My Family in the Great War

by Sue Titorenko

I knew little about the part my relatives played in WW1 – it was not a subject that was discussed during my early childhood. Stimulated by the centenary of the war and the knowledge I had together with some old photos, and a set of medals belonging to my Great Uncle Frederick Wheeler (pictured below), I started to piece together the evidence.

I made a phone call to my 90 year-old aunt in Woodley to see if she could flesh out the picture and, with her help, I have a rough idea of the experience of three of my relatives.

My Grandfather, George Tilbury, responded to Lord Kitchener’s war poster, even though he was a family man with three young boys. He volunteered and joined the 1st Royal Berkshire Regiment.

My Great Uncle Fred also joined this regiment. Both men lived in or near to the village of Swallowfield.

My grandfather spent most of the war in France, I believe, as a batman. He survived the war but did return home twice to be treated for Trench Foot.

My Great Uncle was not so lucky. He was involved in the attack on Loos, between 25th September and 13th October 1915, where he was captured during this battle and spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner in Germany until 1918.  Upon his return to Swallowfield he married his sweetheart, my Grandfather’s sister, Dolly. 

My Grandfather’s younger brother (another) Frederick [Tilbury] declined his older brother’s call to volunteer – only to be conscripted in 1915 into the Durham Light Infantry.  Unfortunately his war was brief since he died in action shortly after reaching France. He is commemorated on the War Memorial in Swallowfield.