Corporal, 1st/6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Service number 265267.
Early life:
George was born in Oakworth on January 15, 1896. His parents were Maurice (Morris) and Clara Page. He was baptised in Christ Church in Oakworth on March 22 of the same year.
They lived at Lidget and Maurice was a weaver. By 1901 George was five and was living with his parents and sister Edith at Lidget in Oakworth. Maurice had changed jobs and was a stoker at an electric works.
According to the electoral rolls, they moved from Lidget to 5, Bogthorn in 1902 and then to 10, Bogthorn in 1905.
By 1911 he was fifteen and living at 10, Bogthorn with his parents, sister Edith and brother Frank.
Maurice was a fitter at the electric works and George was a card cutter at a worsted mill.
They moved again to 8, Bogthorn but we’re not sure of the year as the electoral rolls weren’t produced for 1916, 1917 and 1918.
George married Ida Bancroft at St John’s Church Ingrow on January 19, 1918. He was 22 and a blacksmith living at 8, Bogthorn in Oakworth and Ida was 23 and living at 12, Malt Street.
War service:
After the outbreak of war, George was called up in 1914 at Haworth with the Territorials (Army no. 2014) and after a period of intensive training, went from Folkestone with the 1st/6th Battalion West Riding Regiment on April 14, 1915 on SS Onward and landed at Boulogne. He served with them throughout the war and was promoted to corporal. He was awarded the Military Medal on March 12, 1918.
War diary entry for the 1st/6th Battalion West Riding Regiment:
April 12. CROSS ROADS:
9.45 am, orders were received to push out a patrol to verify presence of enemy in strength near BLANC MAISON & to clear up the situation which was very obscure & to report what troops of ours were in the vicinity.
At about 12.45 pm, orders were received to establish line of the BECQUE de la FLANCHE. B Company remained in reserve & the other three Companies were sent off to establish the above line.
A on right, C to centre, D to left, eventually some time later A Company established their right post just astride the Railway about 500 yards West of BAILLEUL STATION & got in touch with troops on their right & C Company on left. B Company were in touch with 16th R.S. & there was a small part of 11th Suffolk Regiment under an officer between C & D. Our 7th Battalion were also a little mixed up with D Company.
Roughly the line of the BECQUE was established & dug in during the night.
Throughout the afternoon the line was continually shelled & Trench Mortared & heavy Machine Gun fire put down on it, particularly intense on the left.
George was killed during this period on the 12th of April 1918. His body was not found and he is named on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Keighley News May 11, 1918 page 3:
Corporal George Page, M.M., West Riding Regiment, of 12, Malt Street, Ingrow, was killed in action on April 12. He was called up with the Territorials in 1914. He was gassed some time ago, and was awarded the Military Medal on March 12 last.
Post war:
He was posthumously awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. These would have been sent to his widow Ida who was his next of kin, along with any personal effects and later, a bronze war memorial plaque and King’s certificate inscribed with his name. We presume also that she would have received his Military Medal.
Ida received George’s outstanding Army pay of £8 16s 2d on 9th September 1918 and later, a war gratuity payment of £18 10s 0d on 25th November 1919.
Ida also received a widow’s pension of 15 shillings per week for life. This began on 4th November 1918.
Remembrance:
George is named in Keighley’s Great war roll of honour book in Keighley Library and on the Ingrow War memorial at St John’s Church. In Oakworth, he is named on the war memorial in Holden Park. He is also named on the Bogthorn Methodist Chapel Sunday School roll of honour and on the Oakworth Great War Centenary roll of honour in Oakworth Community Hall.
In Oakworth cemetery the family headstone inscription reads: “The inscriptions read:
In loving memory of Clara Sugden Page, beloved wife of John Maurice Page, who died June 30th 1949 aged 78 years. Also their son, George, Killed in France, April 12th, 1918, aged 22 years.
Information sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915.
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1910.
1901 England Census.
1911 England Census.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005.
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935.
War diary entry for the 1st/6th Battalion West Riding Regiment.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919.
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library.
Oakworth cemetery – Family Headstone.
Oakworth War Memorial.
Bogthorn Methodist Chapel Sunday School lists of Oakworth men who served in WW1.
Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929.
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920.
WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920.
