George James Nethercott

Born in September 1893 his birth was registered in the parish of St John the Baptist, Bedminster to parents William John and Elizabeth Jane. In 1901 he was living at 22 Stafford Street, Bedminster with seven brothers and sisters aged between 17 years and 2 years old. His father was a tanners labourer, whilst one sister worked at the local tobacco factory and a brother was a shot worker (Lead shot) all these being local trades at the time.

By 1911 he was already in the army based at Gravesend barracks, Kent serving as a private No.10525 in the 1^st Battalion of the South Wales Borderers. Arriving on the Western Front on the 13^th August 1914 he was killed in action on the 28^th October 1914 near Gheluvelt during the 1st Battle of Ypres, Belgium. Being one of the “Old Contemptibles” he was awarded the 1914 Star with clasp also known as the Mons Star plus the British War and Victory medals.

The 1^st Battle of Ypres was a defining battle in the early conflict as the British Army on the left of the line stopped the Germans outflanking them which would have possibly ended in defeat for the allies; this however resulted in terrible casualties for the British decimating the British Expeditionary Force (BEF).

Note that his name is spelt NETHERCOTE on the church memorial.