Current Information:

Age-21

15 Red Lion's Mews, Camberwell Gate

On 21st December, 1914, the 4th Royal Fusiliers battalion of 9 Brigade, 3rd Division, left their billets Westoutre and moved to the front line trenches at Kemmel where they remained until relieved on 24th December. The battalion diary entry for 22nd December simply recorded that it was snowing and makes no mention of any casualties so it is not known how George Franklin was killed on that day. The attrition rate among British soldiers on the Western Front was on average 300 each day and 60% of these were as a result of shellfire. When not involved in an actual battle it was either shell fire or a sniper’s bullet that caused most deaths and injuries.