Service Number 45135
Service Army
Battalion 2nd Battalion
Regiment South Staffordshire Regiment
Biography
George Harold Vincent was born in 1898 in Clifford, probably on the 6th January. In 1901, he was living at Willow Terrace, Clifford, with his grandmother. By 1911, George had moved to Collingham and was living at 4 Station Cottages with his Uncle who was a platelayer on the railway.
George enlisted for military service on the 2nd June 1916 in Harrogate, but he was not called up until 17th January 1917, when he became Private 45135 George Harold Vincent in the South Staffordshire Regiment. His military service record gave his address at that time as Lica Cottage, Collingham.
From the 17th January 1917 until 27th July 1917, George served in the UK, undergoing his basic training in the Army with the 6th Battalion of the Training Reserve. On the 2nd July 1917 he was posted to the 3rd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment before posting, on the 26th July to the 1st Battalion of the same regiment, when he first went to France.
10 weeks later, on the 4th October 1917, George was admitted to the 3rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) with a shot wound to the leg. He was processed through the CCS and admitted to the 3rd Army Field Ambulance and a day later was transferred to the 1st Canadian General Hospital. On the 24th October he was evacuated back to England and was admitted to Woolton Auxiliary Hospital near Liverpool. His records show he had a shot wound to his left thigh. He stayed at Woolton until 19th November and he was finally discharged from hospital on the 24th November when he was posted back to his depot.
George was posted back to the 3rd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment on the 8th February 1918 to get ready for overseas service again. Eventually, George embarked in Folkstone on the 12th March 1918 to rejoin the British Expeditionary Force in France, where he joined the 2nd Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment on the 18th March.
George continued his service in France until 2nd November 1919 when he returned home.
We believe that George married in 1923 and that he died in Leeds in 1974.
Biography last updated 16 November 2019 22:05:17.
Sources
1911 Census. The National Archives. Class RG14 Piece 25962
First World War Medal Index Cards. The National Archives (WO372).
First World War Medal Index Rolls. The National Archives (WO329).
First World War British Army Service Records. The National Archives (WO363).
War Diary of 1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment; 91 Bde; 7 Division (WO95/1670) The National Archives.
War Diary of 91 Infantry Brigade HQ (WO95/1667) The National Archives.
If you have any photographs or further details about this person we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact us via: alan.berry@collinghamanddistrictwararchive.info