BORN COTTINGHAM 1898. SON OF ALFRED AND EMMA THRUSSELL, OF CRESCENT STREET AND 10 NORTHGATE, COTTINGHAM. BROTHERS ARTHUR, WILLIAM AND JOHN AND SISTERS ANNIE AND MIRIAM.HE LIVED AT 81 ST PAUL STREET, HULL. BEFORE JOINING THE ARMT, HE WORKED FOR MR WRAY, THE HAY AND STRAW DEALER, CAROLINE STREET, HULL. HE ENLISTED IN THE 4TH EYR RESERVES IN HULL ON 16/12/1914. ARRIVED FRANCE 22/5/1916. GASSED ON 18/6/1916 RETURNED TO ENGLAND AND DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL ON 8/7/1916. SENT BACK TO FRANCE ON 27/9/1916. JOINED THE 13TH EYR, ON 11/10/1916. TOOK PART IN THE ATTACK ON SERRE. DIED AS A PRISONER OF WAR ,ON 19/11/1916, AGED 18. HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HDM ON 27/02/1917; 09/06/1917.
HIS NAME IS LISTED ON THE COTTINGHAM ROLL OF HONOUR.
One of the youngest soldiers to die was George Thrussell. George Thrussell’s parents were Alfred and Emma Thrussell. Alfred and his sons were agricultural labourers. In 1914, the Thrussell family were living on Crescent Street. George registered for military service in December 1914, when he would have been only sixteen years old. According to the census, he was 3 in 1901 and 13 in 1911. But his medical history form states that he was 18 years and 7 months old, of “Good Physical Development”, height 5 feet 4 inches, chest Measurement of 35 inches with a 2 inch expansion. He was given service number 3302 and assigned to 4th Reserve Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment Territorial Force. It was not until 21sy May 1916, when he was actually 18 years old, that George left for Southampton and then France. He joined his unit on the front line on June 12th, but he did not stay their for long. Only 5 days later he was ‘wounded in action’ and taken to a casualty clearing station and then to another medical station where there was a German gas attack. He was sent to hospital in Boulogne on 18th June with ‘gas poisoning’ and two days later he returned to England in a hospital ship.
