting his notebook in his pocket, Eldridge struck him a violent blow on the nose, which knocked him backwards. He closed with Eldridge, and Pelling then struck him and knocked him down. They kicked him on the ground, and caught hold of his throat. Witness kicked the men off and got up. He threw Eldridge. but Pelling knocked him down again. Finally some people came up, and prisoners were handcuffed and taken to the station, still being very violent.
Charles John Pink said he was attracted to
the place by shouts for help, and saw the scuffle in the road. Blows
were bring struck all round.
Lewis Charles Burdett corroborated.
Lewis Charles Burdett corroborated.
Prisoners said they remembered nothing of
the matter. They had been to a football match and had too much beer
afterwards.
The Chairmen said they were determined to
protect the police, and prisoners would be sentenced to three months'
hard labour.
In the 1911 Census George was lodging with the Stoner family at 1 Glebe Cottages, Fairfield Road, Leatherhead, Surrey. He was a Platelayer with the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway which operated one of the two stations in Leatherhead (the one that remains today). The other one, a few hundred yards away was for the London & South Western Railway's line.
At the age of 30 he married Winifred Jane Howard, also 30, on 6 April 1912 at St Mary and St Nicholas, the parish church of Leatherhead, Surrey.
Winifred 's birth on 28 July 1881 was registered at Horsham, Sussex, Q3 1881.
She was a Domestic Servant: her father was William Thomas Howard, a Gardener like George's father (named in the Register the same as his son - George William). In 1911 Winifred, from Rudgwick, Sussex, was a General Domestic Servant for the Fraser-Smiths at Ringlee, Linden Gardens, Leatherhead. Ten years earlier, aged 19, she had been a General Domestic Servant at the Boarding House run by a widow, Mrs Ellen Batchelor, at Angleside, Church Road, Leatherhead.
George is among the names on the Leatherhead Church Lads Brigade Memorial tryptich at All Saints, Leatherhead - as a veteran possibly his role was as an instructor?
After the war
According to the Electoral Registers Winifred lived at Vine Cottage, Middle Road/22 Middle Road, Leatherhead, where for many years Arthur Wood was also listed. By the time of the 1939 England & Wales Register they had married and were still at 22 Middle Road. Arthur was a House Painter.Winifred's death at the age of 69 was registered (Surrey Mid eastern) in January 1951.
George Eldridge is remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
Ladies War Shrine, Leatherhead Parish Church
Church Lads Brigade Memorial Tryptich, All Saints Leatherhead
Surrey in the Great War
Fallen of Ewhurst and Ellen's Green/Memorials at St Peter & St Paul, Ewhurst
Links
The Battle of Festubertthe website editor would like to add
further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, his inscription on the Le Touret memorial, and
any recollections of him
last updated 20 Jul 20