17130, Private George William LEWIS, 9th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment

“Geo Lewis” as recorded on the British legion list. According to family sources he was born on 12th October 1877 although his year of birth varied according to the year of census. There was a George William Lewis whose birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1878 in the Bosmere district.

In 1911 he was living at home and was working at a chemical factory. This was probably Fisons as no “G Lewis” appears on the Edward Packard & Co Roll of Service. Family stories say that he did serve in the war but was taken prisoner and suffered ill health. He lived with his parents after the war in Flowton but it is thought that after they died he went to live with his brother Justus who, at that time, lived in a Fisons house in Papermill Lane before they moved to Belmont House in Limes Avenue.

A record exists for George’s service in the Suffolk Regiment before the war. He had enlisted on the 21st October 1895 aged 18 years and 1 month. After training he was posted to the 1st Battalion and served with them in Malta from the 10th April 1897. While in Malta he fell ill with “Mediterranean fever” and sent back to England, arriving on 4th February 1898. He was later discharged from the army as unfit.

George would have been 36 when war was declared and still within the range to serve. Evidence of his re-enlistment lies with a medal index card has been found for George W Lewis, Private No 17130 of the Suffolk Regiment. The other factor that indicates that this is our man, is that his number is one before George Smith (No 17131) close to Thomas Scopes (No 17133) and Albert Lockwood (No 17136) who were all 9th Battalion and Bramford men. Albert Lockwood enlisted on 16th December 1914 so we can assume that George enlisted at the same time. George W Lewis, born about 1878, died in the Bosmere district in 1933 at the relatively young age of 55.
A War Office report dated 2nd December 1915 confirms records that George was taken prisoner, but no corresponding records have been found at the ICRC.
He is buried with his parents in Flowton churchyard.