Pte
George Walter Bradshaw

Information about birth

Year of birth:
1890
Place of birth:
Old Whittington, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom

General information

Profession:
Day laborer

Army information

Country:
England, United Kingdom
Force:
British Expeditionary Force
Rank:
Private
Service number:
22550
Enlistment place:
Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom
Units:
 —  Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), 11th Bn.  (Last known unit)

Information about death

Date of death:
19/10/1917
Place of death:
Judge Cottage, Belgium
Cause of death:
Killed in action (K.I.A.)
Age:
27

Cemetery

Tyne Cot Cemetery
Plot: 47
Row: C
Grave: 11

Distinctions and medals 3

Points of interest 3

#1 Place of birth
#2 Enlistment place
#3 Place of death (approximate)

My story

Private George Walter Bradshaw served in the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), 11th Battalion, part of the 70th Brigade, of the 23rd Division.
On the 19th of October 1917, the 11th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters were relieved in the trenches by the 8th Bn. of the York & Lancaster Regiment. Before the relieve came, however, the Battalion was subjected to heavy German shelling. Especially the support line near Jolting Trench suffered severely, as the shelling was guided by German aeroplanes. Lewis gun and rifle fire had no effect and only increased the shelling. After they were finally relieved by the York & Lancasters, the 11th Bn. marched back to dug-outs near Zillebeke Bund.
Private George Walter Bradshaw was killed in action on the 19th of October 1917. Not much is known about the circumstances of his death, but he must have fallen close to Judge Cottage. It is highly possible that he was killed in the trenches during the heavy German shelling. His remains were exhumed after the war and reinterred in Tyne Cot Cemetery.

Sources 1

11 Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) , (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2187/3).
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303
Further reference

More information 4

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/462026
Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum)
https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=d30b0749-6afd-4402-b366-4069c8024a54
Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum)
https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5009804
Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum)
https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/463936