This tablet is in St Anne's Church, Catterick, Yorkshire
To the memory of Rifleman 1024 William George SWADLING, 3rd The Rifle Brigade who died 26th March 1918 of wounds received in action at Chaulnes. This Tablet is erected by E R Kewley, Acting Lieutenant Colonel in grateful recognition of services rendered to him. He was the son of William Stephen and Elizabeth of Eastbourne, East Sussex.
(Medal card has George Swadling)
(Index of Wills and Administrations) Have is home address as 52, Church Street, Eastbourne and his effects went to his brother Sergeant, Shoemaker, Thomas Percy H.M.Army. He is commemorated on a Tablet in St Ann's Church, Catterick, Yorkshire and he is at rest in Etaples Military Cemetery, France. Some notes from remains of his army record. he joined up at Winchester on the 11th August 1905 for 9yrs and 3 months aged 18 and 3 months as Private 1024, Rifle Brigade. He served in Malta 10th February 1906 to 21st January 1909 He was in hospital at the Royal Naval Hospital, Mtarfa from the 28th June 1906 to 24th September 1906. with a personal complaint (He liked the Maltese girls). He left Malta with his regiment for Alexandria, Egypt on the 22nd January 1909 and arrived on the 29th January 1909. He was still in Cairo on the 23rd January 1911 that day he received an Anti typhoid inoculation. The regiment left Egypt on the 31st January 1913 Not recorded his regiment went to Cork, Ireland. He was in hospital from the 12 to 15th September 1913 in Tipperary with a sprained left knee. In Cork, he was transferred to the Army reserve on the expiration of his period of army service, confirmed on the 10th August 1914 and left to work for Lieutenant Edward Rigby Kewley and a general labourer. On the 8th August 1914 he embarked with the 3rd Battalion to France and was transferred to the front on the 19th September 1914. The 31st October 1916 he was attached to Major Edward Rigby Kewly as his servant (Batman). On the 24th March 1918 he received multiple gun shots wounds to his body (likely for a machine gun) and died of his wounds between 25th and 26th March while he was in 47th Casualty Clearing Station, France.
Lt.-Col. Edward Rigby Kewley DSO MC, Born 27th November 1889 and died 7th March 1972 late Rifle Brigade
He was the husband of Eleanor Hilda nee Brocklebank. He lived at (1) General Head Quarters, 3rd Echelon, (2) Oran, Catterick, Yorkshire and (3) Little Dean House, Stockbridge, Hampshire
London gazette 10 Jan 1918
Captain, (Acting, Lieutenant Colonel) Edward Rigby Kewley, M.C. Rifle Brigade
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Under intense shell and machine gun fire he made a personal reconnaissance of the forward position held by his battalion, and returned to Brigade Headquarters to report the situation. He again went out to his forward posts and personally superintended the consolidation under heavy shell and machine-gun fire, behaving with the utmost coolness and gallantry through continual heavy fighting.
