Service Number: 242829 – 1st/6th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Private George Neville from Castle Bromwich was killed in action on 27th August 1917, serving with the 1st/6th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He was born in Sheldon in 1896 and was the youngest of the five children, four sons, one daughter, of parents Charles Neville, a shepherd and Jane Bourton who had married in 1882.
The family moved around Warwickshire, with the children being born in Bentley Heath, Temple Balsall and Sheldon, but by 1901, they had settled in Shard End, Castle Bromwich parish, where they remained until at least 1920.
George’s older brothers – John Bourton (1886-1958), William Henry (born 1889), and Percy (1893-1936) – all became general labourers, according to the 1911 census. John is known to have served in the First World War, enlisting as a Private in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, before transferring to the Machine Gun Corps. George appears not to have seen overseas service before 1916 and his service number indicates that he probably did not join the army until early 1917. He was killed in action on 27th August 1917 and, having no known grave, is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. He is also commemorated locally on Castle Bromwich war memorial and on the memorial plaque in St Margaret’s and St Mary’s Church, Castle Bromwich.
