Pte
George Theodore Angel
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 18/03/1898 |
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Place of birth: Islington, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Messenger - Courier |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 26585 |
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Enlistment date: 02/03/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Holborn, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 9th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 20/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Hessian Wood, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 19 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 64 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal — 18/12/1920 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 18/12/1920 |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Private George Theodore Angel of the 9th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 58th Brigade, 19th Division fought in the Third Battle of Ypres, also known as the Battle of Passchendaele. On the 20th of September 1917 the 19th Division took part in the Battle of Menin Road Ridge, a stage of the Third Battle of Ypres.
Private Angel enlisted in Holborn, London on the 2nd of March 1915 falsely stating his age as 19. He was in fact 16, turning 17 in two weeks. George was originally posted to the 18th (Reserve) Battalion (2nd London Welch) and spent just under a year with them before being transferred to the 15th (Service) Battalion (1st London Welsh) Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He embarked with this Battalion from Folkstone on 21 January 1916, which was first stationed at Etaples and then joined the 15th battalion 'in the field' on 14 Feb 1916. According to his Casualty Form Private Angel was treated for 'ICT Rt. Foot' (Inflamed connective tissue on right foot) between 14 and 20 May 1916. On 19 August 1916 Angel became attached to the 177th Tunnelling Company, stationed at Railway Wood, Hooge and spent 5 months with them before returning to the 15th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Then in February 1917 George was sent to a transportation depot in Boulogne and attached to the 31st Light Railway Operating Company (LROC) and it is noted that he was a skilled 'shunter'. He was officially transferred to the 31st LROC in the summer and given an a Royal Engineers service number, 247910. On 8 September Private Angel was transferred back to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, joining the 9th Battalion, 58th Brigade of the 19th (Western) Division.
On 20 September 1917, with zero hour set to 5:40 a.m. The 19th Division attacked with two brigades. The 58th brigade, Private Angel's brigade, attacked with the 6th Wiltshires, 9th Welsh Regiment and 9th Cheshires with the 9th Royal Welsh Fusiliers in support. Considerable fire was encountered from the south-west of Hessian Wood, Jarrocks Farm, Pioneer House, Hollebeke Chateau and the railway embankment. The Welsh were held up at the line in Hessian Wood and the 9th Battalion established headquarters at Imperfect Copse, holding these positions well into the night.
The Battalion War Diary records casualties for 20-21 September 1917 as; 21 Killed, 73 Wounded and 12 Missing. Private Angel's service record shows he was originally among one of the missing 12 and his family were notified on 26 October. After a number of weeks it was concluded that George must have been Killed in Action near Hessian Wood on 20 September as a result of the battle of the Menin Road Ridge. Private Angel is commemorated on Panel 64 of the Tyne Cot Memorial to The Missing, meaning his body was either never found or could not be positively identified prior to official burial. He is accurately recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as being 19 at time of death.
Private Angel enlisted in Holborn, London on the 2nd of March 1915 falsely stating his age as 19. He was in fact 16, turning 17 in two weeks. George was originally posted to the 18th (Reserve) Battalion (2nd London Welch) and spent just under a year with them before being transferred to the 15th (Service) Battalion (1st London Welsh) Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He embarked with this Battalion from Folkstone on 21 January 1916, which was first stationed at Etaples and then joined the 15th battalion 'in the field' on 14 Feb 1916. According to his Casualty Form Private Angel was treated for 'ICT Rt. Foot' (Inflamed connective tissue on right foot) between 14 and 20 May 1916. On 19 August 1916 Angel became attached to the 177th Tunnelling Company, stationed at Railway Wood, Hooge and spent 5 months with them before returning to the 15th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Then in February 1917 George was sent to a transportation depot in Boulogne and attached to the 31st Light Railway Operating Company (LROC) and it is noted that he was a skilled 'shunter'. He was officially transferred to the 31st LROC in the summer and given an a Royal Engineers service number, 247910. On 8 September Private Angel was transferred back to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, joining the 9th Battalion, 58th Brigade of the 19th (Western) Division.
On 20 September 1917, with zero hour set to 5:40 a.m. The 19th Division attacked with two brigades. The 58th brigade, Private Angel's brigade, attacked with the 6th Wiltshires, 9th Welsh Regiment and 9th Cheshires with the 9th Royal Welsh Fusiliers in support. Considerable fire was encountered from the south-west of Hessian Wood, Jarrocks Farm, Pioneer House, Hollebeke Chateau and the railway embankment. The Welsh were held up at the line in Hessian Wood and the 9th Battalion established headquarters at Imperfect Copse, holding these positions well into the night.
The Battalion War Diary records casualties for 20-21 September 1917 as; 21 Killed, 73 Wounded and 12 Missing. Private Angel's service record shows he was originally among one of the missing 12 and his family were notified on 26 October. After a number of weeks it was concluded that George must have been Killed in Action near Hessian Wood on 20 September as a result of the battle of the Menin Road Ridge. Private Angel is commemorated on Panel 64 of the Tyne Cot Memorial to The Missing, meaning his body was either never found or could not be positively identified prior to official burial. He is accurately recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as being 19 at time of death.
Sources 2
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9 Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers , (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2092/1). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303 Further reference |
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McCarthy C., Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Uniform, 2018), pg. 76-77. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/846179 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=2df969e6-2876-4724-9cce-3a1607719296 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/61732 |