William
George Tingley was born at Chailey in 1898, his birth registered in the December
quarter of that year. He appears on the 1901 census as a two year old living
at North Common, Chailey. The household comprised, Moses Tingley (head, aged
33, working as a boot maker), his wife Mary Ann Tingley (aged 31) and their five children: Esther Tingley (aged seven), Ruth
Tingley (aged five), Benjamin Tingley (aged four), William George, and Ebenezer Tingley (aged five months).
Chailey Parish
Magazine notes in July 1917, Tingley, Pte
W, 25th Training Reserve and in December 1917 updates this with Tingley, Pte W,
9th Suffolk
Regiment. In January 1919 it notes that he has been awarded the DCM whilst
serving with the 12th Suffolk Regiment and in July 1919, gives his battalion as the 11th Suffolks and the fact that he also
holds the Croix de Guerre.
On 12th March
1919 his award of the DCM is confirmed in the supplement to The London Gazette,
(Page 3389) which records: G/1671 Pte (L/C) W Tingley, 12th Bn Suffolk R (Chorley). On the 28th November that year, the Gazette
published the citation:
41987 Pte (L/C) W Tingley, 12th Bn, Suff R (Chorley)
During the attack on the Bluff on 28th September 1918, just before reaching the first objective, an enemy
machine gun opened fire from about 50 yards in front, holding up the advance of the company on the left. He promptly rushed forward alone, and shot the three men on the gun, thus enabling the advance to continue. Throughout the attack he showed great coolness and courage, and set a splendid example
to the remainder of his platoon.
I am at a loss to explain
the discrepancy in army service numbers – G/1671 and 41987 – which appear in the London Gazette. The first G/ prefixed number is probably an error, and only the 41987 number appears on his medal index
cards at the National Archives. Similarly, I think that Chorley is probably a mis-transcription for Chailey.
I know very little else
about this man but Chailey Parish magazine mentions three other Tingley men who served their King
and country during the First World War: his brother Benjamin Tingley, his uncle William Henry Tingley and his cousin, also William Henry Tingley.
Sources and Acknowledgements
- 1901 Census of England
and Wales
- The National Archives: medal index cards
- The London Gazette
- Chailey Parish Magazine
