210106 Pte George William Barnes British Army 4th Hussars from:Belfast George William Barnes served in 8th Hussars, 1907-1914. Recalled from the Reserve in 1914, he enlisted in 4th Hussars and served with the BEF in France/Flanders. He was wounded at Wulverghem in November 1914 and treated in "Armstrong College Hospital" (1st Northern General Hospital), Newcastle upon Tyne. There is no information on the time spent in hospital, but he transferred to 14th Hussars in 1915 and was posted to Mesopotamia in 1916, where he served for the rest of the war. He was already demobilised when he was subject to a medical examination in Baghdad in 1919. He may have wished to remain in the service, like his brother, but was "no longer fit for service", due to a "disability attributable to and aggravated by service in the present war". The disability was not caused by his injury at Wulverghem in 1914, but "the improper setting of a broken foot", the result of his horse falling on him during exercises at the Curragh Camp, Ireland, in February 1915, when he was treated at the Curragh Military Hospital.
There is still some confusion about his early service - he did enlist in 8th Hussars in April 1907 (aged 15 years), but, according to records found so far, he was discharged one month later, having lied about his age (given as 19 years). He obviously re-enlisted, as his later medical record states that he was posted for duty in July 1907 at Belfast.
His older brother, Arthur John Barnes, served in the 4th Hussars 1907-1914 and in 8th Hussars, 1914-1928. His cousin, Herbert Edward Kerley Barnes, served in 8th and 4th Hussars from 1909. He died, while still in service, in February 1919 - the cause of death is unknown and he was buried at home, but his death is listed on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.
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