997 Driver
G. ARMSTRONG
Royal Field Artillery
3rd February 1915
Driver ARMSTRONG, GEORGE
Service Number:……………. 997
Died:………………………… 03/02/1915
Aged:……………………….. 36
Unit:…………………………5th Div. Ammunition Col.
……………………………….Royal Field Artillery
Son of William B Armstrong, of Grimsby; husband of Winifred M. T. Armstrong, of Back 34, King Edward St., Grimsby.
Buried at NORWICH CEMETERY, NORFOLK
Cemetery/memorial reference: 26. 267.
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2803033/armstrong,-ge...
Soldiers Died in the Great War records that Driver 997 George Armstrong died on the 3rd February 1915 whilst serving on the Home Front with the Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery. He was born Newark and enlisted Grimsby. No place of residence is shown.
(“Died” in SDGW terms means anything other than Killed in Action or Died of Wounds (received in action)).
There is a Medal Index Card held at the National Archive for Driver 997 George Armstrong, 5th Royal Field Artillery Regiment under reference WO 372/1/114782
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D1050130
The actual card shows he was with the 5th D.A.C. (the Divisional Ammunition Column). He qualified for the 1914 Star, having first entered a Theatre of War on the 19th August 1914. He also qualified for the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. The card is noted that he “D. of W. 3-2-15”, (i.e. Died of Wounds).
His Service Records do not appear to have survived the incendiary attack during the Blitz on the Warehouse where all the Other Ranks Army Service Records were stored.
No obvious Soldiers Will or Civil Probate.
1879 – Birth & Baptism…………….
The birth of a George Armstrong was registered with the Civil Authorities in the District of Newark in Nottinghamshire in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1879.
The baptism of a George Armstrong, born 12th February 1879, took place at Holy Trinity, Newark on the 25th February 1879. Parents were William Armstrong and Mary Ann Armstrong, (Nee Hughes).
www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/58187f87e93790eca338f73...
1881 Census of England and Wales
The 2 year old George Armstrong, born Newark, Nottinghamshire, was recorded living at a dwelling on Baldertongate, Newark. This was the household of his parents, William B., (aged 32, a Brewery Manager, born Newark), and Mary A, (aged 32, born Exeter, Devon). As well as George their other children living with them are:-
William C……..aged 11…..born Bridport, Dorset
Maud M……….aged 8……born Leytonstone, Essex
Gertrude………aged 5…….born Bridport, Dorset
Thomas……….aged 3…….born Newark
There is no trace of his parents on either the 1891 or 1901 census. A“W.B.” Armstrong of the right age, born Newark, does turn up on the 1911 but while he was a married man his wife was an Annie Armstrong, born Leith, Lincolnshire. The couple have been married 22 years, dating the marriage to circa 1889.
However there is no obvious death for Mary Armstrong between 1881 and 1891.
1891 Census of England and Wales
The 12 year old George Armstrong, born Newark, Nottinghamshire, was recorded living at 3 Chatham Street, Newark. This was the household of his uncle and aunt, Edwin and Mary Jane Smith. Also in the household is a niece of that couple, a Gertrude Josephine Armstrong, aged 16 and born Bridport, Dorsetshire. I suspect that’s Georges’ sister from the 1881 census. One of Edwin and Mary Janes’ daughter has the middle Armstrong. Elsewhere on the same page of the census schedule there is a 13 year old Thomas Armstrong, born Newark. Thomas was recorded as a boarder at 1 Chatham Street. There seems a strong likelihood that the family has been split up, probably as a result of the death of their mother and the re-marriage of their father, but that is still to be confirmed.
1901 Census of England and Wales
There is no obvious match on the census for George, nor is there an obvious match for his wedding in England and Wales over the subsequent couple of years.
1911 Census of England and Wales
The 32 year old George Armstrong, working for Tetney Lock Oil, Meal and Manure Mill, was recorded as the married head of the household at Tetney North End Road, Grimsby, Lincolnshire. He lives there with his wife of 9 years, the 32 year old Winifred, born Anahabad, India. The couple have had three children, of which two were then still alive.
Mary……..aged 7……..born Kilkenny, Ireland
Thomas…..aged 5……..born Grimsby
His father, W.B. Armstrong, (aged 61, a Wallpaper Dealer, born Newark, Nottinghamshire) and (step-mother) Annie, (aged 55, born Leith, Lincolnshire), were recorded living at Providence House, Dudley Street, Grimsby. The couple have been married 22 years, (so circa 1889) and have had just the one child. This was their 16 year old daughter “L.C.”, a Shop Assistant born Grimsby.
Until September 1911 the quarterly index published by the General Registrars Office did not show information about the mothers’ maiden name. However as I wasn’t able to find a marriage or a match for Mildred on the pre-marriage censuses, I then looked to see if there was any discernible pattern. A check of the General Registrars Office Index of Birth for England and Wales 1911 – 1916 shows 15 children registered in the Grimsby with the surname Armstrong with 11 different mothers maiden names – and that’s assuming that George and Mildred remained living in the Grimsby area.
Army Career……………………….
Without his service records or some other personal source it’s difficult to be sure, but one possible for his absence from the 1901 census, the absence of a marriage record, the birth place of his wife and oldest child and the speed with which he went to France was that he had joined the Army prior to 1901. The slight flaw in that is that he would normally sign up for 12 years – 7 years in the colours and five in the reserves. So if he signed up pre-1901 he would have completed his original term and would not have been liable to recall in August 1914. He might just have reported to the depot anyway.
The Infantry Brigades of the 5th Division were based in Ireland at the outbreak of the war and certainly the units of the 15th Brigade, (which included the 1st Norfolks), landed in France on the 15th and 16th August 1914. (Source “The Doings of the Fifteenth Infantry Brigade” by Brigadier-General COUNT GLEICHEN).
It seems only with the outbreak of war were the artillery units formally assigned to them and with those unit would have come the support train to keep them supplied with ammunition in the field. This was where George would fit in to the organisation.
On the day…………………………..
The Army Register of Soldiers Effects records that he died in the Norwich Military Hospital on the 3rd February 1915 from pneumonia. His outstanding wages and his War Gratuity were paid to his widow, Winifred.
The 5th Division were fighting within a few days of arrival, with several instances of guns firing over open sights into the advancing enemy ranks and supply columns being ambushed or caught by artillery fire in the open. There could have been a wide variety of reasons why George would have ended up back in the UK being treated for wounds, (his Medal Index Card and the Medal Roll shows him as Died of Wounds). Even after treatment for the original wounds there was still the chance of either post-operative infection or catching an illness which the body in a weakened state was unable to fight off – such as pneumonia.
