LOCK(E), George Henry


No.G/18842, Private, George Henry LOCKE
Aged 24


11th Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
formerly 4889, 9th Bn. Middlesex Regiment
Killed in Action on 20th September 1917


George Henry Lock was born in Rougham on 12th September 1893(4th qtr 1893 Thingoe 4a:717), son of Albert and Alice LOCKE (née COULTON)

1901 census...Aged 7, he was at The Street, Rougham with his father Albert LOCKE [31] horsekeeper on farm, his mother Alice [30]; brothers Albert E [6], Alfred C [3] and Arthur R.[2]. All were born in Rougham

1911 census...Aged 17, a farm labourer, he was at New Cottages, Rougham with his parents; brother Albert and Alfred (farm labourers) Arthur, Herbert [5] and Roland [1]; sisters Evelyn [9] and Lilian [7]. All born Rougham.

On the pension card his mother was at Mount's Cottage, Rougham.



He enlisted in Wood Green on 22nd November 1915 in the Middlesex Regiment, No.4887. He was a railway porter, of 174 Morley Avenue, Wood Green. He gave his age as 22 years 71 days, 5 feet 5.5 inches tall, chest 32.5 to 35 inches, weighing 124 lbs, next of kin, his father Albert LOCKE of Rougham. Mobilised on 7th June 1916 at Mill Hill,
On 2nd October 1916 he was posted to the BEF and to the 7th Bn. Middlesex Regt. Transferred on 14th October to the 4th Royal West Kents, then the 7th Bn., No. 18842. On 8th March 1917 he was posted to the 11th Battalion.
Wounded in the head on 3rd May 1917 and taken to Base Hospital at Abbeville, until 23rd May, when he went to Base depot at Etaples, returning to his battalion (11th) on 3rd June.
His family moved to Moat Farm Cottages, Rougham
In 1919 Army Form 5080 had living blood relatives as his parents at Moat Cottages, Rougham with his brothers Arthur, Herbert, Roland and Cyril [7] and sisters Evelyn at 25 St.John's Road, Sidcup, Kent and Lilian in Rougham. Brother Albert was with 11th Eastern Company,N.C.C., Canterbury and brother Alfred was with 239th Coy, Machine Gun Corps in Mesopotamia.
The unit that brother Albert was in was one of the companies of the Non Combatant Corps. These units were for men who had elected not to engage in fighting but were willing to undertake various labouring duties. They served in all other respects as soldiers. In the main these units never went overseas.

The 11th Battalion on 20th September 1917 were in the Ypres salient, at BODMIN COPSE ready for the assault on TOWER HAMLETS. At 5:40 am our barrage opened and the battalion advanced behind the 15th Hampshires. Despite the Hants battalion being held up and losing their officers, the combined battalions then went ahead and took their objectives. Casualties were made worse by the fact that the battalions on either side had not kept up, and enfilade machine gun fire was troublesome. The enemy tried a counter-attack at 2 pm but this was smashed by our artillery. By nightfall they were dug in, with the YORK and LANCS on the left and 20th Durham Light Infantry on the right.

CWGC records have 47 killed on 20th, only 8 have known graves, the rest are all commemorated on the Tyne Cot memorial. The De Ruvigny entry seems to be in error, giving his death at Polygon Wood. This wood was some distance away, the other side of what is now the A19 and was attacked a few days later.





Photo CWGC

George Locke is commemorated on the Tyne Cot memorial, Belgium panels 106-108

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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