PRIVATE 12842 GEORGE PEACOCK, 1/6th BATTALION WEST RIDING REGIMENT. DIED OF WOUNDS 28th FEBRUARY 1918, AGED 22 YEARS.


PRIVATE 12842 GEORGE PEACOCK, 1/6th BATTALION WEST RIDING REGIMENT. DIED OF WOUNDS 28th FEBRUARY 1918, AGED 22 YEARS.


George Peacock was another 'Ilkley Pal' who had enlisted into the 9th Battalion The West Riding Regiment in late August 1914.


Born in Ilkley in 1895 he was one of ten children of stonemason William Peacock and his wife Maria. Raised at 4 Nelson Road, before the war he had been employed by Jabez Dobson of Woodbank as a gardener. George was also a committed member of the Methodist community and worshipped at Christchurch on The Grove.

George Peacock remained with the Ilkley Pals during his training and landed in France with the battalion in July 1915. During his service he was wounded at least twice and in 1917 upon his return from convalescence was posted away from the Ilkley Pals and into the 1/6th Battalion of the West Riding Regiment.

On the 27th February 1918 the 1/6th were in the front line east of Ypres near to the village of Polderhoek. Subject to intense German shelling the battalion lost 5 men killed and 6 wounded including George. The wounds to his back and shoulder were severe but as a hospital chaplain wrote to his parents, "he was bright and cheerful and there was every hope that he would pull through." However, the following day the chaplain reported that George gently slipped into unconsciousness and at 2pm succumbed to his wounds.

Today Private George Peacock lies in the British Military Cemetery at Lijssenhoek and is remembered with pride on our war memorial here in Ilkley.

Photograph of George taken from the Christchurch memorial Booklet and is courtesy of James Cooper. On his left lapel he is wearing the cap badge of the West Riding Regiment.

                                                            Ilkley Cemetery




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