George Gallop

Memorial: Thornbury - St Mary's Church

Regiment: Gloucestershire Regiment

Medals: 1914–15 Star, British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal

Rank and number: Private 16071

Parents: George Edward and Ellen Gallop

Marital status: Single

Home address: 36 Castle Street, Thornbury, Bristol

Date of birth: 1889

Place of birth: Thornbury, Bristol

Date of death: 08/08/1915

Buried/Commemorated at: Helles Memorial (Panel 102 to 105), Gallipoli, Turkey

Age: 26

Further information:

Bronze Tablet and Wooden Memorial Board

George Gallop’s father, George Edward, was a fish and fruit salesman. Young George had nine brothers and sisters. In March 1915 the Gazette explained that his father had been found dead near the Sheepwash in Oldbury on Severn. He had been out with his donkey and cart when he had collapsed and died

George was already enlisted in the 7th Battalion, Glosters. He attended his father’s funeral with three of his brothers, Herbert, Albert and Harold. Another brother, Fred, was abroad while William was already serving at the front. George rejoined his unit and the Regiment sailed from Avonmouth on 19th June. On 11th July the men disembarked from a troop ship at ‘Y’ Beach, Cape Helles, on the Gallipoli peninsular

As volunteers of Kitchener’s new army, the men in this Battallion had only about ten months training. The men were to face some hard fighting at the Battle of Chunuk Bair, one of the highest peaks on the peninsula. The Wellington Battalion (New Zealand and Australian Division) was tasked with taking the peak, reinforced by 7th Battalion Glosters and 8th Battalion, Welsh Regiment

The 7th Battalion advanced before dawn at 4.15 am. Soon afterwards the two left platoons came under machine-gun fire and were practically wiped out. The Wellingtons took the summit, backed up by the British. Turkish counter attacks commenced at daybreak. Men fought desperately, firing their rifles until they were too hot to touch. Only shallow scrapes could be dug in the rocky ground and the peak was exposed to Turkish machine gun and sniper fire from nearby hills

General Sir Ian Hamilton wrote, ‘The 7th Glosters suffered terrible losses here. The fire was so hot that they never got a chance to dig their trenches deeper than some six inches, and they had to withstand attack after attack. In the course of these fights every single officer, company sergeant-major, or company quartermaster-sergeant was either killed or wounded, and the Battalion by midday consisted of small groups of men commanded by junior non-commissioned officers or privates...The men fought on until sunset without any officers. When they were relieved at dusk, 45 were known to have been killed, 190 were missing and 115 were wounded'

Private Sidney Jefferies, also named on the Thornbury Memorial, died in the same battle. George and Sidney have no known graves. Their sacrifice is recorded on the Helles Memorial, which stands on the tip of the Gallipoli Peninsular, visible to shipping passing through the Dardanelles

George’s brother Harold Gallop, who was Killed in Action a little over two years later, is also commemorated on the Thornbury Memorial. At least five Gallop brothers served during the war. In 1918 it was reported that Sergeant William Gallop had been ‘awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the retreat from Firmey. Sergeant Gallop remained until the last and succeeded in getting his men and guns away'

By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):

Thornbury Roots Website. Thornbury and District Museum Research Group. Forces War Records and the CWGC