Newton-le-Willows and Earlestown War Memorial

In Memory of

Private George Garrity

19295
6th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment
Killed in Action 19th April 1916

There is a reference to "M. Garrity (19295)" of Newton-le-Willows in the official list of men killed quoted in the Newton and Earlestown Guardian of June 2nd 1916. There are no details about the casualty.

SDGW gives his place of birth as Golborne, of enlistment as Earlestown and of his residence as Newton-le-Willows. CWGC states that he is commemorated on the Basra Memorial in Iraq.

George was killed on the same day as Peter Maines and ten days after Charles Zorn. Whalley-Kelly continues the account of the fighting in Mesopotamia quoted in Charles's profile as follows:

"On 13th April the 38th Brigade was moved to the opposite and right bank of the Tigris. The Battalion was in reserve to the 3rd (Indian) Division in the vicinity of the Abu Rumman mounds until the 17th, when it was employed in clearing up the situation in the Bait Isa area, where the Turks had delivered a counter-attack in force. This task involved three days' fighting with bombs and bayonets under trench-warfare conditions, and the Battalion was successful in driving the enemy out of the localities allotted to it before being relieved on the 20th for a well-earned rest. Unfortunately all its sacrifices were in vain, as Kut fell on 29th April, and General Townshend with his wasted but gallant garrison marched captive into the interior of Anatolia."