228115 Pte. George Fridlington British Army 6th Btn. East Yorkshire from:Hull George Fridlington was probably born on 16 September 1880 in Sculcoates, Hull.
His parents were William James & Agnes Cordelia Fridlington.
In 1881 he his living with his family and his Father a general labourer.
By 1891 his father was a gas works labourer
On the 28th of May 1896 George joined the East Yorkshire Militia (3rd Bttn. East Yorkshire Regiment) aged 17 years 6 months. At teh time he was employed as a labourer for a Mr Madden of Hull. He can sign his name
He follwoing day a Medical was held at Beverley. He described as 5' 5" tall, weighs 8 stone and has blue eyes, brown hair and a fresh complexion. During 1896 he took part in the annual militia training and then left to join the Royal Navy on August 19th 1896.
George doesn't in fact join the Royal Navy until 16th of September 1897 when he signs up for 12 years. He has grown by an inch or so and now has grey eyes! He also has some tattoos now - 3 faint dots on his left forearm, a Maltese Cross on his right forearm and a sailor and flag on the back of his right hand.
The Royal Navy quotes a different birth date of 16th September 1879. However his birth registration is Q4 1880, which ties in with census details, so 16th September 1880 is probably correct.
He served on the following ships
- HMS Caledonia - 18 August 1896 to 26 Oct 1897 -conduct very good.
- HMS Pembroke I - 16 September 1897 to 18 January 1898 - conduct very good.
- HMS Prince George - 19 January 1898 to 6 February 1899 - conduct good, but then spends 7 days in cells. 14 February 1899 to 26 June 1899 - conduct -fair.
- HMS Pembroke I - 27 June 1899 to 5 September 1899 conduct good.
- HMS Jupiter - 6 September 1899 to 9 November 1899 conduct fair.
- HMS Majestic - 10 November to 17 November 1899 - no conduct rating, and he is back in the cells for 14 days. 2 December 1899 to 10 December 1899 no rating given.
- HMS Jupiter - 11 December 1899 to 20 June 1900 no rating given.
21 June 1900 to 25 June 1900 now ranked as Able Bodied Seaman.
- HMS Pembroke I - 26 June 1900 to 11 October 1900 - no rating given
- HMS Colossus - 12 October 1900 to 4 November 1900 - no rating given
- HMS Pembroke I - 5 November 1900 to 28 January 1901 - conduct good, then noted as Run. 3 December 1901 to 30 December 1901 conduct fair.
31 December 1901 to 21 January 1902 no rating given
- HMS Grafton - 22 January 1902 to 11 May 1902 conduct very good, then noted as Run.
- HMS Pembroke I - 12 July 1903 to 26 September 1903 conduct cant be deciphered, but record ends with Run again.
On the 4th November 1903 he was discharged. In
1906 he marries Mary Ann Ryan.
O the 2nd of April 1911 he is living at 5 Johns Place, York Street in Hull with his wife Mary Ann and children Emily and John. His younger brother, John, and a lodger are also living in the property, which consists of just three rooms.
On the 14th of December 1914 George enlists in the 3rd Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment. He is now aged 34 years and two months, and is a coal trimmer. He has grown to a height of 5' 8". Now has two tattoos - hands and heart on his left wrist and a sailor on his right hand. His address is 7 Ash Grove, Dalton Street in Hull and the date of his marriage is given as 15th December 1906 and it took place at St Silas Church Sculcoates, Hull.
He was two children are noted:- Emily Ryan, born on November 24th 1902. She is crossed out and a note has been added - illegitimate - she was born 4 years before the marriage. John Francis Fridlington was born on 25th of April 1907.
On the 17th of December 1914 the vicar of St Silas Church certifies that Emily Agnes was the infant daughter of George Fridlington and Mary Ann Ryan, was baptised on 7th of December 1902, and their parents subsequently married, thus legitimising her. The Adjutant replies stating he must have actual birth certificate.
Given the note mentioned above, it appears the original certificate was not forthcoming and thus a dependant allowance was not made for her.
On the 28th of January 1915 George forfeits 6 days pay and was given 10 days detention due to absence from 23rd January 1915 to 24th January 1915 and from the 25th January 1915 to the 28th January 1915.
On the 13th of February 1915 he deserted. But on the 30th of March 1915 he rejoined after being arrested and awaiting trial.
On the 12th of April 1915 George was tried by the Divisional Courts Martial, and was convicted of desertion & deficiency of kit, and was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment (9 months remitted). All his former service is forfeited and entitlement towards pension now restarts from this date.
On the 19th of August 1915 he returns to duty. He had presumably been released from prison before the end of his net 6-month sentence.
But on the 17th of September 1915 he forfeits 6 days pay due to absence from this date to the 22nd of September.
He is absent again and on the 6th of October 1915 he forfeits 8 days pay for a seven-day absence.
Again on the 6th of November 1915 he forfeits 6 days pay for a three-day absence.
On the 15th of November 1915 George is transferred to the 6th Battalion and moves with battalion to Gallipoli and then to France
On the 30th of January 1917 he was posted to 3rd Battalion at Home Depot
and on the 1st of March 1917 he was reported absent. On the 24th George was declared a deserter but on the 26th he returned and
forfeited seven days pay for a six day absence.
On the 18th of April 1917 he forfits thirteen days pay for a twelve-day absence
and the following day was also awarded 14 days detention.
On the 18th of June 1917 Georges was tried and sentenced to 56 days detention, forfeiting all ordinary pay for the same period, and also put under further stoppage of pay until he had made good the loss of equipment worth 3s 1d.
On the 7th of July 1917 he was posted to the 6th Battalion. and on the 1st of November 1917 he transferred to the Labour Corps 753rd Area Employment Company the reason for transfer is given as benefit of service.
On the 7th of July 1918 he is posted to 742nd Area Employment Company.
On the 2nd of June 1919 he re-enlists for a further period in the Labour Corps for a short service until 30th of April 1920.
On the 2nd of July 1919 he was posted to the Base Depot of the BEF as part of the 723rd Labour Coy., and then proceeds overseas as part of the Graves Exhumation team.
On the 21st of October 1919 he was deprived of one days pay but no reason is stated on his records.
On the 7th of November 1919 George embarks on the SS Princess Henrietta for transport to the UK as unfit .
He is discharged on the 11th of November 1919. His conduct is quoted as indifferent. He gives an address of 6 Eleanors Terrace, Oxford Street in Hull. He also has rheumatism due to active service but it is not thought to be permanent.
But on the 23rd of November 1919 he is granted a pension of 6s 10d per week for 72 weeks due to rheumatism (not attributable to military service). He has a 15% degree of disablement.
George had served in the Mediterranean theatre from November 15th 1915 to July 2nd 1916 and then in France to January 29th 1917. After a spell back in the UK, he was in France again from July 7th 1917 to December 16th 1918 before returning to the UK through to June 1st 1916.
He qualified for the 1915 Star as well as the usual British War & Victory medals.
Unusually, transcripts of his trial are in his service record. It seems he was caught by a policeman whilst working in civilian clothes at Messrs Storey and Wittys Wharf at Wincolmlee. A corporal was sent to escort him back to the barracks and both of them and the receiving officer gave evidence. George opted to have no defence lawyer and asked the witnesses no questions , an air of inevitability, perhaps?
Whilst on active service, he received treatment in the field (from a Field Ambulance) for piles, but a few days later he was admitted to the 11th Casualty Clearing Station at Le Treport in France suffering from haemorrhoids, which led to treatment at a military hospital in the UK.
In October 1918 he was admitted to a medical post suffering from scabies
George died in Hull in late 1940, just over a year after his wife.
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