Private 52364, 7th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action 18th Sep 1918 in France and Flanders. Aged 30. Born 1st Dec 1887 in Newhall, Derbys. Residence Leicester. Enlisted Gresley, Derbys. Husband of Maggie Ellis (formerly Draycott), of 41, St. Stephen's Rd., Leicester. Professional footballer. Native of Newhall, Burton-on-Trent. Formerly 58697 Leicestershire Regiment. Buried in Gauche Wood Cemetery, Villers-Guislain, France. Grave 21.

Extract below coyrtesy of www.bantamspast.co.uk (The Bradford City Football Club Museum):

Seemingly destined for a life of toil down the mines, football offered George Draycott an escape from poverty. He was on the verge of first team football at Valley Parade when the Great War broke out. Sadly, his dreams of a better life were to end on the killing fields of France.

George was born into a Derbyshire mining family on 1 December 1887 at Newhall, near Burton-on-Trent. A sobering illustration of the hardships of the times was that his mother Charlotte ‘made her mark’ on the birth certificate in the shape of a scrawled cross. She was illiterate and unable to sign her name. By the age of thirteen, with his father dead, George was employed as a colliery horse driver. Fortunately, the world of football offered hope of a brighter future.

A central defender, he played for Newhall Swifts. He then joined Gresley Rovers, where, for reasons unknown, he attracted the nickname ‘Kibby’. In March 1913 George was part of a triple transfer from Gresley Rovers to Bradford City. Along with Charlie Storer and Solomon Tremelling, George moved north for the then substantial sum of £150. All three made their City debuts on 6 March 1913; when City played a benefit game against a Steve Bloomers XI at Leicester. The game was played for Leicester’s long serving secretary George Johnson. Around 4,000 witnessed the game which City won 2-0, Tremelling and Oscar Fox were the scorers. The Steve Bloomers XI was made up from teams of the East Midlands, with the bulk from Leicester Fosse. George was a reserve at Valley Parade and had yet to break into the first team when war broke out in 1914.

He enlisted at Gresley, Derbys. and joined the Leicestershire Regiment as a private. He lived at 41, St. Stephen's Road, G Leicester and was married to Maggie. By 1918 George had transferred to the 7th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment. He was killed in action on 18th September 1918 during the Battle of Epehy. He was only 30 years old. George is buried at Gauche Wood Cemetery, Villers-Guislain, Nord, France.

Private 269764, Royal Air Force (Blandford). Died 3rd October 1918 at Merton Villa, Wilmot Road, Swadlincote. Aged 31. Born Church Gresley. Son of Alfred and Betsy Eley, of 35, Wilmot Rd., Swadlincote, Burton-on-Trent. Buried (Tuesday 8 October 1918) in Church Gresley Cemetery, Church Gresley, Derbys.

269764 2nd Private
R. A. Eley
Royal Air Force
3rd October 1918
Age 31
His name liveth for evermore

2nd Lieutenant, King's Royal Rifle Corps, Killed in action 24th Aug 1918 Aged 25. Born 1893 Church Gresley, Derbys. Son of the late Horace Rendall MANSFIELD - ex MP for Spalding, Lincs. Buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium. Plot XXV. Row A. Grave 22.

Courtesy of www.historical2.bham.ac.uk (University of Birmingham Virtual War Memorial):

He entered the Science Faculty of the University of Birmingham on 7 October 1911 to read Engineering. His last entry in the Students Register is on 1 November 1913, when he began his third year Engineering course. He was then aged 20 and his address was given as Glenalmond, St Albans. He did not graduate.

 

2nd Lieutenant, 2nd Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment. Killed in action 14th March 1917. Aged 22. Son of Frederick George and Elizabeth Mary Mansfield, of The Shrubbery, Woodville, Burton-on-Trent. No known grave. Commemorated on BASRA Memorial, Iraq.

Excerpt from Supplement to the London Gazette dated 21st Aug 1916:

Cadet Oscar Marshall Mansfield to be temp. 2nd Lt. (on prob.). 5 Aug. 1916.

2nd Lieutenant, 121st Battery, 27th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Died of wounds 1st Oct 1918. Aged 26. Born 1890 Church Gresley, Derbys. Son of the late H. R. Mansfield (M.P. for Spalding); husband of Eleanor J. Mansfield (nee Corkill), of The Croft, London Rd., Reading; brother of Eric Oswald Mansfield listed here. Buried in Grevillers British Cemetery, France. Plot XV. Row B. Grave 12 .

Excerpt from Supplement to the London Gazette dated 1st Jul 1918

The undermentioned Cadets to be temp. 2nd Lts - 10th Jun 1918 Reginald Horace Mansfield

Educated at Leys School, Cambridge and commemorated on the memorial there:

"He came to The Leys School, Cambridge, in 1905 at the age of 15 and went into School House. He won Second Colours at Football. On leaving school, Mansfield studied Mining before entering the family manufacturing business. At the outbreak of war, Mansfield enlisted in the Public Schools Battalion, before winning a commission in the Royal Field Artillery. He died of wounds on 1 October 1918 at the age of 26, having reached the rank of Second Lieutenant."

Sergeant STK/1796, 10th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Killed in action 9th Mar 1918 in France and Flanders. Born Swadlincote, Derbys. Enlisted Leamington. Buried in Birr Cross Roads Cemetery, Belgium. Plot I. Row F. Grave 31.

Courtesy of The Great War Forum on 1914-1918.invisionzone.com

WILFRID PITTAM b. 19 Sep 1895 d. 9 Mar 1918
"Wilfred Pittam (b.1895) Worked in Hunters Grocers in High Street Swadlincote. Left Swadlincote and moved to Leamington, possibly to a branch of Hunters. Later enlisted in the army, exact date unknown. First mother Mary Ann knew of this was when she received his belongings, which he had sent to his parents address.

Private 28458, 8th Battalion, Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment). Died of wounds 23 Apr 1918 in United Kingdom. Aged 34. Born Swadlincote, Derbys. Enlisted Birmingham. Husband of Ada Tissington of 98 Oxford Street, Church Gresley. A Tile Fixer by trade. Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.) and the Military Medal (M.M.). Buried in Church Gresley Cemetery, Church Gresley, Derbys.

 

In Loving Memory of PTE J. W. Tissington D.C.M M.M
8th North Staffs Reg.
Beloved husband of Ada Tissington "
"Wounded at Messines Ridge, April 11 1918
Died at King Georges Hospital, London April 23 1918
Aged 34 years
Ever faithful even unto death"

Flight Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) 657036, 431 (R.C.A.F. - Iroqois) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died in a night raid on Berlin 28 January 1944. Born 4 October 1918 when the family were living at 77 Lansdowne Road, Church Gresley. Baptised 27th October 1918 at St. George and St. Mary’s Church, in Church Gresley, son of George James and Lily Moody. In the 1939 Register he was unmarried, a School Teacher, living with his parents at 181 Oxford Street, Swadlincote, Swadlincote District U.D., Derbyshire. Buried in BERLIN 1939-1945 WAR CEMETERY, Berlin, Germany. Plot 8/ Row G. Collective grave 33-37.

Note: The aircraft he was flying in was a Handley Page Halifax V, serial number LL181, markings SE-Q, that took off from Croft on a night raid on Berlin, one of 677 aircraft, 47 were lost. The other members of his crew were Norman Andrew Bell (Sergeant - Flight Engineer), George Frederick Carter (Sergeant - Air Gunner), William Russell Hewetson (Pilot Officer - Pilot), Roy MacLean (Flying Officer - Navigator), James McIver (Sergeant - Air Gunner) and Arthur Cameron Thompson (Pilot Officer - Air Bomber).

R.A.F. Croft was a Royal Air Force station located 4.6 miles south of Darlington, County Durham, and 8 miles north east of Richmond, North Yorkshire.