SKELTON - IN - CLEVELAND
IN HISTORY

"WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"
220435 Private GEORGE WILLIAM SEAMAN.

10th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment.

Formerly 3569 Yorkshire Regiment.

Killed in action, aged 24, on the 12th April 1918.

Born North Skelton, N Yorks and enlisted at Saltburn, N Yorks.

Son of James and Elizabeth Alice Seaman of 43 Carney St, Boosbeck, N Yorks.


Ploegsteert Memorial.

FAMILY:-
1911. George, aged 17, is living at 43 Carney St, Boosbeck, N Yorks and working as a Horse-driver below ground in the Ironstone Mines. He had been born in North Skelton.
His father, James, aged 56, was an Ironstone Miner below ground. He had been born in Little Dunham, Norfolk.
His mother, Elizabeth Alice, aged 48, had been born in London.
She had had 7 children and all were living.
George had 3 siblings living at home - Florence May, 15. Ann, 13 and John Thomas, 11.
By the time George's death his parents had moved to 43 Carney St, Boosbeck, N Yorks.

WAR SITUATION.
The 10th East Yorks Battalion came under the orders of 92nd Brigade, 31st Division.
His Medal Card shows that he was awarded the 1914/15 Star and that he first joined the Yorks Battalion, most probably the 4th Yorks, on the 1st September 1915.
When George was transferred from the Yorkshire Regiment to the East Yorks and what action he was involved in prior to his death in April 1918 is not known.
Transfers often occurred when a man was sent back to the UK, usually wounded, and re-posted on recovery.
In November 1917 the Germans had made a peace with the Russians and in the Spring of 1918, reinforced by Divisions moved from the Eastern front, they launched a series of offensives against what they thought were exhausted British lines.
If they could break through to the coast before the Americans arrived in numbers they could still win the War.
In March they had advanced some 40 miles on the Somme, almost reaching Amiens.
Just as that offensive weakened, they began another attack on the 9th April to the North, on the River Lys, West of Armentieres.

MEMORIAL:-
The Allies, mainly British, were driven back some 20+ miles and many men were killed and wounded before the advance was halted.
George Seaman was killed on the third of this action. George is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, which lists more than 11,000 servicemen of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in this sector during the First World War and have no known grave.

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