Name
George Oakley
24 Feb 1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/10/1917
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
267018
Northumberland Fusiliers
12th/13th Bn
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 19 to 23 and 162.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Tring Town Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Tring, Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
George Oakley was born on 24 Feb 1897 (Baptised 10 Nov 1897) in Wilstone to James Oakley and Sarah(nee Hart).
Georges father died in 1897.
On the 1901 Census George was living with his widowed mother, Lily (born 1893), Hannah (born 1895) at 32, Akeman Street, Tring.
On the 1911 Census George was an errand boy at a builders and was living with his maternal Grandparents, Frederick & Elizabeth Hart at 37, Akeman Street, Tring.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for George.
He enlisted as a Territorial Solder as Private 5720 in the Hertfordshire Regiment and was later transferred to the Northumberland Fusiliers as Private 7/7171 in 1/7 Battalion, another transfer to 1/6 Battalion changed his serial to 6/7527, both battalions were in 149 Brigade 50th (Northumbrian) Division and in 1917 during the renumbering of the Territorial Force he became 267018 in the 13th (Service) Battalion. It is known that 12th and 13th Battalions were amalgamated on 10 Aug 1917 to become 12/13 Battalion.
George probably went to France some time in 1916 in 1917 he was serving with the 13th (Service) Battalion. This was part of 62 Brigade of 21 Division and had been deployed in 1916 at the Battles of the Somme. In 1917 they were involved in the Arras Offensive and were later deployed to the Ypres to take part in the Battles of 3rd Ypres (Passchendaele) at Polygon Wood (26 Sep-3 Oct) and Broodseinde (4 Oct). There is some doubt over his Date of Death as indicated below this may have been during the Battle of Broodseinde. His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Ypres.
Private Oakley was reported killed on the 25th October 1917 during the third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). His Battalion was then at Zillebeke, about 1½ miles south-east of Ypres. However, the 12/13th Battalion War Diary carries no report of fatalities on the 25th October or in the immediately adjoining days. After heavy fighting on the 4th October (Battle of Broodseinde), the 12/13 Bn. War Diary states that on the 6th October the Battalion arrived Zillebeke Lake at 3 a.m. “and went into dugouts” − it reports 7 officers killed and 12 wounded; with 44 other ranks killed and 320 wounded, but does not state the circumstances in which these casualties arose.
From the Bucks Herald, 24th November 1917: “Pte. George Oakley was the only son of Mrs. Oakley, a widow residing in Akeman-street. He joined the Northumberland Fusiliers on attaining the age of 18 years some two years ago. Sent to France, he remained there for seven months before being invalided home with trench feet. Making a rapid recovery, he returned to the scene of hostilities some six months ago, and took part in many of the actions of the past summer and autumn. His mother has now been officially informed that he was killed in action early in the present month, and has been buried in France."
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
