Hugh George Shatwell was born on January 31, 1889 in Openshaw, between Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester. By 1911 he was living with his older brother William and is listed conversely as a student and a teacher at Owen’s College. Owen’s College was the original name of Victoria University of Manchester.
Shortly after the outbreak of the war Hugh George Shatwell was commissioned into the 1/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment on September 2, 1915 while the Battalion was at camp in Bury. He sailed with them to Egypt in September 1914 serving with them there throughout their training and preparation for action and landed with the 1/9th in Gallipoli on May 9, 1915.
He is not mentioned in the Battalion or Brigade war diaries in Gallipoli but he was promoted to temporary Lieutenant with precedence from July 1, 1915. There is some anecdotal evidence, from letters published in the Ashton Reporter, that he served as platoon commander in A company.
He served with the Battalion in Egypt and on September 16, 1916 became Company commander of D Company and was simultaneously promoted to temporary Captain. He reverted to temporary Lieutenant on October 30, 1916 when he relinquished command.
He landed with the 1/9th Battalion in France on March 11, 1917 and on April 25th commanded two platoons of D company in an attack on German positions. In May he attended a week’s Gas training course at Divisional Command. Later that month he became temporary assistant Quartermaster when Lieutenant Thomas Grimshaw Hyde went on leave to the UK. In June he returned to the Divisional gas School but this time as an instructor, shortly after being promoted to full Lieutenant. In July 1917 he was again promoted to temporary Captain, relinquishing his command on September 26, 1917.
On January 11, 1918 he was seconded for duty with the Royal Engineers and was struck off the strength of the battalion. He left the army as a full Captain and in July 1922 married Louise Ashworth in Chorlton, Manchester. By 1939 they were living in Middlesex and he was working as a Chemist.
Captain Hugh George Shatwell died in January 1959 in Middlesex and was survived by his wife. He was 70 years old.