1096124 Private George Lundy Tilley volunteered for active service during the First World War with the 255th (Queen’s Own Rifles) Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, and during the war served with the 3rd (Toronto Regiment) Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, and the 12th Reserve Battalion, 1st Central Ontario Regiment, Canadian Expeditionary Force.
George Lundy Tilley was born in Simcoe, Ontario on 15 Feb 1895 to Frank and Beatrice (nee Hammon) Tilley. At the time of his attestation on 20 Jan 1917, he was a box maker by trade who lived with his mother Beatrice at 49 Major St. in Toronto. Although he had married Esther Sutherland on 31 Mar 1917, at the time of his attestation he was listed as unwed, stood 5 feet 9 1/4 inches tall and was a member of the Church of England. It appears he married Louisa Turner while he was convalescing in England in 1919, they returned to Canada after the war.
It is interesting to note that Beatrice Tilley moved several times while George was in uniform.
- 1917, 02 Oct – 1089 Gerrard St East, Toronto
- 1917, 16 Oct – 440 Spadina Ave, Toronto
- 1917, 27 Nov – 774 1/2 Yonge St, Toronto
- 1918, 19 Nov – 2 Barr Ave
- 1918, 11 May – 69 Black Creek Blvd, Mount Dennis, York County
- 1919, 01 Apr – 426 College St, Toronto
Military Service
- 1914, June – Governor General’s Body Guard, “B” Squadron, Camp at Niagara as a Private
- 1917, 20 Jan – medical and attestation at the Toronto Recruiting Depot
- 1917, 20 Jan – Taken On Strength (T.O.S.) by the 255th (Queen’s Own Rifles) Depot Battalion
- 1917, 24 Feb – Absent Without Leave (A.W.L.) for one day and forfeits pay
- 1917, 23 to 27 Apr – admitted Base Hospital Toronto – Influenza
- 1917 – T.O.S. by the 1st Central Ontario Regiment Depot
- 1917, 28 May – departed Halifax aboard the S.S. Olympic
- 1917, 01 Jun – assigned pay of $20 per month to mother begins
- 1917, 10 Jun – arrived in Liverpool, England and T.O.S. by the 12th Reserve Battalion, CEF -East Sandling
- 1917, 05 Oct – T.O.S. by the 3rd (Toronto Regiment) Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force
- 1917, 06 Oct – arrives Canadian Base Depot – France
- 1917, 09 Oct – departs Canadian Base Depot for Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp
- 1917. 11 Oct – arrives Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp
- 1917, 26 Oct – departs Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp and arrives at unit in the field – Terdeghem Area. Inspected by Lt-Gen Sir A. Currie, Battalion Church Parade, Attack Training and Battalion Baths all in his first week
- 1917, 05 Nov – moved with the battalion into the front line for his first time and into the heavy fighting in the area of Waterloo Farm at the end of the Passchendaele campaign
- 1917, Dec – participated in actions in the Avion Sector
- 1918, Jan – participated in actions in the St. Emile sector
- 1918, Feb and Mar – participated in actions in the Hill 70 section
- 1918, Mar – wounded – hit by mud in right eye causing temporary blindness – not listed in battalion war diary
- 1918, Apr – participated in actions in the 1st Canadian Division sector (Beaurains) and the Fampoux section
- 1918, 19/20 to 30 Apr – admitted to the 11th Canadian Field Ambulance – chronic bronchitis and general debility
- 1918, 05 May – admitted to the 7th Casualty Clearing Station – debility
- 1918, 07 May – transferred to the 7th Canadian General Hospital, Etaples, France – placed in quarantine with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis
- 1918, 14 May – transferred to the 73rd General Hospital – Trouville, France – debility
- 1918, 02 Jun – transferred to the 14th Convalescent Depot – Trouville – debility
- 1918, 13 Jul – transferred to the 73rd General Hospital – Trouville – debility gastro enteritis
- 1918, 25 Aug – transferred to the 14th Convalescent Depot – Trouville – debility gastro enteritis
- 1918, 12 Sep – transferred to the 73rd General Hospital – Trouville – suspected pulmonary tuberculosis
- 1918, 29 Sep – transferred to 14th Convalescent Depot – Trouville – bronchitis
- 1918, 09 Oct – awarded 14 days Field Punishment #2
- 1918, 11 Oct – discharged to Field Punishment Compound – Trouville
- 1918, 24 Oct – admitted to 11 Stationary Hospital – Rouen – Pyrexia of unknown origin
- 1918, 10 Nov – transferred to 1st Canadian General Hospital – Trouville – Pyrexia of unknown origin
- 1919, 29 Jan – invalided to England as a Walking Casualty aboard the Hospital Ship St Andrew
- 1919, 29/30 Jan – Struck Off Strength (S.O.S.) by the 3rd (Toronto Regiment) Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force and posted to the 1st Central Ontario Regiment Depot – Witley, Surrey
- 1919, 26 Feb to 16 Mar – admitted to 4th London General Hospital R.A.M.C. – bronchitis
- 1919, 16-30 Mar – transferred to Military Convalescent Hospital – Woodcote Park, Epsom – bronchitis
- 1919, 15 Apr – reported by telegram as “no trace” – Basingstoke
- 1919, 16 Apr – admitted to Military Convalescent Hospital – Epsom, Surrey – bronchitis
- 1919, 23 Apr – reported as A.W.L.
- 1919, 30 May – discharge by Military Convalescent Hospital to CRO Custody
- 1919, 23 Jun – returns from A.W.L. and admitted to (Canadian Division), Convalescent Hospital Woodgate Park, Epsom – bronchitis and noted as a direct admission from desertion
- 1919, 30 Jun – transferred to the 16th Canadian General (Ontario) Hospital, Orpington, Kent – bronchitis
- 1919, 30 Jun – transfers $500 to Louisa (nee Turner) in England
- 1919, 01 Jul – assigned pay to mother ends
- 1919, 01 Jul – assigned pay of $20 per month to Louisa begins
- 1919, 05 Jul – forfeits 89 days’ pay for A.W.L.
- 1919, 18 Jul – discharged to 1st Central Ontario Regiment Depot – Witley
- 1919, 18-28 Jul – awarded a 10-day Sick Furlough – resided with Louisa at 9 Mansion St, Camberwell, London
- 1919, 01 Aug – assigned pay to Louisa at 38 Paulet Rd, Camberwell, London
- 1919, 21 Aug – medical – original injury Mar 1918 – congenital amblyopia left eye observed
- 1919, 06 Sep – T.O.S. by Canadian Discharge Depot Buxton for return to Canada
- 1919, 17 Sep – S.O.S. by Canadian Discharge Depot Buxton on proceeding to Canada – embarked Liverpool aboard the R.M.S. Melita
- 1919, 24 Sept – disembarked Ville du Quebec
- 1919, 26 Sep – demobilized as medically unfit for General Service – Quebec Depot, Clearing Services Command
- 1919, 01 Nov – assigned pay stopped
- Proposed residence after discharge – 426 College St, Toronto with mother
- 1957, 15 Sep (C.E.F. record has 02 Sep) – dies at age 62 (Pine Hills Cemetery has 59) and interred in section K plot 1717 at Pine Hills Cemetery – Scarborough, Ontario
Louisa emigrated to Canada and after the war they lived at 211 Beatrice Ave Toronto, Ontario. George died on 15 September 1957 at age 62 and is buried in Pine Hills Cemetery, Toronto.
References:
Pine Hills Cemetery – https://www.finditatmpg.com/Details.aspx?GID=mqrNHCt9rTveheZe4n%2f4Lw%3d%3d
Library and Archives Canada –
Queen’s Own Museum and Archives, 3rd Battalion CEF, War Diary-
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum and Archive 