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SKELTON - IN - CLEVELAND
IN HISTORY
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"WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"
6278/242017 Private GEORGE CATRON.
5th Bn, Seaforth Highlanders.
Killed in action on the 16th May 1917.
Born at Brotton, N Yorks.
Son of Micheal and Mary Catron
of 6 East Parade, Skelton in Cleveland, N Yorks.
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Crump Trench British Cemetery, Fampoux.
[Shown by kind permission of ww1cemeteries.com].
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FAMILY:-
[Soldiers Died in the Great War gives place of enlistment as Lincoln. [Possible error].]
1911 George, age 18 is living at 6 East Parade, Skelton and working as a Butcher's Assistant.
His father, Michael, age 58, is an Ironstone Miner and was born in Thornley, Co Durham.
His mother, Mary, age 53, was born at Skilverton, Northants. She has had 8 children and all still living.
He has two older sisters, Olive, age 25, a Dressmaker at home and Mary, age 20.
And a brother, John, age 22, who is a Horse Driver below ground in the Mines.
All the children were born in Brotton, N Yorks.
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WAR SITUATION:-
The 1/5th (The Sutherland and Caithness) Battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders were formed in August 1914 in Golspie.
They were attached to the 152nd Brigade of the 51st (Highland) Division.
George was not awarded the 1914/15 Star. The date in 1916 or later, when he was first sent to France is not known.
The 51st Division fought in the Arras offensive, commencing in snow on 9 April 1917.
The British Third Army attacked at Arras in compliance with a directive from the new French Commander in Chief, General Robert Nivelle.
It was to be a curtain raiser for a larger French attack to the south, along the Chemin des Dames.
The Division was part of the opening attack (The First Battle of the Scarpe (first phase of the Arras Offensive) ), which was very
successful and made (for the time) an astonishing advance of several miles.
They attacked east of Roclincourt, with the Canadian Corps carrying out a fine feat of arms in capturing Vimy Ridge on their left.
The Division had heavy fighting, but nonetheless met its objectives.
After a brief rest, the Division re-entered the line on 15 April, and eight days later took part in another attack, this time near Roeux, where the enemy had strongly fortified the village and nearby chemical works.
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Private Catron presumably fought in all this action but was killed on the 16th May defending the Trenches that had been taken.
MEMORIAL
George is buried at Fampoux, which is a village 6 kilometres east of Arras. Crump Trench Cemetery has 215 burials.
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