Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Amos Lee, born in the July quarter of 1865 in Stoke Golding, Leicestershire (son of George Lee, 1822 and Ann Matthews, 1826) and his wife Sarah Lee (nee Lord, married on the 22nd May 1888 in St. Mary’s Church, Barwell, Leicestershire (daughter of William Lord, 1824 and Jane Callington, 1831), born in the July quarter of 1866 in Barwell and baptised on the 23rd January 1868 in St. Mary’s Church, Barwell. George was born in the April quarter of 1897 in Barwell and baptised on the 25th April 1897 in St. Mary’s Church, Barwell.
George’s mother died aged 32 years, on the 31st March 1899 in Barwell, and was interred in Barwell Cemetery.
In April 1911 George was employed as a shoe trade heel builder and was residing in the family home at Beeches Yard, Stoke Golding, together with his father, a shoe trade finisher, his step mother Rosa Lee (nee Finch, married on the 9th November 1901 in the Church of St. Margaret of Antioch, Stoke Golding), born in the July quarter of 1873 in Baxterley, Warwickshire (daughter of John Wilkinson) and his half-blood siblings, William, born on the 19th September 1902 and baptised on the 14th December 1902 in the Church of St. Margaret of Antioch, Stoke Golding, Rosa Annie, born on the 27th July 1904 and baptised on the 11th September 1904 in the Church of St. Margaret of Antioch, Stoke Golding and Ernest, born on the 6th December 1906, all his half-blood siblings were born in Stoke Golding.
FAMILY NOTE: There is no trace of the March 1901 census return for George and his family.
George also had an older sibling, Frederick, born in the July quarter of 1888 in Barwell and baptised on the 16th September 1888 in St. Mary’s Church, Barwell.
George also had two further half-blood siblings, Harry, born in the July quarter of 1911 and baptised on the 8th October 1911 in the Church of St. Margaret of Antioch, Stoke Golding and Ada L., born in the October quarter of 1912 and baptised as Ada Mavis on the 8th June 1913 in the Church of St. Margaret of Antioch, Stoke Golding, both half-blood siblings were born in Stoke Golding.
George’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Nuneaton, Warwickshire into the Regular Army. Date not known.
Joined. At Leicester. Date not known.
Posted. To Depot Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 18784.
Posted. To 7th (Service) Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France. 29/12/15.
Reported. Missing in action. In the Field. 14/7/16.
Death accepted for official purposes to have occurred on or since. 14/7/16.
Body not recovered. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, George nominated his father, George A., as his sole legatee.
The War Diary records: 14 Jul-16 - MAMETZ WOOD. ATTACK ON BAZENTIN LE PETIT WOOD and village by the 110th Brigade. The Battalion was drawn up for the assault in four lines. The first three lines were in front of MAMETZ WOOD and were to move forward in succession at ZERO, the first line to take, clear and hold the German first line, the remainder to push on to capture and consolidate the FOREST TRENCH (enemy support line). The fourth line were drawn up behind the north edge of MAMETZ WOOD to move forward half an hour after ZERO, and push forward through FOREST TRENCH ready to assault the German third line. By 2.55 am all dispositions were made, each platoon being on its correct adjustment. A number of casualties were suffered during this operation, one platoon of “C” Company losing almost half its number. The men behaved admirably under trying conditions. At ZERO 3.25 am when the barrage lifted our first line trench was hardly close enough to it to rush the first line before the enemy could man it, as a result the advance was rather ragged. The right (“A”) Company in conjunction with the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT had little difficulty in entering the trench. The left (“D”) Company were momentarily held up by machine gun fire but managed to keep up close to the parapet and rush the line. The two centre (“B” and “C”) Companies were held up for about 20 minutes by machine guns. The pressure was relieved by parties from the right working down a flank. The centre Companies were then able to rush the trench. The second and third lines coming on, swept the remainder of the first line then, and made for the second line (FOREST TRENCH). By this time of the officers of “B” Company only 2nd Lieutenant EVANS was left, in “C” Company only 2nd Lieutenant REED, while in “D” Company all the officers were out of action. The enemy in the first line trench at first made some resistance but many were caught in their dug outs, and the rest seeing that they could not stop our rush retreated into the WOOD and made no resistance in the FOREST TRENCH. By 4.00 am our whole line was in occupation of FOREST TRENCH and the work of consolidation was begun. Captain A. A. CLARKE taking command. 2nd Lieutenant EVANS then sent back Company Sergeant Major GEARY to ensure that the German first line was cleared of the enemy. This N.C.O. with his party found a number of the enemy who had been passed over in the rush. In the meantime, the left Company (“D”) after pushing on too eagerly under our barrage and being forced to retire, turned towards the flank and established connection with the 8th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT At 4.25 am Captain A. A. CLARKE, leaving 2nd Lieutenant EVANS in charge of the first trench, went forward in charge of the party to capture the third objective. No resistance was met with on the right, but on the left considerable trouble was caused by a machine gun and by snipers and close by the observation post in the tree both Captain CLARKE and Lieutenant WAKEFORD were hit. This left the assaulting line without an officer, but Sergeant WALKER (“A” Company) and Lance Sergeant SHERLOCK (“C” Company) rallied their men and made good this line. There was no German trench in this position and in some cases the men again pressed forward and came under fire from our own barrage. Meanwhile the left (“D” Company) being checked by the machine gun on the crest of the wood and being unable to make headway were rallied by Lance Corporal BUSH, and an attempt was made to get round the position on the right, with the result that this party lost direction in the wood and finally found itself among the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT Lance Corporal BUSH then placed himself under the orders of an officer of that Battalion. Almost before the barrage lifted, the party under Sergeant WALKER rushed the German trench on the north side of the wood. The enemy made no resistance here and being caught between the barrage of shell fire and our advancing line gave themselves up. By 6.45 am we were established in the line on North edge of the wood. Subsequently officers of the 8th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT bringing up supports took over command of this sector. About 7.15 am Captain GWYTHER was commanding the Battalion, ordered 2nd Lieutenant EVANS to push forward from FOREST TRENCH in support of the front line, on reaching the position selected for the strong point on the RAILWAY, this party came under machine gun fire from the north west corner of the wood, 2nd Lieutenant EVANS took up the line covering the strong point and prepared for reconnaissance. The position therefore at 8.00 am was: - Northern edge of the wood held by us. Possession of the North West corner doubtful. Line of RAILWAY and strong point secured by us. Throughout the morning the enemy kept up an intermittent bombardment with 150mm Howitzers and a few 77mm’s, which grew in intensity about midday and during the afternoon. About 1.00 pm it was believed that the Germans were still holding the entire edge of the wood at the North Western corner and an assaulting party of the 7th and 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT was organised to clear them out. The bushes and trees were very thick round this point which necessarily made progress slow, the enemy evacuating and manning a trench about 30 yards from the wood, before our men could get through, we suffered several casualties from a machine gun in the above-mentioned trench. An attempt was made about 9 o clock to reorganise the Battalion, as they were considerably mixed up, most of the officers becoming casualties. Lieutenant Colonel DRYSDALE was wounded whilst the Battalion was marching to its position in front of MAMETZ WOOD, Captain and Adjutant A. A. ALDWORTH taking command. Captain’s WRIGHT, GIFFORD, Lieutenant’s. BURNETT, HOLLIS, ABBOTT and 2nd Lieutenant’s NEWTON, GUTTERIDGE and BAIN being all killed before our troops reached the first line. 2nd Lieutenant PICKERING-CLARKE, SIMPSON and REID also Lieutenant WAKEFORD were killed in the wood. The wounded officers were Captain A. A. CLARKE, Lieutenant HOUGHTON and 2nd Lieutenant’s THOMPSON, WEBB and ORRIT-NICHOL. Our total casualties were 18 officers and 535 men killed and wounded. Our men along with the 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT manned the trenches at the edge of the wood and remained there until next morning. The night was quick.
[recognitum XI-VII-MMXXIV]