Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of James Pollard, a house man, born 1853 in Paignton, Devon and his wife Emily Pollard (nee Page, married on the 1st January 1883 in the Parish Church, Weedon Bec, Northamptonshire), born 1861 in Weedon Bec, Northamptonshire. George was born in the 2nd quarter of 1894 in Weedon Bec, Northamptonshire and was baptised on the 30th June 1894 in the Parish Church, Weedon Bec, his siblings were, Elizabeth Ann, born in the 4th quarter of 1886, Thomas, born in the 2nd quarter of 1890 and baptised on the 17th July 1892 in the Parish Church, Weedon Bec and Paul Henry Francis, born 7th October 1891 and baptised on the 17th July 1892 in the Parish Church, Weedon Bec, the latter three siblings were all born in Weedon Bec, Martha, born in the 3rd quarter of 1897 in Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire and Charles Edward, born in the 2nd quarter of 1901 in Quorn, Leicestershire, in March 1901 the family home was at Barrow Lane, Quorn. In April 1911 George was employed as a postal telegraph messenger and was residing in the family home at 7, Sarson Street, Quorn, together with his father, a farm labourer, his mother and siblings, Harry, an elastic trade weaver, Martha, a schoolgirl, Charles, a schoolboy and Albert, a schoolboy, born in the 1st quarter of 1904 in Quorn, also residing with the family was George’s Niece, Susan Lackwood, a schoolgirl, born 1905 in Barrow upon Soar. George also had the following siblings, William John, born in the 3rd quarter of 1883 in Rossington, Yorkshire, Catherine, born in the 4th quarter of 1884 in Weedon, James Barton Page, born in the 1st quarter of 1889 and died in 1892 in Weedon, Agnes Emily Harriet, born in the 1st quarter of 1899 in Barrow upon Soar.
George’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the Leicestershire Regiment, being allotted the service number 3115, and was posted as a Private to the 1/5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment and it was with this unit that he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 27th February 1915, in the March 1917 renumbering of Territorial Force Soldiers George was allotted the service number 240977. George died on the 21st June 1917 in the 7th Casualty Clearing Station that was located at Bracquemont, France from the effects of gas shell poisoning. He was awarded the 1914-15 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 21 Jun-17. - RED MILL. Accidental gassing of “C” Company by ROYAL ENGINEERS, cylinders of gas fell in our line. Casualties 3 officers and 91 other ranks of whom 22 died.
The following is an account of the accident that befell the 1/5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment taken from the book “THE FIFTH LEICESTERSHIRE” by Captain J. D. Hills, M.C., Croix de Guerre.
At dusk on the 21st we received a message, and at once warned all ranks, the Special Brigade R.E. were going to carry out a gas bombardment on the mine buildings of Fosse 3. Projectors would be fired by a Company operating with the Canadian Corps, from whose front the buildings could be best attacked. The wind was satisfactory, and the buildings were at least 150 yards away from our nearest trenches, so there seemed no need of any special precautions. “C” Company, occupying Boot and Brick trenches, heard the familiar explosion as the projectors went off, and waited to hear them fall in the buildings. Instead they fell in our trenches, several hundred of them; in a few seconds, and before any warning could be shouted, the trenches were full of phosgene, the deadliest of all gasses. Officers and men working hard to rouse those resting, and, in particular, 2nd Lieut. Banwell taking no heed for his own safety, went everywhere, rousing, rescuing and helping the badly gassed. But it was too late, and all through the night and next morning casualties were being carried out to Lievin and down the line. 2nd Lieut’s. Cragg and Macbeth both went to England, and, almost the last to leave the slag heap, 2nd Lieut. Banwell. His great strength had enabled him to survive longer than the others, but no constitution could stand all that phosgene, and during the morning he suddenly fainted, and had to be carried down. By the time he reached Lievin he was almost dead, and the Doctors held out no hope of his recovery. However, fed on oxygen and champagne he lasted a week, and then, to everybody’s surprise, began to recover. The greatest surprise of all was when this marvellous man refused to go to England, but preferred to remain in Hospital in France until fit enough to rejoin his own Battalion. With the exception of Capt. Moore, who was fortunately on leave at the time, “C” Company was wiped out and temporarily ceased to exist. Twenty four died from the poison, and in all sixty-two others of the Company went to Hospital. Most of these found their way to England, though one or two, such as Serjt. Needham and L/Cpl. Tookey, both fighting men, preferred to remain and return to us. “D” Company also had their losses, and Serjeant Sullivan and nine others were gassed, ten others wounded. The rest of the Battalion escaped untouched. The following night the 8th Sherwood Foresters came into the line, and we went back to Marqueffles Farm.