Editing George Stringer

{{Short description|English recipient of the Victoria Cross}}
{{For|the politician|George Stringer (MP)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
 | name            = George Stringer
 | birth_date           =24 January 1889
 | death_date= 10 November 1957 (aged 68)
 | birth_place    = [[Miles Platting]], [[Manchester]]
 | death_place    = [[Oldham]], [[Lancashire]]
|placeofburial=Philips Park Cemetery, Manchester
| placeofburial_coordinates={{coord|53|29|20.5|N|2|11|59|W|region:GB|display=inline}} 
| image         = Victoria Cross Medal without Bar.png
| image_size    = 120
 | caption         =  
 | nickname        = 
 | allegiance      = {{UK}}
 | serviceyears    = 1905–1917
 | rank            = Private
 | branch          = [[File:Flag of the British Army.svg|23px]] [[British Army]]
 | unit        = [[Manchester Regiment]]
 | current position= 
 | battles         =[[World War I]] 
 | awards          =[[File:UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar.svg|30px]] [[Victoria Cross]]<br>[[Mentioned in Despatches]]<br>Gold [[Medal for Bravery (Serbia)]]
 | laterwork       = 
}}
'''George Stringer''' [[Victoria Cross|VC]] (24 July 1889&nbsp;– 22 November 1957) from [[Miles Platting]], [[Manchester]] was an [[England|English]] recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.

==Early life==
Upon leaving school, Stringer worked for a local cloth dyer and bleacher. In 1905, he joined the [[Lancashire Fusiliers|Lancashire Fusilier Volunteers]], a militia unit, and just before the outbreak of World War I he joined a [[Territorial Army (United Kingdom)|territorial]] unit of the [[Manchester Regiment]], then went on active duty with the 1st Battalion.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

==Military career==
[[File:Manchester War Memorial 2018 11.jpg|thumb|right|Plaque at the [[Manchester Cenotaph]]]]
His unit fought in France until December 1915, then was posted to [[Mesopotamia]] in January 1916. He was awarded the VC for heroic actions during the [[Battle of Es Sinn]] on 8 March 1916. During the effort to relieve the besieged garrison of British and [[British Indian Army|Indian Army]] troops at [[Kut|Kut-el-Amara]].

His citation in the ''[[London Gazette]]'' read:
{{blockquote|For most conspicuous bravery and determination. After the capture of an enemy position, he was posted on the extreme right of the Battalion in order to guard against any hostile attack. His battalion was subsequently forced back by an enemy counter-attack, but Private Stringer held his ground single-handed and kept back the enemy till all his hand-grenades were expended. His very gallant stand saved the flank of his battalion and rendered a steady withdrawal possible.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=29695|date=4 August 1916  |page=7744|supp=y }}</ref>}}

Stringer was subsequently [[Mentioned in Despatches]] and also awarded the [[Medal for Bravery (Serbia)|Gold Medal for Bravery]] by the [[Kingdom of Serbia]].<ref>{{londongazette|issue=29789|supp=y|page=10052|date=17 October 1916}}</ref><ref>{{londongazette|issue=29945|supp=y|page=1618|date=13 February 1917}}</ref> He was later wounded, developed [[Typhoid fever|enteric fever]] and [[jaundice]], and was returned to the UK in June 1917.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

As a result of his wounds, Stringer was given a disability pension and a job as a doorkeeper with the Manchester Assistance Board which he kept until he retired aged 62, with time out during World War II for a stint as a munitions worker. He died six years later in the town of [[Oldham]] and was buried in [[Philips Park Cemetery]], close to [[William Jones (British Victoria Cross recipient)|William Jones VC]].{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

Stringer's medals are in the collection of the Museum of The Manchester Regiment, [[Ashton-under-Lyne]], [[Greater Manchester]].<ref>[http://www.themanchesters.org/THE%20MANCHESTER%20REGIMENT%20VCs.html The Manchester Regiment]</ref>

==See also==
* [[Mesopotamian campaign]]
* [[Battle of Ctesiphon (1915)|Battle of Ctesiphon]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last=Gliddon|first=Gerald|year=2005|title=The Sideshows|series=[[VCs of the First World War]]|location=Gloucestershire, England|publisher=Sutton Publishing|isbn=978-0-7509-2084-1}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070929105456/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/manchest.htm Location of grave and VC medal]
* [http://www.tameside.gov.uk/museumsgalleries/mom Manchester Regiment Museum]
*  [http://www.jullundurassociation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=87&Itemid=64 Jullundur Association]
{{Duke of Lancaster's Regiment}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stringer, George}}
[[Category:1889 births]]
[[Category:1957 deaths]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Manchester]]
[[Category:People from Newton Heath]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Manchester Regiment soldiers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Medal for Bravery (Serbia)]]
[[Category:British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross]]