Tonbridge School and the Great War: George Cressey
As we approach Remembrance Sunday and the centenary commemorations for the end of the First World War, the school is paying tribute to those among its ranks who served in the conflict, many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice.
By the end of the war 415 Tonbridgians had died, roughly the size of the school at that time. The Tonbridge death rate of one in five of those who served is the average across all public schools; the overall national death rate is one in ten. Death fell disproportionately on the young. About half of Tonbridgians killed were 24 years of age or under, and half of them were aged 20 or under. Most of them were junior officers in the Army.
Over the coming days we are highlighting some of the individual stories of Tonbridgians who served in the Great War.
Today we feature 2nd Lieut. George Ernest Lister Cressey.
For more about Tonbridge School and the Great War, including complete records of all who served, as well as features, calendars, a timeline and wartime copies of The Tonbridgian, please click here.
2nd Lieut. George Ernest Lister Cressey
2nd Battn. The Yorkshire Reg. Killed in action near Vermelles, September 26th, 1915. Aged 20.
Biographical extract from Tonbridge School And The Great War:
At the School 1908-14 (School House). Captain Of The School, 1913-14.
He only joined his own Regiment at the end of August, about four weeks before his death. On September 25th the Brigade were in reserve. The attack started at 6 a.m., and the Reserve followed at 10 a.m. over open ground under heavy artillery fire, and then started an attack on some unbroken trenches, but were held up by Maxim fire. Lieut. Cressey was killed instantaneously at about 3 a.m. on the 26th, shot through the head, whilst holding a captured trench. He was buried near the spot where he fell, east of Vermelles.
“He had been with us but a short time,” writes his Colonel, “but we all recognised that we had a real good officer in him, to be relied on in an emergency, and from that point of view we deplore his loss, but also we all liked him and are—those left of us— very deeply grieved at his loss.” “The opinion we all had of him,” says his Major, “was that he was one of the best and most promising officers we had seen.”
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