George Albert Corbett was born at Queen’s Head, West Felton in 1887. He was the fifth of 13 children of Thomas and Martha Corbett – 2 children would die in childhood. George’s father was an agricultural labourer and would later work as a cabby and groom. By 1900 the family had moved to Oswestry and were living at 3 Llys Lane. In 1910 George married Mary Hughes, they would live with his parents and siblings at 2 Woodlands Terrace, Castle Street – there were 10 people living in a 6 room house. The household would soon split up. His parents and siblings moved to Eden Street whilst he and Mary moved to live at 20 Llwyn Place, Albert Road. They would have 3 children. One of whom, Lucy Ann, would die in infancy in 1914. Before the war George had worked as a domestic gardener.

Before the war, George had been in 1/4 Bn KSLI Territorials – as Private 805. He was awarded the Territorial Forces Medal and had served with the battalion in the Far East before returning to France in July 1917. At the start of Operation Michael, Kaiser Offensive the 1/4 Bn KSLI were in camp at Beaulencourt. They were ordered forward to the support line to positions on the Baupame-Cambrai Road near to Lebucquiere. Over the next days they would make hurried retreats to arrive at Bancourt on 24 March. George is listed as KIA, presumed dead between 23-26 March 1918. His body was lost and he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial and has no known grave.

Arras Memorial

George’s younger brother Charles (Private 202352) also joined up enlisting in the 5 Bn KSLI in August 1914. However, he was discharged in January 1915 as ‘unlikely to make an efficient soldier’ he was suffering from eczema and the condition seems to have been exacerbated by him becoming infected with ringworm contracted from military horses. He reenlisted in August and served in the Middle East. Brother Sydney also served in the Welsh Regiment and then in the Machine Gun Corps. Both survived the war.

Acknowledgements: Photos by Louise Culliford

References and Sources

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