George Edward Gladwell

An Engineman with H.M. Trawler Tettenhall, George died on 23rd of May 1917 at the age of 25. 

George was born at North Cove, Suffolk, on 15 June 1891, a son of George Edward and Ellen Gladwell. In 1901 his family lived at Back Lane, Barnby. By 1911 the family were living at 6 College Street, Lowestoft. 

In 1911 George worked on the trawler Arimathea at Penzance.  

On 18 July 1916 George married Annie May Charlotte Ayers at Saint Peter’s Church, Kirkley. George was an engineer and they both lived at Kirkley. Subsequently they lived at Brackendale, 63 Carlton Road, South Lowestoft.

George attested for the Army at Lowestoft on 10 September 1914. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 12696, and was posted to the 9th Battalion on 24 October. George was discharged medically unfit, on 20 November 1914, due to tachycardia and a dilated heart.

George joined the Royal Naval Reserve, as a Deck Hand, on 11 January 1915. He served with the trawler Quick Set, before joining the Boy Allen, on 11 February 1915. George was promoted to Engineman on 1 March 1915. George joined the trawler Tettenhall on 14 March 1916. He died when Tettenhall struck a mine off Lowestoft. Six of the crew, including George, were killed.  

Details of George’s funeral were reported in the Lowestoft Journal, 2 June 1917, page 3:

A NAVAL FUNERAL

On Tuesday afternoon [May 29] another double naval funeral took place at Kirkley Cemetery, Mr. S. C. Rowe (Missioner at the Sailors and Fishermen’s Bethel) officiating. The deceased were accorded naval honours. The service was an impressive one, and was witnessed by a considerable concourse. The deceased men were George Edward Gladwell, aged 25, late of 63 Carlton Road, Kirkley, married, with one child, and Henry J. Blowers, of Morton Road, aged 50, married with family, two or three of whom are with the Forces. The “Last Post” was sounded at the conclusion of the service, and there were several handsome floral tributes. The coffins were conveyed on gun carriages. Mr. Horace Riches, Raglan Street, was the undertaker.

The widow and family of the late George Edward Gladwell desire to thank the many kind friends who have shown sympathy with them, also those who sent flowers on the occasion of the funeral.