George William Gale (1884 - 1932)
Cornsay Colliery man serves in all of the armed services during First World War
George William Gale was born 29-Jul-1884 in Cornsay Colliery to William Gale and Mary Jane Pattison. His father was a coal miner born in Witton Park in 1862 and his mother was born in Sunderland in 1864. At the time of the 1891 census the family lived at Thornley Road Ends, Tow Law.
Between the 1891 and 1901 censuses George had seen the death of his father in 1892 and his mother’s marriage to William Hildreth in 1894. At the 1901 census he was living with his uncle Thomas Pattison and family in West Cross Street, Langley Park where he was working as a Putter in the coal mine.
In 1904 George commenced his first attempt to serve his country when he signed up for 9 years service with the 3rd Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) on 06-Dec-1904. Unfortunately his service was not to last anywhere near its planned term and he was discharged on 15-Aug-1905 having been found medically unfit for further service. His discharge papers confirm this was for medical reasons and that he was of good conduct and character during his eight months service.
On his return to civilian life George married Ellen Catherine McCallum (born Stanhope 1883). They were married in 1908 and at the 1911 census lived in Elm Park Terrace, Tow Law where George had work as a Hewer in the coal industry. In 1914 their son George Albert was born.
At the outbreak of the First World War the British Government called for an extra 100,000 volunteer soldiers to come forward and by January 1915 more than 1 million had answered the call and joined the armed forces voluntarily. George was such a volunteer when he signed up in Bishop Auckland for the 6th Service Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment (Pioneers) on 15-Oct-1914. It is possible that this initial surge in volunteers allowed the early commanding officers to be more choosy about their recruits than they would be later in the conflict as George was once more discharged (on 10-Feb-15) on the grounds he was “deemed not likely to become an efficient soldier”. Again his discharge indicates this was a purely medical case and this time points to the cause being “loose cartilage of [the] knee”.
On his discharge from the East Yorkshire Regiment George returned to Tow Law where his wife and son were now living at 85 High Street. By October 1917 George was working as a Colliery Mechanic and living at 20 Campbell Street when he joined the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) which was the air arm of the Royal Navy.
When George joined the RNAS as F40607, Aircraftsman 2, on 30-Oct-1917 for the duration of hostilities his physical description illustrates some of his history. He is recorded as having an operation scar on his right knee and a DLI and flag tattoo on his left forearm along with an anchor. His right arm had tattoos of girl’s head, a heart and an anchor and cross.
George was inducted into the RNAS via 2 days at Crystal Place, then 2 months at Tregantle in Cornwall. On Boxing Day 1917 he was posted to Eastbourne where he was still serving when the RNAS became a founding part of the Royal Air Force (RAF) on 01-Apr-1918. At this point George had now served in the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force.
However, George exercised his right to object to being moved from the Navy to the RAF, which was his right within 3 months of transfer, and like almost 2,000 other RNAS personnel his service in the RAF was annulled vide clause 3 of Army Order 97/1918. For George the annulment took effect on 24-Jul-1918.
George was released from the RAF and posted to the Royal Naval Barracks at Chatham, Kent on 25-Jul-1918. Within 4 days he was discharged to shore which probably meant that his service was no longer required and he was free to return home. On his return George lived in the Tow Law area until his death in 1932 at the age of 48. He was awarded the British War medal for his service.
Civil Parish: Tow Law
Armed force/civilian: Navy
Residence: Thornley Road Ends, Tow Law (1891Census)
3 West Cross Street, Langley Park (1901 Census)
34 Campbell Street, Tow Law (Durham Light Infantry Attestation)
Elm Park Terrace, Tow Law (1911 Census)
85 High Street, Tow Law (1915 East Yorkshire Regiment Attestation)
20 Campbell Street, Tow Law (1917 RNAS/RAF Record)
Military service:
Enlisted 3rd Battalion Durham Light Infantry, 9064, Private, Dec 1904 to Aug 1905
Enlisted 6th Service Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, 13578, Private, Oct 1914 to Feb 1915
Enlisted in Royal Naval Air Service, F40607, Aircraftman 2nd Grade, Oct 1917 to Mar 1918
Transferred to Royal Air Force, 240607, Private 2nd Class, Apr 1918 to Jul 1918
Posted to Royal Navy Chatham Barracks, RAF service annulled, Jul 1918
Discharged to shore 29 Jul 1918
Gender: Male
Contributed by David Donkin