George Arthur Martindale

George enlisted at Watford, as Private 17505 in the Bedfordshire Regt. and in Jan 1915 the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour recorded that he was serving with the Bedfordshire’s. In May 1915 George was recorded with the 3rd Bedfordshire’s (probably training), and then moved to the 9th Bedfordshire’s in December 1915. This training unit was absorbed into training units in 1916. George may have been transferred around this time to 11th Essex as Serial 40925, and served in France dying from wounds on 28th April 1917 whilst serving with this unit.

It is not certain when he was wounded, or in which action this occurred, however the War Diary of the 11th Essex showed it was in action at Beaumetz Morchies, to the south east of Arras on 21st March 1917. After a gas bombardment, the battalion fought off an enemy attack. Thirty seven officers and men were killed, forty-six were wounded and twenty-six more were missing at the end of the action and the 11th Essex retreated to Buchanan Camp at Achiet. It is possible that George was wounded in this action, as the 11th Essex was not significantly involved in another action until after his death in late April. This does not tie up with the information given in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine, which reported that he was wounded in early April, however the Battalion War Diary does not report any casualties in early April. The War Diary recorded that the battalion travelled to the Ypres Sector, and between the 10th and 14th April moved to trenches near Zonnebeke. It was a quiet period and no casualties were reported. After a short period out of the trenches the battalion returned to reserve lines near Zillebeke Lake and a few casualties are noted. 

So it is inconclusive when and where George was wounded, however he was evacuated from the Front and was treated at 13 Stationary Hospital at Boulogne (Specialised in Eye, Face and Jaw injuries) and may been awaiting a Hospital Ship to take him back to England, when he died from his wounds on 28th April 1917.

George Martindale was one of four members of the Martindale family from the Bedmond-Pimlico area that served in the Great War. George’s three uncles, Arthur, Frank and Homer, all Bedmond Men, all served in and survived the Great War. His death was recorded in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine in June 1917: “George Martindale, a Bedmond man, of the Essex Regiment, died on April 28th of wounds received early in the month. This brave man was well known to most of us, who feel the deepest sympathy for his sorrowing relatives”.

George Martindale was buried at the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery. Also in this cemetery are John Owen and Albert Sage, both Abbots Langley men. He was also commemorated on the Abbots Langley War Memorial. He was also commemorated on the War Memorial at the Church of the Ascension at Bedmond.

War Gratuity of £11 10s and arrears of £2 11s 10d paid to his father.