WEST MIDLANDS POLICE GREAT WAR MEMORIAL SITE
GEORGE WILLIAM DIX DEARLOVE
George
Dearlove was born on 22nd April 1894 in Grimsbury, Northamptonshire son of
George and Ellen Dearlove (nee Dix). George had two younger sisters, Ellen Mary
born in 1899 and Emily, born 1902. In the 1901 census the family were living at
8 Arden Terrace, Birmingham Road, Stratford on Avon. George's father was a
railway signal man. They were still living there in the 1911 census, when a 17
year old George was calling himself by his second name, William. At the age of
14 he began working as a Lad Clerk at Banbury goods yard for Great Western
Railways, from 1908-1910.
George joined Birmingham City Police on 1st December 1913 aged 19, having become
a railway porter by then. He served on the ‘D’ Division. His warrant number
was 8417 and he left the force 15th November 1915 to enlist in the Royal
Warwickshire Regiment, as Private 306326.
On 6th February 1916 he goes to France with 1/8th Royal Warks. On 26th
March 1916 he sustained a gun-shot wound to his right arm and was taken to 29
Casualty Clearing Station, then on to a base hospital at Rouen and thence back
to England, arriving at the Princess Christian Hospital, Weymouth on 8th April,
remaining there until 14th October. On his return to France, George was
appointed acting L/Corp on 28th April 1917, confirmed on 26th May.
On Wednesday 23th October 1918 George's battalion left camp at Rieux, were they
had been in training and moved to positions near Montrecourt. At 4am the
following morning the battalion advanced towards the village of Sommaing.
George was wounded in action between Montrecourt and Vendegies, east of Cambrai
attacking the Hindenburg Line and was removed to a Casualty Clearing Station at
Awoingt, just south east of Cambrai were he succumbed to his injuries on 25th
October 1918, at 24 years of age. He is buried in Awoingt British Cemetery.