We will remember them – August 1915

warmemorial

Over the course of the war, 5.7 million men from the British Isles served in the forces and 705,000 died. Of these 71 are recorded on the Alderley Edge War Memorial, along with one member of the British Red Cross and a further 6 are remembered in the annual Remembrance Day service.

Every month Michael Scaife will produce articles for the St Philip and St James Church news sheet, with some notes about the war, the War Memorial and to remember those who died in that month 100 years ago.

Below is Michael's most recent article.

George Powell, 
Company Sergeant Major 
'A' Coy. 1st/7th Bn., Cheshire Regiment
, died on
 Tuesday 10 August 1915. Age 42 .

By the end of July, Allied forces on the Gallipoli peninsula were still confined to the two bridgeheads at Cape Helles and Anzac Cove. The commander, Sir Ian Hamilton, therefore decided to establish a third bridgehead at Suvla Bay, 5 miles north of Anzac Cove.

The landings at Suvla Bay began on 6th August. Three days later the 4th and 7th Battalions of the Cheshire Regiment landed and began to entrench themselves. It was in the course of this operation that CSM Powell was killed. His Company Captain, wrote to his widow:

On the morning of August 10th I was with him from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m., and during the whole time he was most assiduous getting all the men to entrench themselves at 6 o'clock. We chatted for half an hour when at 6.30 we got the order to advance. I gave the order and we advanced, the whole line in perfect order and your husband was as cool as on parade. The men went forward with him and soon afterwards I heard he had been hit in the foot, and while he was attending to this wound, he was fatally wounded.

George Powell was the son of John and Jane Powell, of Mottram St. Andrew and the husband of Amy Powell, of 16 Duke St. He had four children: George, Jane, Edward and Mary Alice. In civilian life he was a foreman bricklayer. He had served for 25 years with the 5th Cheshire Volunteers and as a member of the Territorial Forces was one of the first men to be mobilised after the outbreak of the war. He is remembered on the Helles Memorial and on the Roll of Honour in Mottram St Andrew Methodist Church, as well as on our War Memorial.

Guest post by Michael Scaife.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement