Name
George Wake
1898
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/04/1917
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
16236
Suffolk Regiment
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
STE. CATHERINE BRITISH CEMETERY
A.14
France
Headstone Inscription
HE GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP
UK & Other Memorials
Royston Town Memorial, Not on the Barkway memorials
Pre War
George Wake was born in 1898 in Barkway, nr Royston, Herts, the son of George and Elizabeth Wake, and was baptised on 11 December 1898 in Barkway.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at The Grange, Kelshall, Herts where his father was working as a stud groom. His father died in 1906 aged 48 and on the 1911 Census he was living with his widowed mother and five siblings at Queen's Road, Royston, Herts. Although three of his elder siblings were working, George and sisters Bertha and Margaret were still at school.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Cambridge and joined the Suffolk Regiment, serving with the 11th Battalion in France.
George was killed in action on 2 April 1917, aged 19, when a shell struck his section wounding several men. George was assisting the stretcher bearers with the wounded when a second shell landed in the same location, killing him. He is buried in Ste. Catherine British Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £10 10s and pay owing of £6 3s 2d. She also received a pension initially of 3s 6d a week later increased eventually to 12s 6d. Her home address was later changed to 24 Melbourn Street, Royston.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Paul Johnson
