Pte 26026 George Wynne Slee

• Age: 23
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Warlencourt Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: V.B.26

George Wynne Slee was born on 06th November 1892 in Liverpool the son of Walter Slee and his wife Maria (nee Wynne). He was baptised in St. Bede's Church, Toxteth Park, on 08th February 1893, his parents’ address given as 20 Tunstall Street and his father’s occupation as bookkeeper.  His parents married in 1891 at St Michael's Church, Toxteth, Walter was a 30 year old book keeper of St Pauls, Seacombe, father George, whilst Maria was aged 30 of 97 Westminster Road, father David.

At the time of the 1901 Census the family is living at 5 Clydesdale Road, Wallasey. His father is aged 41, a shipping clerk born in Liverpool, his mother, Maria, is aged 41 born in Liverpool. They have three children in the household; George is 8 b.Liverpool, Dorothy is 5 b.Liverpool, and Marie W. aged 1 b.Egremont. Also in the household is his Aunt Elizabeth Slee, 45. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 29 Fort Street, Liscard, Wallasey. His father Walter is aged 50, , his occupation recorded as an Engineers Clerk Marine, whilst his mother Maria is aged 51. They have been married for 19 years and have had four children. All four children are recorded in the household; George aged 18, an office boy, Dorothy aged 15, born 1896 no occupation, both being born in Liverpool. Marie aged 11, born 1900 and Walter Lorraine aged 9, born 1902 both born in Egremont.

George enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 26026. 

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain.He arrived in France on 29th December 1915, thus earning his 1914-1915 Star.

He was killed in action on the 12th October 1916, aged 23, during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

17^th Bn War Diary:  Battle of Transloy Ridge –                                               

11-10-16 - Gird Trench/Gird Support – Battalion in front line and support trenches. British bombardment of enemy front line system commenced about midday.  Hostile shelling was intermittent throughout the day.

12-10-16  - Our bombardment continued. Enemy reply weak.  2.5 p.m. Zero hour. Attack on German front line system commenced.  Enemy wire was found to be uncut and attack was unsuccessful.  Hostile machine gun fire was very heavy and caused many casualties. Battalion H.Q. and Support Trench were heavily shelled throughout afternoon and evening. […] During this action all communication had to be carried out by runners and carrier pigeons as all wires were being continually cut by enemy shelling.

Casualties: 5 officers killed,  5 officers wounded, 38 OR killed, about 225 OR wounded/missing etc.

Graham Maddocks, in “Liverpool Pals” p.140, adds:

“As the whistle blew, the 17^th Battalion left its trenches to move forward.  […]  As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them, and at the same time, the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire.  […]  Although their numbers had been depleted by the British bombardment, they were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire.  As such, it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them.   The 17^th Battalion, on the left, was particularly badly hit, as its portion of No Man’s Land contained a slight rise in the ground, and as the troops emerged onto it they were silhouetted against the sky and became easy targets.  Those on the left of the attack, who managed to avoid the hail of bullets and make it to the German wire, then found that it was totally uncut, and thus trapped, they too became easy targets, to be picked off almost at the enemy’s will.  It was hardly surprising that, seeing the first waves being wiped out, some of the following waves turned back and made for their start lines. These lines were now packed with other waves of troops, however, and the fleeing men added to the congestion already there, and became easy prey for the German gunners.  There is some evidence also, to suggest that at this stage, the British trenches were also being hit by their own heavy artillery shells which were falling short.”

His death was announced in the Liverpool Echo on 25th October 1918: 

“October 12, killed in action, Private George Wynne Slee K.L.R., eldest son of Walter and Marie Slee, 29, Fort Street, New Brighton.”

And in the Wallasey News:

“Another New Brightonian to pay the supreme sacrifice is Private George W. Slee (King’s Liverpool Regiment), of 29, Fort Street, who was killed in action on October 12th.  Twenty-three years of age, he enlisted in March, 1915, and had been at the front since December last.  An enthusiastic member of St. John’s Church, Egremont, the deceased was also prominently associated with the Clifton Parliamentary Debating Society.”

In the Echo  on 27th October:

“October 12, killed in action, aged 23 years, Private George Wynne Slee K.L.R.  (Ever remembered by his loving Auntie Betty.)”

George was buried close to where he fell as Unknown Soldier 26036 King’s Liverpool. Only after the war when graves were concentrated was his correct number identified. George was reinterred in Warlencourt British Cemetery, France where he now rests.

Warlencourt Cemetery is entirely a concentration cemetery, begun late in 1919 when graves were brought in from small cemeteries and the battlefields of Warlencourt and Le Sars.  The Graves Registration form shows graves from “Le Sars 6/1, 6/2, Hexham Road, Seven Elms”.

Graves were brought in from the original cemeteries at Hexham Road (Le Sars), and Seven Elms (Flers), as well as over 3,000 British graves due to the fighting which took place around the Butte de Warlencourt from the autumn of 1916 to the spring of 1917, and again in the German advance and retreat of 1918.   The cemetery now contains 3,505 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War, 1,823 of which are unidentified.

On the first anniversary of his death an In Memoriam notice appeared in the Liverpool Echo:  

“In loving memory of George Wynne Slee and Finlay R. F. Foden, killed in action October 12, 1916. (Fondly remembered by their Friend Percy and all at 50, Longland Road, Liscard.”

(In 1911 William Percival Lund Dunn lived at this address. He served as Pte.15771 in the 17th Bn K.L.R. and was discharged to commission in 1918 with the Manchester Regiment. Percy survived the war, earning a Silver War Badge having suffered shell shock.)

George's mother Marie, 29 Fort Street, was awarded a pension of 13/4d a week from May 1917. His father received George’s Army pay and a War Gratuity of £6-10s.

In 1939 his parents are living at 1 Stoneby Drive, Wallasey with daughters Dorothy and Marie. His father is 78, employed as a cashier, his mother is 79.  Brother Walter is married and living in Cheshire. 

Both his parents saw another World War and lived long lives. His mother died in 1947 aged 87, and his father in 1952 at the age of 91.

George is  commemorated on the following War Memorials:

Wallasey Civic Memorial, Mill Lane

Wallasey Roll of Honour

Emmanuel C. of E. Church, New Brighton

Elder & Dempster  Roll of Honour
 
St John’s C. of E. Church, Egremont.

We currently have no further information on George Wynn Slee, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.