Collection GB 0074 LMA/4626 - MEERING, corporal George Henry (1896-1975)

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 LMA/4626

Title

MEERING, corporal George Henry (1896-1975)

Date(s)

  • 1905-1975 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

0.5 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

George Henry Meering (1896-1975) was the eldest son of George Henry Meering, a lace manufacturer in Nottingham, and Ada Meering. After his parents' divorce, George and his three siblings moved with their mother to London, where she later remarried a Mr Geach.

During World War One, George was a corporal with the 'B' Squadron of 1st County of London Yeomanry (also known as the Middlesex Duke of Cambridge's Hussars). On 27 October 1917 his detachment was involved in a battle against the Turkish Ottoman forces on Hill 720, south of Beersheba in Palestine. Vastly outnumbered, the troops put up remarkable resistance, fighting to the last man. George was seriously wounded and taken to a Turkish hospital at Tel el Sheria as a prisoner of war. Left behind by the retreating Turks, he was discovered by the advancing British troops and sent to a British hospital in Cairo and then to Bristol, where in April 1918 he wrote a survivor's account of the battle. In September that year he wrote about his experiences as a prisoner of war. For the rest of his life, he had periodic operations to remove shrapnel from his body.

George was married twice, but both his wives had predeceased him. His first wife gave birth to stillborn twin sons; he had no other children. He died on 16 July 1975 at Kingston Hospital, aged 79.

The papers were deposited at LMA on 27 May 2005 by George Meering's niece, Mrs Pamela Burgess, who also provided some of the biographical information used above.

Archival history

GB 0074 LMA/4626 1905-1975 Collection 0.5 linear metres Meering , George Henry , 1896-1975 , Corporal

George Henry Meering (1896-1975) was the eldest son of George Henry Meering, a lace manufacturer in Nottingham, and Ada Meering. After his parents' divorce, George and his three siblings moved with their mother to London, where she later remarried a Mr Geach.

During World War One, George was a corporal with the 'B' Squadron of 1st County of London Yeomanry (also known as the Middlesex Duke of Cambridge's Hussars). On 27 October 1917 his detachment was involved in a battle against the Turkish Ottoman forces on Hill 720, south of Beersheba in Palestine. Vastly outnumbered, the troops put up remarkable resistance, fighting to the last man. George was seriously wounded and taken to a Turkish hospital at Tel el Sheria as a prisoner of war. Left behind by the retreating Turks, he was discovered by the advancing British troops and sent to a British hospital in Cairo and then to Bristol, where in April 1918 he wrote a survivor's account of the battle. In September that year he wrote about his experiences as a prisoner of war. For the rest of his life, he had periodic operations to remove shrapnel from his body.

George was married twice, but both his wives had predeceased him. His first wife gave birth to stillborn twin sons; he had no other children. He died on 16 July 1975 at Kingston Hospital, aged 79.

The papers were deposited at LMA on 27 May 2005 by George Meering's niece, Mrs Pamela Burgess, who also provided some of the biographical information used above.

Deposited in May 2005.

Almost all papers relate to George Meering's experience in World War One. They comprise typewritten contemporary accounts of his war experience and as prisoner held by the Turkish, correspondence (including letter from General Edmund Allenby), newspaper articles, photographs of regiment and nurses, dinner invitation, medals and other memorabilia.

LMA/4624/01: Personal Papers

LMA/4624/02: Newspaper articles and cuttings

LMA/4624/02: Photographs and postcards

LMA/4624/04: Memorabilia

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Copyright is held by the City of London.

English

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Added February 2013. Prisoners of War Primary documents Visual materials Photographs Social behaviour Social norms Awards Medals Wars (events) World wars (events) World War One (1914-1918) Organizations Military organizations Information sources Documents Memoirs War victims International conflicts Military medals Military awards Armed forces State security Meering , George Henry , 1896-1975 , Corporal Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) British Army Beersheba Palestine Middle East

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Deposited in May 2005.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Almost all papers relate to George Meering's experience in World War One. They comprise typewritten contemporary accounts of his war experience and as prisoner held by the Turkish, correspondence (including letter from General Edmund Allenby), newspaper articles, photographs of regiment and nurses, dinner invitation, medals and other memorabilia.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

LMA/4624/01: Personal Papers

LMA/4624/02: Newspaper articles and cuttings

LMA/4624/02: Photographs and postcards

LMA/4624/04: Memorabilia

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright is held by the City of London.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area