20th IEE Member to Fall in World War 1 – Sergeant G S Bradbury

Sergeant George Swanwick Bradbury of the I/6th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment (T F), died 4 June 1915, the 20th member of the IEE to die in World War 1.

George Bradbury was educated at Manchester Grammar School which he left in 1900. He then worked for 3 years with Graham & Co. Ltd before being bound by indenture as a ‘School Apprentice (Electrical)’ with The British Westinghouse Electric Manufacturing Company Ltd. On completion of his apprenticeship in 1907 he was engaged by British Westinghouse as an Improver in the Testing Department where he spent 5 years. In 1910 George was given a position on the ‘outside staff’ in connection with the running and erection of turbo-generator sets. Eventually in 1912 he was appointed Tester on the company’s Electrical Testing Staff and in 1913 was appointed Foreman.

Following the declaration of war in August 1914, George received mobilization orders and was released from his civil occupation. George’s Battalion was eventually sent to the Gallipoli Peninsula and was involved in the Battles of Helles (April 25 to June 6 1915) in this region. Towards the end of May 1915 a scheme was prepared for the resumption of an offensive (Third Battle of Krithia) and orders in connection with the attack were issued 3 June 1915. At noon on 4 June 1914 his Brigade ‘went over the top’ and was involved in bitter fighting incurring heavy losses that day. On the conclusion of the battle George was reported missing. Nothing was heard of him after he went forward in the charge and as a consequence it was presumed that he was killed in action or died of his wounds on or after 4 June 1915.

Sergeant Bradbury’s obituary was published in the IEE World War I Honour Roll and these details have been reproduced below.