| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
George was born in Beverley the 9 Dec 1880 and baptised at St Mary’s Church on 31 Jan 1881, he was the eldest of two children, born to Edward Binnington and his wife Mary Ellen Binnington (nee Cooper), both of Beverley. The family lived in Wilbert Grove and then at 8 Hengate.
George's his first job was as an errand boy. On 11 Mar 1896, at Chatham, George joined the Royal Navy, signing on for twelve years’ service. He served in signals, rising to the rank of 2nd Yeoman, a signals petty officer. He served on a variety of ships including armoured cruisers such as HMS Warspite and HMS Kent. George left the Royal Navy on 31 Dec 1909 and served in the Merchant Navy. On 13 Jul 1916 he joined the Royal Naval Voluntary Reserve and served for the rest of the year on HMS Diamond in the Grand Fleet in the North Sea.
George then served on HMS Knight Templar which, from 27 May 1917 to 5 Feb 1919, was used as an escort ship on North Atlantic convoys. George was present at the Nova Scotia explosion in December 1917 and took part in rescue operations. His ship was torpedoed in Apr 1918 and he was commended for his conduct on this occasion. George left the Navy on 8 Apr 1919. He was awarded the War and Victory Medals.
In 1919 on his return to Beverley George joined the GPO as a postman but in 1929 changed to the role of postal sorter. George was unmarried, he died in Bridlington aged 74 in 1956.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |