George Moakes
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
James Moakes and Mary Ann Bentley married on 1st Jan 1889 at Southwell. James had been born in Farnsfield, Notts and lived there for the first few years of the marriage. They had moved on by 1901, when James was working as a shepherd living at Babworth and in 1911 were living in Retford, James, working as a boilermakers labourer. During this time, the couple had 8 children, Mary, Eunice, George, Emma, James, Annie, Winifred and Maud Moakes. In the next few years, the family moved to Worksop taking residence at 16 Dock Road. It was their third child, George who lost his life, later fighting for his country.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records the grave of George Moakes in Bethune Town Cemetery, France. He had enlisted at Worksop early in the war and was drafted to France on the 18th March 1915 and died of his wounds 5th March 1917. He was not the only member of the Moakes family who went to war. George’s father also enlisted at the age of 49 on the 17th September 1915 in the Army Service Corps. He also was sent to France on the 20th October 1915 but was returned home in July 1916 where he was discharged on the 8th September 1916 no longer physically fit for war service, through general debility. Both father and son received the 1915 Star, British and Victory Medal.
Research by Colin Dannatt
