George's Story.
Born in the second quarter of 1889 George was the son of James and Florence Bickerdyke, in 1891 the family lived at 25 Boston Street, Hyde. James was working as a general labourer and Florence worked as a cotton weaver. Ten years later in 1901 the family had moved to 60 Fountain Street, Godley, Hyde. George now aged 12 was at school and he had a sister Ada aged 7. By 1911 George had joined the army and was serving with the 1st battalion Welsh Regiment who when the census was taken were stationed in Egypt. 
In August 1914, they were in Chakrata, India. They returned to England landing at Plymouth on the 22nd December 1914, after a brief stay at Hursley Park near Winchester they embarked for France, arriving in Le Havre on the 18th January 1915.
The war diary shows that the battalion were at West Downs School, Winchester on the 16th at 8:50am they proceeded by route march to Southampton docks arriving at 1:40pm. Embarkation was speedily carried out on to R.M S.S Cardiganshire. At 6pm they moved out and anchored off Netley and remained there till 6pm 17th January. They arrived off Le Havre at 9am on the 18th, disembarking at 2pm. On the evening of the 4th February the battalion took over the 1st line trenches north of the Ypres-Lille railway from the Northumberland Fusiliers
George was killed in action 16 days later in the prelude to the second battle of Ypres. The war diary reads: 20th Good progress made with new trench B till 9am when shelled by the enemy. Men withdrawn to new trench A to cover an exposed portion of Z trench. Report received from T trench at 11am that 30 Germans had been seen running towards Y trench and had been fired on. A scout was sent forward to see if Y trench was still held. A little later a report from Z trench, that about 50 of the enemy had been seen in the disused portion of Z trench. Orders received by C.O. from G.O.C 84th Infantry Brigade about 1pm to turn enemy out with 1 1/2 companies of Kings Own Royal Lancs and 1 company 1st Northumberland Fusiliers. Later orders issued for the attack to commence at 4:30pm assisted by fire from the Belgian Artillery. The Kings Own supported by 35 men of the battalion under Major Hoggan and Lieut. Whitehouse advanced in three lines with fixed bayonets. They were not shot at till within 30 yards of the trench which was masked by tall broken stumps and tangled branches. The attack here held up by frontal and enfilade machine gun and rifle fire. Report received in the meantime that Y trench was not held by us.
Casualties: Killed 18 Wounded 37 Missing 37
His body wasn’t recovered or his grave was lost over the following years of fighting and so he is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial Panel 37 and on Hyde Memorial.
Cheshire County Memorial Project would like to thank Stephen Farish at the Regimental Museum of The Royal Welsh in Brecon for supplying copies of the war diaries, and to Hyde War Memorial Trust for the picture of George.