Name
George Young Lewis
1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
05/12/1918
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sapper
5770
Australian Tunnelling Corps
2nd Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
NIEDERZWEHREN CEMETERY, KASSEL
II. G. 8.
Germany
Headstone Inscription
Without you we can do nothing we three till we meet again
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, British Schools Museum Memorial, Hitchin
Pre War
George was born in October 1887 in the Parish of St Saviours, Hitchin, son of Samuel Young Lewis and Selina G Lewis. He was baptised on 28 October 1887 in Holy Savior Church, Hitchin.
In 1891 the family were living at 7 Anderson’s Terrace (believed), Hitchin. Present were both parents: Samuel (29) and Selina (27), with Samuel working as a a skinner in a tanyard. Their children were: George (3) and Nellie at 2 months. Alice Cowper (11) and a sister to Seliana was also present.
In 1901 the family had moved to 8 Verulam Road, Hitchin. Present were both parents and Samuel still working as a skinner in a tanyard. Their children were now listed as George Young, Nellie Young, May Young (9), John (4) and Harry (3).
George emigrated to Australia on the Royal Mail Ship Ophir on 19 March 1909 with his recorded trade a tailor. He settled in Tasmania where he lived for eleven years and was in business with his future father-in-law as a nurseryman, having previously been employed as a chauffeur.
George enlisted on 3 March 1916 and his oath taken on 28 March 1916. He was 28 years and 5 months old. He had put his next of kin down as his father, Samuel Young Lewis, living in Hitchin, Herts, however this was updated to wife Ivey C R Lewis living in Sulphur Creek, Tasmania. He was described as 5’ 61/2” tall and 10 st 2 lbs with fair hair and grey eyes.
Presumably he married Ivey Clarice Rumley Overall after 3 March 1916 and before 25 October when he left for England.
Wartime Service
He was appointed to Acting Corporal on 18 August 1916 and embarked on the H.M.S Ulysses on 25 October 1916, disembarking in the UK (Plymouth) on 28 December 1916 and went to the Australian ‘Diggers’ Camp the following day.
He preceded to France from Folkestone on 28 January 1917. He was attached to 2nd Australian Tunnelling Coy on 8 February 1917, reverted to the rank of Sapper on 29 February 1917 and taken on to its strength on 22 March 1917.
He was in the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company and his Regimental Number was 5770. In June 1917 the Company commenced the construction of subways from front to support lines and dugouts towards the Great Dune at Nieuport. All this in sand.
He was reported as missing 10 July 1917 but later recorded at the Limburgh Camp in Germany and a prisoner of war.
On the 10th July 1917 the Germans bombarded the sector with 42cm guns and in the evening their infantry attacked and found a party of tunnellers sheltering in a subway. They dropped grenades down the ventilation shaft and used flame-throwers down the entrance. George Lewis was one of those captured.
He sent a POW brief formal postcard to his mother on 14 July 1917, which was annotated “Prisoner Well”.
He was put to work on a farm near the Lechfeld prison camp.
His wife was officially notified that he was POW by the Australian Imperial Force in a letter dated 16 January 1918
German records show that he was captured at Nieuport on 10 July 1917 and died of Spanish “Grippe” – presumably Spanish Flu - on 5 December 1918 – although there is a translated Hospital letter and certificate of death dated 4 December 1918, but that could be a transcription error. In other records his death was also recorded as pneumonia.
On 4 March 1919, Pte. B E Window of the same tunnelling company wrote while on leave in London: “I was told by an Englishman name and regiment unknown, at Lichfred about 20-12-18. that Lewis had died ‘out on a’(sic) Kommando of Spanish flu. The Englishman had been out with him, but gave me no other details".
He was originally buried at Lechfield Cemetery in Germany but re-buried at Niederzwehren Cemetery, Germany in Plot 2, Row G, Grave 8, as part of the concentration of graves after the war.
His widow was informed of his original grave location on 24 October 1922 and then of his re-burial on about 6 September 1924 and she was sent a photograph of his grave.
Additional Information
His widow Mrs. I. C. R. Lewis, Sulphur Creek, Tasmania, ordered his headstone inscription, which reads: “WITHOUT YOU WE CAN DO NOTHING WE THREE TILL WE MEET AGAIN”.
His widow was sent some of his his effects (electric torch case, razor & strap, a wrist watch (damaged) and a letter)and signed for them on 15 October 1918. More were sent and signed for on 22 June 1920 but is seems some more must have been found as they were dispatched on 23 August 1920 and these were signed for on 4 September 1920. She received a memorial scroll with the King’s message on 31 December 1921 and then his memorial Plaque on 15 December 1922.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
