George Edwin Barrowcliff
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
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George Edwin Barrowcliff was born in 1890 the son of John William a builder’s labourer and Lucy Ann Barrowcliffe née Mason. John William was born in 1859 at Stapleford and died in 1913 aged 54. Lucy Ann Mason b1861 Alfreton died in 1911 aged 51. Married in 1880 in the Shardlow Registration District, they had the following children, John William b1881, Joseph Charles Fred b1883, Thomas Alfred b1885, Edith b1888, George b1890, Percy B1895, Violet Olive b1898 and Edward Barrowcliff. All were born in Stapleford. In 1911 the family lived at 101 Nottingham Road, Stapleford. John William a 52 year old builder’s labourer, lived with Fred an iron fitter, Edith (working at home), George, an iron pipe labourer and Percy, a nursery gardener. Olive and Edward were at school. Lucy Ann was not at the family home on the night of the census but in the General Hospital, Postern Street, Nottingham where she was a patient. George Edwin married Hilda Lucy Evans in 1912 in the Shardlow Registration District. They lived at 51, Ingham Road, Long Eaton. Their daughter Dorothy Lucy was born in April 1913. With effect from 6/1/1919, Hilda received a weekly pension of 23/11d.
George Edwin Barrowcliffe enlisted at Nottingham and was killed on 27th May 1918 during the sinking of the troopship Leasowe Castle. He is commemorated on the Chatby Memorial, Egypt.
The account is from a local resident posted on the Woodborough village website. The Hussars had been fighting in the Middle East and they were returning to France where they were to be re-formed as a machine gun company. Their new title was to be the South Notts Machine Gun Battalion. They were sent to Alexandria, Egypt and had received orders to embark on a transporter ship called the "Leasowe Castle" on 23th May 1918 ¹. On 27th May, the ship was struck by a torpedo with devastating results. A very detailed account of the fateful journey may be read in the historical records of the South Notts Hussars Yeomanry by G. Fellows. The "Leasowe Castle" was one of a convoy of six transporters and they were accompanied by a number of destroyers. The weather was good, the sea was calm and a brilliant moon shone in the night sky. At 1.30 am on May 27th 1918 when the ship was about 104 miles from Alexandria, the "Leasowe Castle" was struck by a torpedo on the starboard side. The engines were immediately stopped. The troops mustered to their stations, rolls were called, boats lowered and rafts flung overboard. The Japanese destroyer "R" stood by, while the remainder of the convoy continued on their journey at full speed. We are informed that perfect order was maintained on board, the men standing quietly at their stations as if on parade, while those detailed for the work assisted in lowering the boats. Lifeboats were launched in the course of forty five minutes and the rescue attempt continued smoothly. The "Leasowe Castle" remained fairly steady, though sinking a little at the stern, with a slight list to port. All of 'B' (Warwickshire Yeomanry) Company of the Battalion went over the port side and were picked up in the water. About 1.45am. HM sloop "Lily" appeared having turned back from the convoy to assist in the work of rescue. She ran her bows up to the starboard side of the "Leasowe Castle" and made fast, so that troops were able to pass quickly on board. Meanwhile the Japanese destroyer put up a smoke screen for protection. Suddenly about 3.00am a bulkhead in the aft part of the ship gave way, and with a loud noise the "Leasowe Castle" sank rapidly. The "Lily" had a narrow escape, as the hawsers connecting her with the sinking ship were cut with an axe just in time.
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