George Willis Cobb
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
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George Willis Cobb was born in 1891 at Sutton on Trent and was the son of the late Thomas Cobb a cattleman on a farm and Rebecca Cobb née Welch of High Street Sutton-on-Trent Newark. His father Thomas was born in 1837 at Sutton on Trent and died in 1906 aged 71 yrs, and his mother Rebecca Welch was born in 1852 at Sutton on Trent. They were married in 1882; their marriage was recorded in the Newark Registration district. Rebecca brought a child to their marriage Ann Welch b1874, but they went on to have 10 children, sadly 4 were to die in infancy or early childhood. Their surviving children were Mary b1884, Thomas b1885, William b1886, George Willis b1891 and Florence b1893, all the children were born in Sutton on Trent. In the 1911 census his mother is living at Low Street, Sutton on Trent, she is shown as being 59 yrs a widow and charwoman, she is living with her son Thomas 26 yrs a boatman. In the 1911 census we find that George Willis has left the family home, he is shown as being 20 yrs of age, single and a servant, living at Yew Tree farm, Morton, with James Wilson 31 yrs a farmer and his family.
Sapper George Willis Cobb was called up for service and reported to Derby depot on 27th June 1916, he was 24 yrs and 348 days old and his occupation was that of a boatman. He was posted to the 27th battalion Durham Light Infantry on 30th June 1916 and served on the home front until he was sent to France on 17th June 1917 at which time he was transferred to the Inland Waterways and Docks section of the Royal Engineers. On the 22nd August 1918 he was part of a crew of a barge in Paris and whilst working in the cabin of the barge a fire developed due to its cargo of 'naptha' catching fire. He was badly burned on the face, neck, shoulders and chest; he was taken to the 5th Stationary Hospital in Paris. Whilst being treated for his injuries he developed pneumonia on 27th August and died as a result of his injuries and pneumonia at 12.05 am on 30th August 1918. He is buried at City of Paris Cemetery, Pantin, Seine-St-Denis, France.
Personal inscription CWGC headstone: 'May he rest in peace'
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