Born: 1884, Sheffield
Died: 15 August 1918
Buried: Bagneux British Cemetery, Gezaincourt
Address: 110 Terra Cotta Row, Eccleshill
Parents: William & Mary Ann, nee Hemmings
Spouse: Alice, nee Gornall
Siblings: Fergus, Minnie, William, Florence, Lily, Athol, Mary
Occupation: Dyer’s labourer
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Sgt
Medals/awards: Distinguished Conduct Medal
Rolls of Honour: Eccleshill Park and St Luke’s
Children: Lily, Henrietta, Kathleen
Regiment: Manchester Regt
George William Frith
George William Frith was born in
1884 in Sheffield the son of
William and Mary Ann, nee
Hemmings.
William was an assurance agent
and the family moved around a lot,
their children Fergus, Minnie,
William, Florence, George and Lily
all born before they moved to
Bradford where added Athol and
Mary Annie.
The family were living at 236
Whetley Lane and William was
working as a draper and clothier.
William died in 1895 and in
January 1900 Mary Ann married
again to Henry Muhl.
Mary Ann and her family went to
live at 19 Saplin Terrace and
George at 17 was working as a
confectioner’s assistant.
On the 28th April 1906 at
St Peter Parish Church,
George William Frith
aged 21 years, a dyer’s
labourer of 15,
Morningside, Bradford
married Alice Gornall, 19
years, a silk spinner of 14
Bromet Place, Eccleshill.
The newlyweds lived at
110 Terra Cotta Row, Eccleshill
and three daughters were born to
them, Lily in 1907, Henrietta in
1911 and Kathleen in 1913.
George enlisted on the 7th of
August 1914 in the 1st/5th battalion
of the Manchester Regiment and
eventually rose to Sgt.201736.
On the 6th of May 1915 his
Regiment landed at Gallipoli and
was evacuated on the 28th
December to proceed to
Egypt. They landed at
Marseilles on the 2nd March
1917 for the Western Front.
George was successful in
many bombing raids and at
some point during his service
he was awarded the
Distinguished Conduct
Medal, a high level award for
bravery, second only to the Victoria
Cross.
He had served over four years
when in the early hours of the 15th
of August 1918 he was shot by a
sniper and he died at the dressing
station before he could be admitted
to hospital.
He had previously been wounded
by a sniper in the arm. At the time
of his death he was 33 years of age.
He is buried in the Bagneux British
Cemetery at Gezaincourt which
was begun in April 1918 after the
close of the German offensive in
Picardy.
He left his effects under the name
of Sgt. 201736 James Smith DCM
to his widow Alice Frith who
received £6.13.4d on the 14th of
June 1919 and a War Gratuity of
£26.10.0d on the 27th of July 1919.
Alice also received an extra
payment of £13.6.8d on the 29th
October 1919. Whether the name
James Smith was a clerical error or
whether George had assumed the
name is not known.
Researched and written by Jean
Britteon, to whom many thanks
