George Lewis (1897 - 1917)

George Lewis was born at Broseley in 1897. He was the son of William Lewis, a bricklayer, and his wife Emma. He was a maternal half-brother of Henry Bath who is also commemorated on the war memorial at Astley Abbotts Church. In 1901 the Lewises were living in Macclesfield with the family of Emma's sister, Annie Leary. By 1911 they had returned to the Bridgnorth area and were living on Nordley Common.

George served in the 6th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry, going to France with the battalion in July 1915. He was wounded on the Somme in 1916 and was killed in action on 20th November, 1917 - the opening day of the Battle of Cambrai - on which day his division captured La Vacquerie. He is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial at Louverval.

Lance Corporal George Lewis, 13191, was awarded the Victory and British medals and the 1915 Star.

KILLED IN ACTION
[Bridgnorth Journal, 8th December, 1917]
Mr and Mrs. Lewis, of the Smithies, near Bridgnorth, have been officially informed that their son, 13191, Lance-corporal G. Lewis, D Co., 6th K.S.L.I., was killed in action on the 20th ult. Writing to the bereaved mother, Captain D.S.A. McKimm, of the D Co., says: “It was whilst leading on his section during our very successful assault on the German positions that your son fell. He was a good soldier, and always did his duty willingly and well. I had recently promoted him and expected him to become a very good N.C.O. He was with me when wounded on the Somme last year, and I was very glad to see him come back to us last March. Officers and men of the Company unite with me in offering you their sympathy in your sad bereavement. You will always have the consoling knowledge that he died a soldier’s death at his post of duty.”