George William Baxter Sapper 221401 18th Division Signalling Company Royal Engineers

The CWGC had 6 records for G.W. Baxter. Only one of them was from Liverpool and he lived in Toxteth, close to Holy Trinity Church.

It is probable that this is the correct man, unless I find something to contradict it, I will research him as the correct man.

 George William Baxter was born on the 26th September 1889 in Liverpool and baptised on 13th November 1889 in Everton, Liverpool by his parents George William and Sarah. The church record shows that they lived at 15 Carmel St, Liverpool and his father worked as a lamp-lighter.

In the 1891 census the family were still living at 15 Carmel St, Everton. The household consisted of parents George William Baxter (aged 28, lamplighter, born Liverpool) and Sarah Baxter (26, born Liverpool) plus our soldier aged 1 and his sister Susannah Baxter aged 3. Also on the census were his mother's brother William Hall (38, widower, Boilermakers labourer) and his cousins William Hall (5) also his father's sister Susan Baxter (18, single) who may have all been living with them or could have been visiting on the night of the census.

In the 1901 census the family were living at 28/30 Wellington Road, Toxteth, Liverpool (closer to Holy Trinity Church). George William was aged 11 and was at home with his father, who was working as a Public House Manager, and his mother Sarah.

On the 29th March 1910. George William Baxter married Mary Elizabeth Colville at St Catherine's Church, Edge Hill (Liverpool). Their address was 3 Palmerston St and George's occupation was given as Barman.

The 1911 census shows that our soldier's parents were still living at 28/30 Wellington Road, they had been married for 25 years and sadly, George William was the only surviving child out of 6 born to the marriage.

George William Baxter was living at 3 Palmerston St, Edge Hill, Liverpool. He was 21 years old, married and working as a bar-tender. His wife Mary Elizabeth Baxter was 19 years old and they had been married for 1 year and had one child who was 8 months old, a daughter named Ruth Baxter.  They also had a 'nurse child'  Francis Charles Williams aged 4, this was a term for what we would consider a foster child. The baptism for Francis shows that he was born to an unmarried mother (Elizabeth Williams) in a Catholic Maternity Home. Also with them for the 1911 census was Mary's mother Elizabeth Colville aged 44.

Military Service

George William Baxter's service records have survived and they show that he enlisted in the Territorial Force on 11th June 1912, having previously served 12 months in the 5th King's (Liverpool Regiment). 

At this time, our soldier was 22 years and 8 months old, living at 3 Palmerston St and working as an engineer for Elders & Fyffes. This was a pioneering company that used refrigerated ships to import bananas. 

George was 5 feet, 8 and 1/2 inches which was above average height for the time. His chest measurement was 36 and 1/2 inches with 2 and 1/2 inches range of expansion. His vision and physical development were both rated "good".

His son George Charles was born just 2 weeks later on 24th June 1912.

Sapper George William Baxter was embodied for service on 5th August 1914 as Sapper 221402 with the Royal Engineers. He embarked for France on 26th October 1914, returned to England on 12th February 1915 and then joined the British Expeditionary Force in France on 1st January 1917.

When George enlisted in June 1912, his engineering skills were assessed on as "Indifferent, 7th class" which increased by September 1915 to "Proficient, 4th class"

The only details given of his service are that he was originally in the Western Army Troops Signal Corps, Royal Engineers Territorial Force as sapper 669. He was transferred 11th January 1917 to the 18th Signal Company, Royal Engineers with the regimental number 221402.

His original enlistment was for 5 years and when that expired on 11th June 1917 he was continued in the service due to the Military Service Act of 1916. 

On 23rd March 1918, George was killed in action whilst serving with the 18th Divisional Signalling Company, Royal Engineers. The diary gives the monthly casualties as 2 killed, 3 wounded and 5 missing. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres memorial. 

His widow Mary, address 83 Park Road, Liverpool, (very close to Holy Trinity Church)  received a pension for herself and their 2 children of 25/5 per week, also her husbands medals and commemorative plaque. The paperwork shows that Mary, the children and George's father were living at 83 Park Road, Liverpool.

Unusually, George William's will listed his legatee as "friend, Mrs Beatrice Cowell, 100 Caernarvon Rd, Eastham Rd, Norwich, Norfolk" so any money owed to William plus gratuities were paid to her instead of his widow. The 1939 register shows that Beatrice was the wife of a railwayman so perhaps that was how they were acquainted.

The following notice was placed in the local newspapers:

KILLED IN ACTION

BAXTER - March 25 aged 28 years, Sapper GEORGE WILLIAM BAXTER, Royal Engineers, the dearly-beloved husband of Mary Baxter and dearly-beloved son of G.W. Baxter and the late Sarah Baxter. 28 Wellington-road, Dingle - Sadly mourned by his sorrowing Wife and Children. Only good-night beloved, not farewell: Only a little while and all his saints shall dwell In hallowed union indivisible. Good-night.

The 1921 census shows that George William Baxter's family were living at 83 Park Road, it consisted of his widow Mary Elizabeth, daughter Ruth, son George Charles and adopted son Francis Charles Williams, head of the house was Mary's mother Elizabeth Colville, George William's father was also at the house plus Elizabeth's sister in law Ellen Smith.