| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
George Arthur Rhodes was bornin 1892 the son of John Rhodes, farmer, and Ann Elizabeth (nee Spilman), of Little Weighton. He was baptised at Rowley Church on 4 May 1892. George had four brothers and four sisters. In 1901 when George was eight years old, the family was living in Little Weighton, adjacent to the Black Horse Inn. His father, John Rhodes, died the following November and it is recorded in the burial register he was for many years churchwarden of Rowley.
After leaving school, George became a joiner. His mother, together with his sister Sarah Elizabeth and brother George later moved to 10 St Mary's Terrace, Beverley. His mother died in Sep 1916.
According to his medal roll George served with the Middlesex Regiment before transferring to the Royal Engineers. He became 495230 Sapper Rhodes of 504th (2nd/2nd Wessex) Field Company, Royal Engineers, 173rd Brigade, in the 58th (2/1st London) Division. It is not known when he joined 504th Coy R.E. but his regimental number is within a batch allocated to that unit in 1917, indicating that he was already serving with them at that time. The 58th Division arrived in France in Jan 1917 and took part in many of the battles of 1917, including those of 3rd Ypres.
In May 1918, 504th Coy found itself at Warloy, just west of Albert (Somme), on 23 May 1918, while making his way to the trenches, Sapper George Arthur Rhodes was killed instantly by an exploding shell. He is buried in Ribemont Communal Cemetery, Ribemont-sur-Ancre, Somme. In a letter of sympathy to George's sister in Beverley, his officer wrote:
'I cannot speak too highly of your late brother, he was a brave and cheerful soldier and greatly beloved by his comrades.'
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |