George Wallace

Age 28        Single

Private 203844
2^nd/4^th Bn., East Lancashire Regiment

Killed in action on
Thursday 21^st March 1918

George lived with his parents, Henry and Hannah at 109 Clitheroe Road, Sabden.  He was educated at Sabden County School and regularly attended St Nicholas Church.  On leaving school he began work as a weaver at Messrs J Stuttard and Sons Victoria Mill, Sabden. 

In 1917, George joined the army serving his training period in Scarborough.  He was sent to  France and served along side the Redhead brothers of Sabden from September 1917.  In March 1918 Mr and Mrs Wallace received a telegram stating that George was missing in action.  A few weeks later they were visited by Mr and Mrs Redhead who had news from their son  Alfred, whom they had visited in hospital.  He had said not to give up hope, the Germans had taken large numbers of prisoners during their advance and George could well be amongst them.  Having still not had any news of George’s fate by February 1919, his parents placed an appeal in the Burnley Express to all returning prisoners of war for news of their son.  It wasn’t until June 1919 that they received official news that George was presumed killed in action 16 months previously on March 21^st 1918. 

George’s body was never recovered, he is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France. 

In Sabden he has been remembered on both the School and Church Plaques.