George Ernest Percy Backhouse was born 4 Feb 1879 in Lambeth, London to his father George and mother Rosetta, he had 3 sisters. His father died in London in 1883, when George was 4. His family then moved to Walton and he lived with his mother and 3 sisters in Lorne Villa, Falcon Street.  George enlisted in the Royal Marine Artillery in 1898. His mother sadly died in Walton in 1905.

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George died aged 37 on 31 May 1916, he was a gunner on board HMS Lion at the Battle of Jutland, he is buried at sea. HMS Lion was the flagship of the Battlecruiser Fleet during this battle and was hit a number of times by German warships, 99 men died aboard HMS Lion that day.