George Jesse Threadgale was born at Yoxford in Suffolk, in the last quarter of 1888. He was the son of Moses and Catherine Threadgale (nee Pipe). He had the following siblings – Edward H (born 1886), Kathleen (born 1887), Elsie (born 1891), Albert Ernest, Jennie and Stanley Herbert (born 1896). In 1891 and 1901, the family was living at Brundish, Suffolk.

George married Edith E Eastwood at Harrogate in the last quarter of 1914, with his daughter Gladys M being born in the second quarter of 1916 (Gladys died in the last quarter of 1917, aged about 18 months). George enlisted (probably conscripted) into the East Yorkshire Regiment, serving with the 9th Battalion in UK. He eventually went to France in the spring of 1917 with the 12/West Yorkshire Regiment. This battalion was disbanded in France in February 1918 and George eventually ended up with the 7th (Westmoreland and Cumberland Yeomanry) Battalion, the Border Regiment. The War Diary records a draft of 149 men from the West Yorkshires arriving at Pierregot, north of Amiens, on 6 April 1918.

On 15 April, the battalion relieved the 7/Royal Fusiliers at Engelbelmer, as Brigade Reserve. On 17 April “C Coy moved into banks on night of 16th/17th. We supplied a working party on Intermediate Line. Captain Hawkes in charge – casualties 2 killed, 1 died of wounds and 7 wounded (two caused by shellfire in village about 7pm – remained on working party).” The individual who died of wounds was probably George.

The final twist in George’s story comes with the birth of Georgina J Threadgale at Harrogate in the last quarter of 1918; a daughter he never saw and whose impending arrival he was probably unaware of when he died.

George’s brother Stanley, was killed in action with 3/Grenadier Guards on 25 September 1918.

Stuart Lyon