PRIVATE 10/2745 GEORGE LESLIE RENTON, 6TH WELLINGTON INFANTRY BATTALION, NEW ZEALAND INFANTRY FORCE.


PRIVATE 10/2745 GEORGE LESLIE RENTON, 6TH WELLINGTON INFANTRY BATTALION, NEW ZEALAND INFANTRY FORCE. KILLED IN ACTION 17TH SEPTEMBER 1916.


George Lister Renton left his native Yorkshire aged 20 years in 1904 and, sailed half way across the world in the hope of a new life in New Zealand. Born in Bolton Abbey his father, George, was a police constable who eventually came to live at a house called Hollingfield on Ash Grove, Ilkley. 


Settling in Wellington he worked for a timber merchants, McLeod, Weir and Hopkins and lived at 21, Kilbinnie Street until he joined the Wellington Infantry Regiment in 1915.
Enlisting in the 6th battalion in April 1915 it was over 12 months before George landed in France. Now transferred to the 1st Battalion Wellington Infantry, part of the New Zealand Division, his was posted to the Somme area. He was killed as his battalion took part in the battle of Flers on 17th September 1916 and his body was never recovered.

Private George Renton is commemorated on the New Zealand memorial to the missing at Caterpillar Valley Cemetery and remembered on the New Zealand National War Memorial and our memorial in Ilkley



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