George Vernon Bradley
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Father: Thomas Bradley, born 1859 at Nottingham and working as a night soil man. Mother: Elizabeth Bradley, born 1866 at Nottingham. He had one brother, Jabez T, born in 1890 and two sisters; Lucy A., born in 1884 and Lilly, born in 1886. All the children were born in Nottingham. The family lived at 111 Manvers Street, Sneinton Nottingham before moving to 8 Lindum Grove, Meadow Lane, Nottingham.
Pte. Bradley volunteered for service and following training he was drafted to France on 18/08/1915. His battalion took part in the attack on the village of Gommecourt on July 1, 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme.Despite a week long artillery bombardment of the German lines, the enemy was quick to man their defences once the battalion began to advance. The Sherwood Foresters were hit by artillery and machine gun fire and great gaps were torn in their ranks. Many of the officers were hit early on but despite this and the growing casualties the men continued to advance across No Man's Land. It was soon evident that the German wire had not been properly cut by the artillery. Nevertheless, despite knowing that the situation was hopeless the survivors continued to move forward, all the time taking casualties. A few men did break through to the enemy's second line, but began to run out of ammunition and were soon forced back. Efforts to hold the front line also failed, and the men were left crouching in shell holes waiting for night so that they could return to their lines. Over seven hundred men had advanced that Saturday morning, but at roll call in the evening there were only 96 present. Pte. Bradley was killed in action. His body was never recovered, but his name was commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
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