Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Charles Haddon Lane, an agricultural labourer, born in the July quarter of 1867 in Landbeach, Cambridgeshire and baptised on the 1st November 1868 in All Saint’s Church, Landbeach (son of Charles Lane, 1843 and Mary Ann Elbourn, 1842) and his wife Jemima Lane (nee Adams, married in the January quarter of 1890 in the St. Ives, Huntingdonshire district), born in the April quarter of 1873 in Over, Cambridgeshire (daughter of Dennis Adams, 1831 and Susan Adams, 1829). George William was born in the April quarter of 1895 in Crowland, Lincolnshire, his siblings were, Charles, born 1890 and Arthur, born in the July quarter of 1891, the latter two siblings were both born in Over, Mary Jane, born in the January quarter of 1897, Harry, born in the July quarter of 1898 and Charlotte, born in the January quarter of 1900, the latter three siblings were all born in Borough Fen, Northamptonshire, in March 1901 the family home was at Hill Farm, Borough Fen, Peterborough, Northamptonshire. In April 1911 George was absent from the family home at Newborough, Peterborough, residing there was his father, a farm labourer, his mother and siblings, Charles, a farm labourer, Arthur, a farm labourer, Mary, Charlotte, Harry, Maggie, born in the July quarter of 1902, Gladys, born in the July quarter of 1904, Robert Percy, born in the January quarter of 1906, Elsie, born in the April quarter of 1907 and Olive, born in the July quarter of 1908, the latter five siblings were all born in Newborough. In the July quarter of 1915, George married Mabel May Sharman in the Peterborough, district, Mabel was born on the 10th May 1894 in Crowland (daughter of Robert Norton Sharman, 1848-1933 and Mary Ann Wilson, 1849). George and Mabel had a daughter Vera May, born on the 1st September 1916 in Peterborough and Mabel also had a son, Herbert Henry Boyer Sharman, born on the 9th May 1913 in Peterborough. George’s widow married Robert G. Whittaker in the April quarter of 1921 in the Stamford, district, they resided at Collyweston, Northamptonshire.
George embarked for France on the 2nd June 1917 and took part in the general advance and capture of the Messines Ridge. He was engaged in an action involving heavy fighting east of Ypres towards the Passchendaele Ridge, and it was here that he was reported missing in action. An eye witness of this attack speaks of the difficult and exposed nature of the ground and tells how hard it was for the wounded to reach the dressing station, half a mile back along duckboards, with a heavy German barrage on. All the ground between the lines was covered by machine gun and shell fire.
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 Peterborough into the Regular Army, date not known.
Joined. At place and date not known.
Posted. To Royal Sussex Regt. Pte. date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 202410.
Posted. To Cyclist Company, Royal Sussex Regt. Pte., date not known.
Transferred. To 2nd Bn. Queen’s Royal West Surrey regt. Pte., data not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number G/64211.
First entered the theatre of war in France after the 31st December 1915.
Killed in action. In the Field. 26/10/17.
Body not recovered. Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, George nominated his wife, Mabel as his sole legatee.
On the 3rd August 1918, George’s widow Mabel, of Geeston, Ketton, Rutland was awarded a weekly Army Dependant’s Pension of twenty-five shillings and five pence for herself and the two children, commensurate on the 29th July 1918.
The War Diary records: 26 Oct-17 – Transport moved to BEAVER CAMP and Details to Camp at H.86.a.1.1. Accommodating available 5 huts and 8 shelters pitched in a -?- -?- completed by 8.30pm. Narrative of events from 24th to 27th marked “Z.3.” Attached.
2nd Battalion, “The Queen’s” Regiment.
NARRATIVE OF OPERATIONS
October 24th – October 27th, 1917.
The Battalion embussed near FERMOY Camp, N.13.a at 2.30pm on October 24th and de-bussed in the vicinity of LOCK 8. After a halt for teas, the Battalion moved off by platoons at 100 yards interval to relieve elements of the 16th and 17th Sherwood Foresters in the line in the BODMIN COPSE area.
The track, MORLAND AVENUE to CANADA STREET, was shelled during this assembly march but no casualties were inflicted although some direct hits on the track between platoons were obtained.
After a delay of some ¾ hour at CANADA STREET, the Battalion followed the duck-board track “A” through BODMIN COPSE and took over positions as follows: -
“B” Company. Front Posts 1 – 4 and Right Support Trench in J.21.c.4.4 to J.21.c.5.5.
“C” Company. Front Posts 5 – 6 and Left Support Trench in J.21.c.5.5 to J.21.c.7.6.
“D” Company. Trench, J.21.c.0.7 to J.21.c.5.9.
“A” Company. Support Trench in BODMIN COPSE.
Battalion Headquarters J.20.d.2.8.
The relief was complete by 1.30am, rain, extreme darkness and some congestion due to out-going units delaying matters.
2nd Lieutenant G. E. Wheeler, commanding “C” Company was wounded just as relief by his Company was complete, otherwise casualties practically nil.
The vicinity of the BASSEVILLE BEEK was persistently shelled from 12 midnight till dawn.
During the night of 24/25th, Lieutenant R. M. Burdon, M.C., in conjunction with Intelligence Officers of other units in the Brigade, staked out the tape line and fixed Battalion boundaries.
25th. The weather improved at daybreak and a strong wind did much to improve the state of the ground, which in advance of the ridge in front of the BASSEVILLE BEEK, was more sandy and relatively dry.
As the hostile barrage line appeared to be through the DUMBARTON LAKES Area and as this usually came down about midnight, positions for “A” Company and an attached Company of the 22nd Battalion Manchester Regiment, in the vicinity of Support Lines were selected during the day and arrangements made for these two Companies to occupy these before 11.30pm.
The day passed without incident on the whole; some casualties resulted from hostile reply to practice barrages but on the whole the enemy’s attitude was quiet.
Lieutenant R. M. Burdon, M.C. laid the tapes along the lines shewn in the attached map and had them completed by 9.00pm
There was a bright moon and some sniping fire was encountered.
Captain R. L. Atkinson, M.C. was wounded while visiting his posts about dusk, having also been sniped through the arm, and was compelled to go down the line.
The Battalion formed up on the tape by one hour before zero on a three Company frontage, with “D” Company on the Right, “B” Company in the Centre and “C” Company on the Left, with “A” Company in support to “C.”
The RED LINE was the objective for all front-line Companies, the role of “A” Company being to pass through the RED LINE and to establish posts to form a defensive flank to the 20th Brigade on the spurs at about J.28.a.2.9 and J.28.a.6.7.
On the whole the enemy paid little attention to the forming up line but shelled the DUMBARTON LAKES Area and line of approach from midnight till dawn as was anticipated.
A forward Observation Post was dug in the centre of the rear tape, manned by Lieutenant R. M. Burdon, M.C., 2 runners and 2 signallers – Battalion Headquarters being connected by a forward line to this post. The line did not outlive the start of the advance and could not subsequently be maintained.
26th. The weather became overcast and cloudy about 2.00am and rain was falling when zero hour, 5.40am was reached.
The barrage appeared to start simultaneously down the line and at 6.10am the Observation Post reported by runner that the attack appeared to be progressing well.
Very shortly after, the Observation Post was struck by a shell which buried or temporarily stunned the garrison who shortly returned with the information that the advance had suffered a check and that considerable disorganisation was taking place among the advancing troops, which appeared to be the result of the Battalions on the Left and Right both converging on to LEWIS HOUSE where the main obstruction had been encountered.
As a result of the congestion, it was not possible for the Stokes Guns under 2nd Lieutenant E. Schult to fire in reply to the pre-arranged signal of two white Very lights and, moreover, the hostile Machine Guns in LEWIS HOUSE were afforded a target of confused units instead of meeting with the organised assault of small controlled bodies.
Before reaching this point, all the Officers, with the exception of 2nd Lieutenant J. P. Howells, M.C. commanding “A” Company and Captain G. A. Streeter commanding “D” Company, had become casualties.
Despite the confusion, these two officers pressed on, made several organised attempts to out-
flank the concrete structure constituting LEWIS HOUSE and, when unsuccessful, established themselves and a composite party from all Regiments in posts about 200 yards from LEWIS HOUSE.
The loss of direction above noted, resulted in gaps being formed in the general line both to the Right and Left of LEWIS HOUSE and these were filled as far as possible by organising troops who had drifted from their alignment and by bringing forward the 2 reserve attached Companies of the 22nd Battalion Manchester Regiment to make touch with the 21st Battalion Manchester Regiment on the Right. Two new Vickers Machine Gun Sections were also sent in to cover the front.
By dusk the original front line had been re-established and touch with units on both flanks secured. The hostile shelling of the areas immediately in rear of the front-line became intense about noon and was maintained until after dusk.
The remaining elements of the Battalion and the two Companies of 22nd Battalion Manchester Regiment were relieved on the night of 26/27th by 3 Companies of the 2nd Honourable Artillery Company, relief being complete by 3.30am and successfully carried out under the direction of Captain Murray, M.C. 22nd Battalion Manchester Regiment who had previously shown great skill and leadership in getting these 2 Companies into position under difficult circumstances.
Two Posts, under Captain G. A. Streeter, being in advance of the old front-line stayed out 24 hours after the relief of the main body, not having been found until daylight. Two messages from this post had come through by day but it was practically cut off from all communications in daylight.
The elements withdrawn from the line marched back to dug-outs at LOCK 8 – the garrisons of different posts arriving at various hours from 4.00am to 12.00 noon on the 27th instant.
Casualties were as follows: -
OFFICERS. Wounded 9. Wounded and Missing 2.
OTHER RANKS. Killed 22. Wounded 74. Wounded and Missing 58. Missing 134. Total 288.
The above only gives those known to be killed or to have reached an Aid Post; the remainder are shown as Missing as difficulties in clearing the ground prevented any Aid Post records being kept and reports from Hospitals have not yet been received.
R.H. Birchell, Lieutenant Colonel. 31st October 1917.
Commanding 2nd Battalion “The Queen’s” Regiment.
Summary of Amended Casualties.
OFFICERS. Wounded 9. Died of Wounds 1. Wounded and Missing 2.
OTHER RANKS. Killed and Died of Wounds 22. Wounded 188. Wounded and Missing 14. Missing 63.