Pte 22219 George Frederick Dewson Povey

• Age: 26
• From: Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• D.O.W Sunday 29th July 1917
• Commemorated at: Wimereux Cc
  Panel Ref: II.O.1O.A

George Frederick Dewson Povey was born on the 12^th August, 1890 in Manchester and was baptised on the 26^th March, 1912 at St Thomas, Church of England Church, Wavertree, Liverpool. He was the son of Richard Povey and his wife  Rachel Marcella (nee Dewson). His parents were married in the September quarter of 1869. 

The 1891 Census finds George as a new born living with his parents and six siblings at Holborn Hill, Tranmere. His father is 46 years of age and an insurance agent born in Liverpool in 1845, whilst his mother is 41 born in Rock Ferry. His siblings are shown as: Mabel B. aged 17, Richard William Dewson aged 15 and an office boy, Marion F. 14, Rachel E. M. 9, Maud E. 8 and Thomas H. 3.  

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 40 Well Lane, Birkenhead, his father Richard is aged 56,  his  occupation Life Insurance agent whilst his mother Rachel is aged 51. They have five children living with them, Rachel aged 19, born 1882, Elizabeth aged 18, born 1883 both in Liverpool, Thomas aged 13 born 1888, George aged 10, born 1891 in Manchester and Helene aged 8, born 1893 in Birkenhead.

His father died in Birkenhead in 1905 aged 60.

The 1911 Census shows the family incorrectly indexed as Porey living at 2 Chiswell Street, Liverpool. George is 20 and is a dock labourer living with his widowed mother and his brother Herbert Thomas who is a shipping clerk. His mother advised that she had had twelve children of whom eight had survived. In 1911 his brother Richard was married, and most of his sisters were living with his married sister Ethel Townshend.

Electoral Rolls have his mother Rachel Povey living at 2 Chiswell Street, Kensington from 1908-1912

He enlisted on the 07^th November, 1914 in Liverpool joining the 20th Battalion of THe King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 22219. He gave his age as 25 years and 124 days and gave his occupation as a clerk. He was five feet six and half inches tall, weighed 126lbs, fresh complexion, grey eyes, light brown hair and gave his religion as Church of England.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

15.07.15: Five days confined to barracks for not complying with an order.

24.08.15: Confined to barracks for three days. Not watering his horse?

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his Battalion.

28.01.17: Impetigo.

17.02.17: Rejoined DRS.

13.06.17: Awarded Field Punishment No2: Absenting himself from duty from 3.30pm until reporting himself at transport lines at 1.00am. He also forfeited 2 days pay.

30.06.17: Wounded in action suffering a fractured tibia and gunshot wounds to the hand and knee to 70 Field Ambulance.

 30.06.17:  2 Casualty Clearing Station-Reported as seriously ill.

He died of his wounds on the 29th July, 1917 aged 26.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 13th August 1917:

DIED FROM WOUNDS.

Private George Frederick Dewson Povey, K.LR. has died from wounds. He was 27 years of age, and was the youngest son of Rachel and the late Richard Povey, 24, Ivanhoe-street, Bootle, late of Higher Tranmere.

The Daily Post of the 18th September 1917 reported:

PREVIOUSLY REPORTED WOUNDED NOW REPORTED DIED OF WOUNDS.

George now rests at Wimereux Communal Cemetery, France.

Wimereux was the headquarters of the Queen Mary's Army Auxilliary Corps during the First World War and in 1919 it became the General Headquarters of the British Army. From October 1914 onwards, Boulogne and Wimereux formed an important hospital centre and until June 1918, the medical units at Wimereux used the communal cemetery for burials, the south-eastern half having been set aside for Commonwealth graves, although a few burial were also made among the civilian graves. By June 1918, this half of the cemetery was filled, and subsequent burials from the hospitals at Wimereux were made in the new military cemetery at Terlincthun. During the Second World War, British Rear Headquarters moved from Boulogne to Wimereux for a few days in May 1940, prior to the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk. Thereafter, Wimereux was in German hands and the German Naval Headquarters were situated on the northern side of the town. After D-Day, as Allied forces moved northwards, the town was shelled from Cap Griz-Nez, and was re-taken by the Canadian 1st Army on 22 September 1944. Wimereux Communal Cemetery contains 2,847, Commonwealth burials of the First World War, two of them unidentified. Buried among them is Lt.-Col. John McCrae, author of the poem "In Flanders Fields." There are also five French and a plot of 170 German war graves. The cemetery also contains 14 Second World War burials, six of them unidentified. The Commonwealth section was designed by Charles Holden.

Soldiers Effects to mother Rachel M. his brothers and sisters and the Pension to his mother, Rachel 

We currently have no further information on George Frederick Dewson Povey, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.

We currently have no further information on George Frederick Dewson Povey, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.