George's Story.
EARLY LIFE
George Wardle was baptised on 3rd July 1881 at St Paul’s Church, Macclesfield, the son of Sarah Jane and John Wardle, a labourer of 32 Leigh Street, Macclesfield. In 1881, 2 month old George was living at that address with his parents and siblings John W. (8) and Ruth (4).
Ten years later in 1891, George was living at 8 Samuel Street with his parents and siblings John W. (17), Arthur (8), Benjamin (7), Mary (4) and Esther (2). By 1901 the family had moved again and George was now 20 years of age, working as a Ropemaker, and living with his widowed mother and siblings Benjamin, Mary, Elizabeth Ann, Annie and Harold at 22 Watercotes (now Waterside) in the parish of St Paul’s in Macclesfield.
By 1911 most of George's siblings had left home and George, employed as a labourer, his mother, and siblings Annie and Harold remained at 22 Waterside.
WW1 SERVICE
George arrived in France on 23rd February 1915 and died just three weeks later on 12th March. His death was reported in the Macclesfield Times on 9 April 1915:
PRIVATE GEORGE WARDLE KILLED
Mrs James Whittaker, of 42 Davenport St, Macclesfield, has received news that her brother, Private George Wardle, has been killed in France.
Formerly in the Special Reserve of the Cheshire Regiment, the deceased soldier joined "Kitchener's Army" about eleven weeks ago, and two months later went to the front. He was single, aged 29, and prior to enlistment was in the employ of Mr Hallowell, rope maker. Three of his brothers are serving in the Army - Arthur and Ben, of the Lancashire Fusiliers, who are in East Africa, and Harold, of the Worcester Regiment, who is in France. The last named enlisted in August last, at which time he was employed at Langley print Works. Arthur and Ben have served thirteen and seven years respectively. Their brother-in-law, James Whittaker and George Bamford, are both in the 7th Cheshires, training at Baldock.
COMMEMORATION
Private George Wardle has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Private George Wardle, and he is listed on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website.
In Macclesfield, Private George Wardle is commemorated on the Park Green, Town Hall and St Michael's Church war memorials.
Research by Rosie Rowley, Macclesfield.