Name
George Edward (poss L) Pike (poss Pyke)
1888
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/10/1917
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
13904
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HOOGE CRATER CEMETERY
XVII. C. 11.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Norton, Letchworth Town Memorial
Pre War
George Edward Pike was born in 1888 in Arlesey, Beds., to George Pike, cement yard labourer), and Sarah A (nee Cooper).
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, Isabel (born 1876, straw cutter), Harry (born1878, agricultural labourer), Emma (born 1881), Herbert W (born 1883), Ernest G (born 1886), George E, and Frederick (born 1890) were living at High Street, Arlesey, Beds.
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Harry, Emma, Ernest G, George E, Frederick, Arthur (born 1891) and Leonard (born 1899) were living at 30, London Road, Arlesey, Beds.
On the 1911 Census George was working as a chemical labourer and Boarding with his married sister Emma or Emily Jackson and Husband Amos and their family in Howden Dyke, Howden, Yorks.
George married Elizabeth Louisa Howard in Sep 1912 in Norton, Letchworth. Ther would be a son Ernest (born 1914).
George worked for First Garden City Ltd. Living in Common View.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for George, he joined the Bedfordshire Regiment as Private 13904 probably early in autumn 1914 and following his training with 3rd (Reserve) Battalion went to France on 12 Aug 1915 to join 1st Battalion of the Regiment in France as part of 15 Brigade 5 Division.
At some time George was promoted to Lance Corporal. In 1916 the 5th Division took part in Battles of the Somme at High Wood (20-25 Jul), Guillemont (3-6 Sep), Flers-Courcelette (15-22 Sep)and Morval (25-28 Sep). They were moved to the Festubert area, so called quiet area but were subject to shelling and sniping. This lasted to Mar 1917 when they were moved to the Arras sector. Here they were involved in the Battles of Arras at Vimy (-14 Apr), the attack at La Coulette (23 Apr), 3rd Battle of the Scarpe (3-4 May) and the capture of Oppy Wood (28 Jun). They were soon moved to the Ypres Sector in Sep 1917 to take part in the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) in the actions of Polygon Wood (26 Sep-3 Oct) and Broodseinde (4 Oct), in this last action George was reported killed in action by shell fire and was buried nearby. He had previously been wounded and shell shocked (report by Hitchin Citizen)
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £14 and arrears of £5 4s 2d was paid to his widow Elizabeth.
Brother Ernest George Pike served as Private 19217, 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment and died of wounds 19 Mar 1915. Commemerated on Arlesey Memorial, Beds.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Dan Hill, Ellen Barnes, Jonty Wild
