George Edwin Winter died of wounds on 13 October 1944 at Overloon. He was aged 30 and a Private in the 2ndBattalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (Service No. 5249433). He was initially buried at the Maria Regina Monastery in Stevensbeek and transferred to Grave III. D. 2. at the current Overloon War Cemetery on 22nd May 1947.

Military Career

George Edward Winter served for over 12 years in the Army including time in China, India, Africa, the Middle East, possibly Italy and finally North West Europe.

He enlisted at Bristol as a Private in the Worcestershire Regiment on 9 August 1932. He enlisted in the Regular Army for its usual term of 7 years in the Colours and 5 in the Reserves. He stated that he was born on 5 August 1914 in Newent, Gloucestershire. He gave his brother, Albert Winter, of 15A Alvin Street, Gloucester as his next of kin. This was subsequently changed to 17 Morpeth Street, Gloucester. He was described as 5ft 7 ½ in tall and weighed 134 lbs. He had a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He gave his religion as Church of England, He was declared fit for service. His educational grade was C. He had been employed as an Errand Boy.

He was posted to the Depot of the Worcestershire Regiment on 12 August 1932. He was awarded a 3rd Class Certificate of Education on 6 September 1932. He was posted to the 1st Battalion of the Worcestershires on 1 February 1933. He served at home until 21 September 1933 when he was posted to China and joined the 2nd Battalion. While there, he was awarded a 2nd Class Certificate of Education on 10 May 1934. He served in China until 13 November 1936 when he went to India with the Battalion and served in the Indian Service.

He would have served his seven years in the Colours by 9 August 1939. In late 1938 plans were underway for his return to the UK. On 29 December 1938 he was permitted to extend his service for 6 months from the day following that of disembarkation in UK to undergo vocational training. He disembarked in the UK on 13 February 1939. After the permitted six months of vocational training, he was transferred to the reserves on 13 August 1939 as planned. However, he was only in the reserves for 11 days when he was recalled to the Colours for temporary service in the build up to WW2. He was posted to the Depot on 25 August 1939 and then into the 1st Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment on 2 September 1939 when he was posted to Sudan.

The 1st Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment had been stationed in the Middle East on the outbreak of the war having been there since 1938 due to the 1936–39 Arab revolt in Palestine. The battalion saw service in the Western Desert. In July 1940, the battalion was assigned to the 21st Infantry Brigade. On 11 October 1940, however, the brigade was redesignated as the 29th Indian Infantry Brigade. The brigade was assigned to the 5th Indian Infantry Division and saw service in the East African Campaign.

However, George’s Service Record seems to indicate that from 21 March 1941 he was rarely with his Battalion. He was posted to an X(iv) List on 21 March 1941. An X(iv) list is where men were placed while awaiting another posting. On 12 May 1941 he seems to have again been on an X(iv) list in a Reinforcement Camp. On 6 August 1941 he was again on an X(iv) list. This seems to have resulted in him being sent to a Leave and Transit Camp at Timsah on the Suez Canal in Egypt on 20 August 1941. Here he was on an X(i) list indicating that he was filling a vacancy at a headquarters or an extra-regimental unit. This suggests he was working at the camp vs taking leave there. 

He was placed on an X(vi) list again on 21 May 1942. It isn’t certain where he then served. On 22 June 1942, the 1stBattalion of the Worcestershire Regiment surrendered along with 30,000 other British Commonwealth troops, at Tobruk during the disastrous Battle of Gazala. Of the men of the original battalion, only 68 officers and men remained. It is perhaps unlikely that George took part in this as he seems to have remained in the Middle East until late 1943.

Listed among his medals is the Italy Star, however there is no mention in his Service Record of him having played a part in the invasion of Sicily in July 1943 or of Italy on 3 September 1943, though it is likely that he did, given he was awarded this medal.

On 3 September 1943 George was put on an X(iv) list at an Infantry Training Depot of the Middle East Force. On 23 October 1943 he seems to have been put on an X(ii) list which indicates he was away from his unit due to injury or illness. Six days later he was back at the Infantry Training Depot. On 31 October 1943 he embarked for the UK, arriving back on 26 November 1943. Here he was sent to 101 Reinforcement Group. It is thought that he returned to the UK under the Python 1 Scheme which ensured that men who had been posted abroad for many years had an opportunity to return home.

On 20 January 1944 he was posted to the 9th Battalion of the Worcestershires. This was a training battalion which supplied replacements for battalions of other regiments overseas. He was appointed as Paid Acting Lance Corporal on 13 April 1944.

On 13 July 1944 he was sent to 42 Reinforcement Holding Unit. He relinquished his rank of Lance Corporal on 14 July 1944. It isn’t stated explicitly in his Service Record when he was sent to North West Europe, but it was probably around this time. On 8 August 1944 he was sent to 32 RHU. He was then posted to the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 11 August 1944.

The 2nd Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment was part of the 185th Infantry Brigade which was part of the 3rdInfantry Division which landed on D-Day on 6 June 1944 with the first assault on the Normandy beaches.

On 13 August they were coming to the end of their fighting in Normandy and had a long period in which to receive reinforcements and train near Tinchebray. It was probably in this period that George joined them. They moved from this area on 3rd September to cross the Seine, but again continued to train and rest until 18 September. They moved into Belgium that day and on into the Netherlands at Asten on 23 September.

At this time, the Allies were still pursuing Operation Market Garden – with ground and air forces aiming to capture as far as the bridge at Arnhem. However, by 26 September this operation had to be abandoned because of the failure to capture this bridge.

The new plan was for the US 7th Armoured Division to move south east through Overloon and Venray to the west bank of the Maas opposite Venlo while British forces, including the 3rd Division, would move eastward, across the German frontier, and capture the forest area known as the Reichswald, from which the Germans had been launching counter attacks.
 
On 1 October, in drenching rain, the 2nd Battalion of the Warwickshire Regiment moved north east to Malden which is between Nijmegen and the River Maas. However, by 9 October, the plan changed again. The attempt by the US 7thArmoured Division to take Overloon and Venray had lost many men and tanks without making much headway. Field Marshal Montgomery decided that he must postpone the Reichswald attack. He needed to clear the Scheldt estuary to open the badly needed port facilities of Antwerp and the lesser, but also essential, task of eliminating the German forces west of the Maas. The latter objective was entrusted to 8 Corps, including the 3rd Division. The 3rd Division was to attack south east to Venray, in the hope of drawing off enemy forces while three other divisions prepared to advance eastward to Venlo.
 
The Battalion was therefore diverted southwards and by 12 October they had moved to near Wanroy, a village south of the Maas and just north of Overloon. That day, 8th Brigade had succeeded in capturing Overloon but were unable to make progress through the woods south of it.
 
Sgt. George W A Davis later gave a vivid description of the conditions which were to come: “The last good, long, sleep we had was about the 10th or 11th of October. Our clothes were filthy, we were near exhaustion, due to lack of food and sleep. It was very cold and rain and sleet all the time, so we were all wet. There were shells, mortar bombs, machine gunning, Moaning Minnies, rockets and German snipers all over the place.”
 
The following day the Battalion moved to a position just 500 yds north west of Overloon with the aim, along with the 2nd Battalion of the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, of clearing these woods and then allowing the 1st Norfolk Battalion to pass through and advance on Venray. The Battalion achieved its objective, but they had come under heavy fire from enemy mortars, artillery and small arms fire as well as two tanks when they reached the open ground south of the wood and it had taken longer than expected to clear the woods. By the time the objective was reached it was so late that it was decided not to put the 1st Norfolk Battalion through until the next day. The Warwickshires dug in on the southern edge of the woods.
 
On that day, Lt Douglas Brodie Brown and two other ranks were killed and Lt HTC Merryweather and 18 other ranks were wounded. This was the day on which George Edwin Winter died of wounds, most likely incurred that day.
 
He had served for a total of 12 years and 66 days of which 3 years and 53 days were in China, 2 years and 92 days were in India, 11 days were in the reserves, 4 years and 85 days were in the Middle East/Africa and an estimated 99 days were in North West Europe. He was awarded medals as follows: Africa Star, Defence Medal, Italy Star, 1939/45 Star, France & Germany Star and War Medal 1939/45.

An obituary in the Gloucester Citizen of 28 October 1944 stated the following, although it was not entirely accurate: “Private George Edwin Winters, youngest brother of Mr AE Winters of 17 Morpeth Street who has died of wounds in North West Europe. He joined the army in 1932 and served five years in India. From there he went to North Africa where he joined the 8th Army and took part in fighting in Sicily and Italy. After returning to England he went to France in July.”

Another item appeared in the Gloucester Citizen of 13 October 1945. It said “ Winters: In loving memory of L/Cpl George E Winters, died of wounds October 13 1944. Gone but not forgotten – From a few friends.”  It is interesting to note that this gives his rank as Lance Corporal. However, he had relinquished his rank of Lance Corporal in July.

Family Background

George Edwin Winter was the son of George Winter and Laura Ellen Green who had married in 1895 in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire.

George Winter (Snr) was born in 1866 in Northleach, Gloucestershire while Laura was born in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire in 1877.

In 1901, George (Snr) and Laura were living in the High Street, Bisley, Stroud, Gloucestershire with their first two children: Gladys Ellen born 2 February 1898 and Reginald James born 12 November 1900. George was working as a shepherd on a farm. Gladys had been born in Miserden which is between Cirencester and Gloucester while Reginald was born in Bisley which is just east of Stroud, suggesting that the family had moved to Bisley between 1898 and 1900.

A further three children were born before 1911. Elsie Victoria A. was born on 2 August 1902 in Bisley, then Albert Edward Richard was born on 6 July 1905 in Daglingworth which is just north of Cirencester. Kate Matilda was born in 1909 in the Cirencester area but died in infancy. It seems therefore that the family had moved again between 1902 and 1905.

By 1911 they had moved once more as George and Laura were living at Corndean Farm Cottages, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire with children Gladys, Elsie and Albert. George was working as a Farm Labourer. Winchcombe is just north east of Cheltenham.  The address is where Laura had lived with her parents in 1881. At the time of the 1911 census, young Reginald was a patient in Cheltenham General Hospital.

George and Laura went on to have six more children by 1919. Lucy Mary was born on 15 June 1911 in Winchcombe, then George Edwin was born on 5 August 1914 and Dorothy V in 1913, both in Newent which is west of Cheltenham, showing that they had moved again. They seem to have moved to Gloucester district by 1917 as Monica Marjorie Irene was born there in 1917.

However, disaster seems to have struck the family from December 1919. First of all, George (Snr) died aged 53 and was buried on 13 December 1919. Following his death, in early 1920, Laura seems to have had twin boys. One seems to have died before being named, and it seems that Laura herself died then too, possibly in childbirth. She was buried on 15 March 1920 aged 42. The other twin, Leonard Kitchener, then also died and was buried on 5 April 1920 aged just 24 days. Finally, Monica Marjorie Irene died and was buried on 19 June 1920 aged just 2. All were buried in the parish of Quedgeley which is in the south western outskirts of Gloucester.

Gladys E Winter had married Reginald E Franklin in 1917 in Newent. Reginald had been born on 18 November 1894 in Aston, Warwickshire. They had a son, Montague Douglas Edwin on 1 December 1917, a daughter who died at birth in 1919 and another daughter, Doreen Laura Gladys on 7 March 1921, all born in Quedgeley.

In June 1921, their address was The Pitch, Quedgeley, Gloucestershire. Both Montague and Doreen were with them. Reginald was working as an Oil Cake Pressman for Foster Bros. Oil & Cake Mills. However, also there were two of Gladys’ sisters – Elsie V Winter and Mary L Winter (probably Lucy Mary). Elsie was working as a Shop Assistant for Haines Grocers and Mary was at school. It seems that Gladys had taken in two of her sisters after her parents’ death.

George and Laura’s eldest son, Reginald, was serving as a Private in the 1st Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment in the Infantry Barracks at Waterford in Ireland in June 1921. It isn’t known when he had enlisted but a hospital record shows that he was in that Regiment in December 1918.

Their second eldest son, Albert Edward Richard Winter, seems to have been in trouble with the law as in June 1921 he was an inmate of a Reformatory School at Hardwicke, Gloucestershire which is close to Quedgeley. He was just a month under 16. Reformatory Schools were a form of young offenders’ institution which tried to correct the behaviour of young people who had committed an often minor offence.

It isn’t known where their other two children, Dorothy V aged 8 or George Edwin aged 7, were in June 1921.

Several of George Edwin Winter’s brothers and sisters married over the next few years.

Reginald J Winter married Mary E Burlow in 1923 in Gloucester district. Mary was born on 1 January 1899. They had a son, George Winter, on 18 July 1923. Elsie V A Winter Married Victor C Mashford in 1929 in Cheltenham. She seems to have moved to Newbury in Berkshire as two children were born there: Anthony A J in 1931 and Amanda R in 1935. Albert E R Winter married Doris E White in 1929 in Gloucester. Doris had been born on 2 September 1907. They had a child, Barbara Helen Winter, on 28 June 1930 in Gloucester. Lucy M Winter married Albert Dickerson in 1938 in Gloucester. Albert was born on 8 January 1914.

As has been seen, George Edwin Winter joined the Army in 1932 aged 18.

In September 1939 his eldest sister Gladys Franklin and her husband Reginald were living at 21 Victoria Street, Gloucester with their two children. Reginald was working as a Refiner at a Seed Crushers. Montague was a general labourer and Doreen was a Machinist in a Toy Works.

His brother Reginald was living with his wife at Little Cugley, Newent, Gloucestershire with their son George and also Edwin T Clayton, a 51 year old Farm Carter. Reginald was working as a Cowman. 

His sister, Elsie, was living at 23 Priory Road, Newbury, Berkshire, however, her marriage appears to have broken down as she was living with Stanley J Mosson (born 11 January 1899) and referring to herself as Elsie V A Mosson. Stanley was the Head Waiter at the Chequers Hotel. Four unnamed children were present, presumably including Anthony and Amanda, and also a 13 year old school girl called Barbara L Pitt. Elsie later married Stanley in 1942 and the two children, Anthony and Amanda, were re-registered with his name at that time.

His brother, Albert, was living at 17 Morpeth Street, Gloucester with his wife and child. However, two other unnamed children seem to have been present. It isn’t known who these were. Albert was working as a Lorry Driver.

His sister, Lucy,  was living with her husband Albert at 24 Slaney Street, Gloucester. Albert was working as a Confectioner (Cake Maker). They had no children as yet. Two single men were living with them: Edward Doyle born 28 February 1911 who was a builder’s labourer and Reginald Gale born 12 August 1920 who was an Aero Engine Fitter. These were probably lodgers.

Again, it isn’t known where his other sister Dorothy was at this time.

In 1939,  George’s sister Gladys’ son, Montague Franklin, had joined the Royal Artillery as a Gunner (Service No. 965113). He married Kathleen Julienne Dee in 1942 in Gloucester and they had a daughter, Christabel Marie Sandra Franklin on 21 July 1942. However, Montague died on active service in India on 24 July 1943, just a few days after his daughter’s first birthday. He is commemorated at the Kirkee War Cemetery in India.

Gladys’ daughter Doreen married Philip J Rust in Gloucester also in 1942 and had a child, Wendy Doreen Rust, on 13 December 1943 in Gloucester. They were living with Gladys at 21 Victoria Street at the time.

However, Gladys’ husband had died in 1941, meaning she had lost both her husband and son during the war.

She re-married on 31 March 1943 at All Saint’s Church, Gloucester. Her husband was Hubert George Cornwall of the Gloucestershire Regiment who came from Cheltenham.

During the war, in 1940, George’s sister Lucy (who called herself Mary) and her husband also had their first child Diana A Dickerson.

As has been seen, George Edwin Winter died of wounds on 13 October 1944 near Overloon.

After the War

After the war, George’s sister, Lucy Mary Dickerson, and her husband had two more children in Gloucester: Patrick Charles 11 January 1949 and Keith A 1952.

George’s brothers and sisters died between 1957 and 1980: Albert who still lived at 17 Morpeth Street Gloucester on 1 March 1957, Gladys who still lived at 21 Victoria Street Gloucester on 21 February 1964, Lucy Mary in 1970, Reginald in 1978 and Elsie in 1980. Elsie died in Newbury, Berkshire while the others all died in Gloucester.

From FindMyPast website: Civil and Parish Birth, Marriage and Death Records; England Census and 1939 Register Records; Electoral Rolls; Military Records
Traces of War Website for Royal Warwickshire Regiment War Diaries
History of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment 1919-1955 by Marcus Cunliffe
Account of Sgt George W A Davis of the Royal Warwickshires                                  
Wikipedia for information on the Worcestershire and Royal Warwickshire Regiments
Service Record for GE Winter from the National Archives ref no. WO 423/1494243
Gloucester Citizen of 02 April 1943, 16 December 1943, 28 October 1944, 24 July 1945, 13 October 1945 and 11 January 1949  

Research Elaine Gathercole