George THOMAS

09 April 1915

TWO MORE BARNOLDSWICK SOLDIERS KILLED

The War Office has notified Mrs. Thomas of 6 Valley Road, Barnoldswick of the death of her son, Pte. George Thomas, of the 2nd East Lancashire Regiment, which took place in France from wounds received in an engagement in February last. No particular as to how the wounds were received are sent. The deceased was 22 years of age, and was drafted out to Ypres in October. Mrs. Thomas has two other sons in training at Doncaster with the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment.

30 April 1915

WOUNDED AT NEUVE CHAPELLE

An interesting account of his war experiences was given yesterday afternoon by Private Fred Pickles of the 2nd Battalion East Lancashire Regiment, and a son of Mr. Garibaldi Pickles of East View, Barnoldswick, and a well-known member of the Gladstone Liberal Club.

Private Pickles, who was wounded at the battle of Neuve Chapelle, was formerly employed as a twister in a Barnoldswick mill, but in November last he joined the East Lancashire Regiment, went into speedy training, and two days after Christmas was entrained for the Front. The regiment spent a week at Rouen and then drafted into the trenches. The East Lancashires happened to hit upon a bad spot, for though in the generality of cases the lines were up to the waist in mud, it was found necessary at the spot where the regiment was stationed to dig their way forward bit by bit. He described the orderly routine that was maintained, and how the men served three days in the trenches at a time and then going for three days ‘rest’ behind the lines, where, however, they were generally within the range of shellfire. Private Pickles was stationed at La Basse, and the men nicknamed the particular trench which they occupied by the name of ‘Port Arthur’. There the shelling of Taubes, the screaming of shells overhead, and the periodical whistling of the sniper’s bullets, with occasional sharp interchanges of rifle fire at night were a daily occurrence. ‘Jack Johnsons’ ripped large holes out of the ground where they happened to fall, and shrapnel burst with a deadly effect. It was in the night and early morning attacks, when the pathway had been paved by the thundering of five hundred artillery guns, that the greatest damage was done.

One February 16th, which happened to be Pte. Pickles’ birthday, he was in the trenches when close by a ‘pal’ named Private George Thomas, a Barnoldswick lad, whose parents reside in Stewart Street, was shot in the head by a sniper’s bullet and died from his wounds before twenty-four hours had passed. Pte. Thomas was a particular ‘pal’ and was very popular with all his chums in the regiment.

Private Pickles received his wounds during the battle of Neuve Chapelle when he was one of the party that supported the men in front who bore the brunt of the attack. He was hit in the back by the bursting of a shrapnel shell, and though rendered unconscious for a while, he was subsequently enabled to crawl out of the danger zone. He does not belittle the German shooting or the creditable artillery displays they maintain, but positively affirms that the British are the best troops. He was also with the French for a short time, and whilst praising their dash in attack, is of the opinion that they cannot hold a position against long odds. Mr. Pickles has nothing but praise for the organisation of the British Army, and especially the commissariat department, and although he classes the experience as ‘rough’, said it was not quite so bad as had been depicted. The winter months were the worst. Still, a man was very lucky indeed if he came out unharmed. Two days after he received his wound, Pte. Pickles was in the Queen Mary’s Ward of the Charing Cross Hospital, and he speaks with sincere gratitude of the kindness there shown to him by the Marchioness of Ripon and other ladies who had devoted much time and money to making them comfortable. To ask was to receive. Again at the Harrow-on-the-Hill Convalescent Hospital, from which he received his discharge, Pte. Pickles had the best of honourable treatment a wounded soldier deserves. He is home on a week’s furlough and then has to report at the Preston headquarters of the regiment.

24 December 1915

CRAVEN’S ROLL OF HONOUR – BARNOLDSWICK

Pte. George Thomas, 2nd East Lancashire Regiment, and son of Mrs. Thomas, 6 Valley Road, Barnoldswick, died from wounds received in action. He was 23 years of age.