LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI
Petty Officer George Langworthy MiD
Nelson Bn RN Div Royal Navy
Town Memorial P5.R3.C1
Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS
Chief Petty OfficerGeorge Langworthy
Naval Division
Dardanelles
July 13, 1915
George Langworthy, a very senior naval rating, died fighting ashore as a soldier on the Gallipoli Peninsular.
The story of the unusual unit to which he belonged are easily ascertained [Liam's account has a lot on the background history of the Naval Division, which perhaps can be more simply covered by reference to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/63rd_(Royal_Naval)_Division ]
The approximate and probable time of his death are suggested in the public records. What is not known however is anything about him, either his antecedents or personal circumstances. However, he must have come from Leatherhead and been known to someone who caused his name to be placed on the Memorial tablet.
However, strangely enough one other man from Leatherhead was serving in the Division.The Parish magazine of May 1915 gives a list of men serving in the Forces (4) and the name Hill, D is listed as P.S Naval Brigade. He appears as one of the wartime volunteers.
The most moving description [of events at the time of George Langworthy's death] is contained in the War Diary (5) of the 1st Naval Brigade. Written at the Brigade HQ, not far behind the lines late on the night of the 13th July by an officer, probably tired and only too conscious of what had gone wrong. It is written in indelible pencil on the thin paper of the prescribed Army War Diary form, rather like the paper of a cheap office diary. It says:
"At 3 a.m. NELSON BN ordered to bivouac in
rear of Backhouse Post. 2 Coys sent up to assist wounded of Lowland
Division."
It continues "the situation appears to have been obscure during the day"
It continues "the situation appears to have been obscure during the day"
"At about 4.15 p.m. the Chatham Ports
NELSON Bn. was ordered to take the trenches on E73a, 78, 72 to right.
NELSON Bn. took trenches E13a and E22b losing 14 officers and 273 others
in doing so."
"PORTS[MOUTH] Bn. appears to have gone
over the same [?] and E12 which was very undefined on the ground and
eventually had to retire having lost all the officers except Captain
Gowey. Chatham Bn. owing to congestion in the trenches and difficulty of
getting touch with the French?/Trench? only got to the line E11. At
about 7.30 p.m. DRAKE Bn. was ordered to consolidate the position taken.
But as gaps were found in the line orders were altered to hold the front
line taken which was done. 2 Coys of NELSON Bn. in the front line on
left were relieved and touch was made with the left of the CHATHAM Bn.
Much credit was due to Lt. Commander Ring for the way he conducted this
difficult operation in the dark."
The diary then notes that the commanders of both the NELSON and PORTS[MOUTH] Battalions were killed.
In any event George Langworthy was possibly killed between 4.15 p.m. and midnight in the circumstances and against the background described.
KRITHIA village still remained in Turkish hands despite the courage of the Navy and Marines.
Notes on sources
1. Summary of 63rd Royal Naval Division services giving names of commanding officers, details of engagements etc.
Reference N.O.C. 400 in Royal Naval Museum Portsmouth archives. Also two little booklets issued by the HAWKE and HOOD Battalions of the Division.
2., 3. (not applicable here)
4. List in Parish magazine of St Mary and St Nicholas Leatherhead, issue of May 1915 (courtesy of Mr L Anstee of the parish).
5. File ADH137/3065 War Diary 1st.R.N. Brigade: Public Record Office, Kew, Richmond.
Further research
Petty OfficerLANGWORTHY, G
Service Number DEV/204218
Died 13/07/1915
Nelson Bn. R.N. Div
Royal Navy
Mentioned in Despatches
Commemorated at HELLES MEMORIAL
Location: Turkey (including Gallipoli)
Cemetery/memorial reference: Panel 1 and 2.
An errand boy, he volunteered as a Boy 2nd Class on 12 April 1899 and was rated an Ordinary Seaman on 13 April 1900.
He was 5ft 7in with light brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion.
He served in B Company Nelson Battalion of the Royal Naval Division from 19 September 1914 until his death on 3 July 1915. His service number was DEV/204218.
On 22 September 1915 the London Gazette recorded his 'Mention in Despatches'. On 14 April 1916 he was awarded a certificate for zeal and devotion to duty.
According to the Leatherhead War Memorial he was a Chief Petty Officer. Naval records say he was a Petty Officer 1st Class and the CWGC that he was a Petty Officer.
So far no reports in the press about George have been traced.
He has no known grave.
The Helles Memorial
The eight month campaign in Gallipoli
was fought by Commonwealth and French forces in an attempt to force
Turkey out of the war, to relieve the deadlock of the Western Front in
France and Belgium, and to open a supply route to Russia through the
Dardanelles and the Black Sea.
The Allies landed on the peninsula on 25-26 April 1915; the 29th Division at Cape Helles in the south and the Australian and New Zealand Corps north of Gaba Tepe on the west coast, an area soon known as Anzac. On 6 August, further landings were made at Suvla, just north of Anzac, and the climax of the campaign came in early August when simultaneous assaults were launched on all three fronts. However, the difficult terrain and stiff Turkish resistance soon led to the stalemate of trench warfare. From the end of August, no further serious action was fought and the lines remained unchanged. The peninsula was successfully evacuated in December and early January 1916.
The Helles Memorial serves the dual function of Commonwealth battle memorial for the whole Gallipoli campaign and place of commemoration for many of those Commonwealth servicemen who died there and have no known grave.
The United Kingdom and Indian forces named on the memorial died in operations throughout the peninsula, the Australians at Helles. There are also panels for those who were lost at sea, in one of the troopships sunk off Gallipoli. Over 20,000 names are commemorated on this memorial.
There are four other Memorials to the Missing at Gallipoli. The Lone Pine, Hill 60, and Chunuk Bair Memorials commemorate Australian and New Zealanders at Anzac. The Twelve Tree Copse Memorial commemorates the New Zealanders at Helles. Naval casualties of the United Kingdom lost or buried at sea are recorded on their respective Memorials at Portsmouth, Plymouth and Chatham, in the United Kingdom.
The Allies landed on the peninsula on 25-26 April 1915; the 29th Division at Cape Helles in the south and the Australian and New Zealand Corps north of Gaba Tepe on the west coast, an area soon known as Anzac. On 6 August, further landings were made at Suvla, just north of Anzac, and the climax of the campaign came in early August when simultaneous assaults were launched on all three fronts. However, the difficult terrain and stiff Turkish resistance soon led to the stalemate of trench warfare. From the end of August, no further serious action was fought and the lines remained unchanged. The peninsula was successfully evacuated in December and early January 1916.
The Helles Memorial serves the dual function of Commonwealth battle memorial for the whole Gallipoli campaign and place of commemoration for many of those Commonwealth servicemen who died there and have no known grave.
The United Kingdom and Indian forces named on the memorial died in operations throughout the peninsula, the Australians at Helles. There are also panels for those who were lost at sea, in one of the troopships sunk off Gallipoli. Over 20,000 names are commemorated on this memorial.
There are four other Memorials to the Missing at Gallipoli. The Lone Pine, Hill 60, and Chunuk Bair Memorials commemorate Australian and New Zealanders at Anzac. The Twelve Tree Copse Memorial commemorates the New Zealanders at Helles. Naval casualties of the United Kingdom lost or buried at sea are recorded on their respective Memorials at Portsmouth, Plymouth and Chatham, in the United Kingdom.
His life
George was born on 13 April 1882 at Stoke Fleming in Devon.His father was Richard Henry Langworthy born about 1848 at Blackawton, Devon, died 1905. He was a Gardener.
His first wife Harriett Hambling died in 1876 and four years later he married Emily Scott who was born about 1852 at St Kew, Cornwall.
George's numerous siblings from his father's two marriages were: Emma abt 1869, Robert Henry abt 1870, Bessie abt 1871, Lucy abt 1873, Alice abt 1881, Thomas James abt 1883, Edith abt 1887, Grace abt 1885, Mark abt 1890, John abt 1891, Maud abt 1893, Alfred Warwick abt 1896, Frank abt 1899, and Minnie Scott abt 1902.
He married Harriett Ellen Hill on 1 June 1908 at St Mary and St Nicholas, the parish church of Leatherhead, Surrey where she had been baptised on 31 May 1885. She was from Chessington, Surrey, a daughter of William Edward Hill, a Gardener from Farnham, Surrey and Annie Wilson from Woking, Surrey.
Their daughter Marjorie was born in 1913.
At the time of the 1911 Census his wife Harriett was at her parents at 6 Burton Villas, Poplar Road, Leatherhead, Surrey. At the time of the1901 and 1911 Censuses George was serving abroad with the Navy.
After WW1
His widow Harriett was living at 41 Poplar Road, Leatherhead, when she died in Epsom Hospital on 21 April 1963. Their daughter Marjorie, who had married Francis Goodger, died in 2007.Burton Villas and 41 Poplar Road (addresses at that time) were not far from the junction of Poplar Road and St John's Road, Leatherhead.
George Langworthy is also remembered on these memorials (*as Gregory rather than George)
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
Ladies War Shrine, Leatherhead Parish Church*
Surrey in the Great War
the website editor would like to add
further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, and of any recollections within his family
last updated 31 Oct 20