Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Palmer, a railway labourer, born 1843 in Hose, Leicestershire and his wife Eliza Palmer (nee Tinsley, married in the 4th quarter of 1873 in the Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire district), born 1852 in Long Clawson, Leicestershire. George William, a schoolboy, was born in the 1st quarter of 1885 in Hose, his siblings were, John Henry, born 1875, Esther, born 1878, Samuel James, a schoolboy, born in the 2nd quarter of 1880, Mary Ann, a schoolgirl, born 1882 and Joseph, born 1888, all his siblings were born in Hose, in April 1891 the family home was in Hose. In March 1901 George was employed as a farm worker and was residing in the family home at The Vicarage, Hose, together with his father, a cottager, his mother and siblings, Joseph, a farm worker, William, born 1894 and Eliza Ann, born 1899, the latter two siblings were both born in Hose. In the 4th quarter of 1906 in the Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire district, George’s father died aged 63. In April 1911 George was employed as a general labourer and was residing in the family home in Hose, together with his widowed mother, a grazier and his siblings, Joseph, a farm cowman, William and Eliza, a schoolgirl. His elder brother Samuel James also fell in action.
The War Diary records: 9 Aug-15 - SANCTUARY WOOD – HOOGE. At 1.45am the Battalion was clear of MAPLE COPSE and by 2.30am was in position in SANCTUARY WOOD as follows. 2 Companies in G.1. and B.8., 1 Company in trench originally occupied by DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY as their fire trench, ½ Company in DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY original support trench and ½ Company told off as wiring and carrying parties, distributed at 3 dumps at South ends of G.1., S.1. and S.2. under charge of 2nd Lieutenant RIDLEY. Our orders were to closely support the DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY in the frontal assault especially providing for the protection of their right flank by occupying and holding G.1., G.2. and G.3. up to and including the MENIN ROAD. Also to open up and improve communications by S.1. and S.2. At 2.45 our guns commenced their bombardment and 5 minutes afterwards the German guns commenced to retaliate, shells dropping in and around DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY’S original front trench, G.1. and B.8. At 3.10am the Battalion started to advance. “B” and “D” Companies under Captain’s CHATTERIS and TOWERS respectively proceeded up G.1. and G.2. headed by a strong bombing party under Lieutenant GLEANE. The first opposition was met about 50 yards East of the junction of G.1. and G.2. which was quickly overcome by our bombers. At the same time 2 platoons of “A” Company pushed up S.2. and S.1. but the latter was found to be practically useless as a communication trench, in affording very little cover and being half full of water and dead men. By this time the Germans were shelling the trenches very heavily and their fire was wonderfully accurate. At 3.45am a report came in that the DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY had captured the trenches they were to take and shortly “B” Company reported that they had gained touch with DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY’S right. By this time the rest of “C” Company was well up G.1. so 3 platoons of the support Company “D” under Lieutenant ROBERTS were sent up G.1. to fill the gap between “C” Company and the 8th SHERWOOD FORESTERS. A machine gun was sent to establish itself at the junction of G.1. and G.2. one being already in position in the sap and 2 in reserve. By 5.00am the German guns had fully opened and the trenches our men were in especially G.3. and G.2. were getting blown in everywhere cutting communications between “B” and “C” Companies. Rifles and machine guns from Fort 13 fired across the gaps made by the German guns and made it almost impossible to cross them. At 5.30am “A” Company had had to reinforce the DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY and some of that Company had established themselves in G.6. Officers casualties in G.3. were heavy at this time and as the DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY had also lost a great many one subaltern from “B” Company Lieutenant TAYLOR was sent to assist them at the crater. The whole day the Germans poured a hail of shells into G.6. G.3 - 2. -1. and S.2. and the way all ranks went through this trying ordeal is worthy of the greatest admiration. By 12.00 noon the trenches were only held in isolated groups where they had not been blown in, and communication was very difficult. “D” and “C” Companies were ordered to hold all trenches as lightly as possible to avoid shell casualties but G.2. and G.3. and most of G.6. appeared to have been completely flattened out. At 3.00pm it was found impossible to send reinforcements up by way of G.2. and as the DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY had already reported S.2. impossible it was decided not to send any more men forward and to only hold G.1. lightly. At 4.00pm G.1. was found to be rather crowded so 2 platoons were sent to hold the DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY’S original fire trench with 2 platoons of the QUEEN’S WESTMINSTER RIFLES, and G.1. was organised for defence from a point 50 yards North of the sap with a machine gun in the sap which could enfilade front of G.1. The Germans made no attempt to counter attack us and after dark about 30 men and Captain CROSBY rejoined the Battalion from G.6. and G.3. these were the only survivors of the original garrison. A patrol of the QUEEN’S WESTMINSTER RIFLES reported no signs of the Germans in G.3. but said that all the trenches were flattened out. The Battalion was relieved at 9.30pm by the QUEEN’S WESTMINSTER RIFLES and we proceeded to dugouts in the YPRES ramparts. The following were the casualties. Killed Lieutenant’s T. B. CHATTERIS, G. P. WALSH, 2nd Lieutenant’s W. H. COAKE, H. RIDLEY, G.A. KAY, M. V. MOLLOY. Missing believed killed, Lieutenant’s G. M. HOYLE, J. W. C. TAYLOR. Wounded Captain E. R. STREET, Lieutenant’s G.M. GLEANE, 2nd Lieutenant’s R. PALMER, M. L. BENFORD, H. CARTER, J. E. WRIGHT. Other ranks. Killed 15, wounded 202, missing believed killed 120.
On Friday September 24th 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “LOCAL AND DISTRICT NEWS.” – HOSE. – LOCAL SOLDIER KILLED. The loss of another soldier from this village is reported. Mr. Geo. Palmer having been killed in action at the battle of Hooge on the 9th August. Mr. Palmer belonged to the 2nd Sherwood Foresters, and is a son of Mrs. Eliza Palmer, widow, of Hose, for whom great sympathy is felt throughout the district.
On Friday October 1st 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “LOCAL AND DISTRICT NEWS.” – HOSE. – MUFFLED PEAL. On Sunday night the ringers of the Parish Church rang a muffled peal as a token of respect to another of our brave sons, Pte. Geo. Palmer, of the 2nd Sherwood Foresters, who fell fighting for his country in France, as reported last week.