BALDWIN George William

The following information has been researched and transcribed by Alan Stephens:
George William Baldwin was born in Atch Lench in 1890 the son of Thomas and Lucy Baldwin. In the summer of 1910 he married Lillian Smith of Elmley Castle and a son, also named George William, was born the following year. The 1911 census records him as living in Elmley Castle and working as a baker.

By 1917 he was serving with 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment part of 100 Brigade, 33 Division.

The third battle of Ypres (commonly known as Passchendaele) began on 31st July 1917 and was to become infamous for the atrocious conditions in which it was fought. Battles such as this were on such a large scale that they contained smaller battles within them. One such was the battle of Menin Road which began on 20th September. On 21st September the battalion received orders to capture the village of Gheluvelt and the attack began on the afternoon of the 24th. The Battalion diary records that “B” company were led forward under intense enemy fire and lost two thirds of its’ strength before it reached the support trenches. Eventually they reached the front line with just 37 Men in three platoons (a fourth having been misdirected). It is likely that the original starting strength was about 200 men. George William Baldwin was killed on 25th September and is buried at Oosttaverne Wood cemetery 4 miles south of Ypres.

The battle of Passchendaele ended on 6th November having cost the British Army some 310,000 casualties for no real gain.