Trafford

Born during the December quarter 1894 in the Altrincham R.D. - ref: 8a/157,
the son of George Wilkinson & Jane Eden (nee Hanmer).

Baptised at Mobberley on the 4th November 1894.

1901 Census - 250 St. Paul's Road, Smethwick, Staffordshire.    Son - aged:
6 - born: Mobberley.   Head of household - George W. Eden - Married - aged:
36 - occ: Mechanical Engineer - born: Mobberley.   Also - Jane Eden - Wife
- aged: 29 - born: Cheswardine, Cheshire.   Plus 5 siblings.

1911 Census - 26 Frewland Avenue, Stockport, Cheshire.    Son - aged: 16 -
occ: Apprentice Engineer's Turner - born: Mobberley.  Head of household -
George W. Eden - Married - aged: 46 - occ: Engineer's Representative -
born: Mobberley.   Also - Jane Eden - Wife - aged: 41 - born: Cheswardine,
Shropshire.   Plus 9 siblings.

George enlisted at Stockport c1912.

John Hartley the owner of the excellent Stockport War Dead website -
www.stockport1914-1918.co.uk/ - has very generously given me permission to
use any information that he has researched for that website.  George is
commemorated on it, I do so verbatim.

"George was no longer at home as he joined the army two years before. He
had become a crack shot and held the army's shooting efficiency badge. When
War was declared in August 1914, George and his comrades were in barracks
in Chelsea and they were one of the first units to be sent overseas. He
will have taken part in the early battles of the War - at Mons, the Aisne
and the Marne, before arriving in the Ypres sector in Belgium in October.
This was the first of the four major battles that would take place around
the town during the course of the War

George was not killed outright, but died of wounds he received in action.
It is not possible to know when he was injured but he is buried close to
where the Grenadiers were in action. This suggests that it was probably the
same or previous day (otherwise he would have been evacuated to a field
hospital).

The Battalion's War Diary provides a graphic account of the days leading to
his death. In late October, George and his comrades had been in trenches at
Klein Zillebeke, just on the outskirts of the town centre. At 3am on 1
November, they were relieved and marched back a couple of miles to rest.
This only lasted for two or three hours, before they were again ordered
forward as the Germans had broken through part of the front line. They
helped to throw the enemy out and dug-in again. The Diary notes "No food
till very late, very tired and short of sleep, 10 killed, 29 wounded, 8
missing".

The next morning, the Germans attacked but were driven off by machine gun
fire with heavy losses. Intermittent attacks continued all day and the
Grenadiers were shelled by enemy artillery. There was a strong attack at
dusk with the Germans getting to within 25 yards of the British trench
before being beaten back. Casualties: 4 killed; 12 wounded and 1 missing.

The next three were relatively quiet with no enemy attacks. However,
shelling and sniper fire continued and there were deaths and injuries on
each day.

On the 6th, the Diary records "French on right driven back and line broken.
Irish Guards on immediate right also driven back. We were hard pressed and
had to refuse our right, when Irish Guards retired, our left held firm.
Household Cavalry counter attacked with great loss, stopped German advance.
Lieut. Lord Congleton's platoon, which was our only reserve, filled up
gaps. A trying and critical day. Lieut. Tufnell killed, Lieut. Dowling
wounded. 7 NCOs & men killed, 68 wounded."

The next day, there were further attempts to counter attack but these were
only partially successful. The Grenadiers were regularly shelled throughout
the day and, later, there was another German attack which was driven off.
Casualties for the day included 10 killed, 46 wounded and 3 missing."

M.I. - "His sacrifice.  Our freedom". 

CWGC - Son of George W. & Jane Eden of Oriion House, Frewland Avenue,
Davenport, Stockport.

Commemorated in The Mobberley Parish Council's Booklet - "1914-2014,
Remembering the Men from Mobberley who went to War for their Country" - per
Alistair MacLeod.