EVERYONE has a point beyond which they can stand no more.

In our peaceful country few people are tested in ways which were common, daily experience for men serving in the trenches of the First World.

Living with constant fear of death and injury - and seeing and smelling the results of mechanised conflict - affected soldiers in many different ways.

This could range from a need for cigarettes, to a nervous twitch – or a complete nervous breakdown.

The army didn’t know what to call what we would term battle fatigue and came up a variety of terms, including shell shock.

The numbers of men suffering from it grew so large that special hospitals sprang up to try out pioneering treatments.

This example is from the Barrow News of Saturday, February 10 in 1917.

It noted: “A Barrow soldier, named Cpl G. Hosking, of the 1/4th King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, has just recovered the power of speech after being dumb for five months as the result of shell shock.

“The manner in which his speech has returned has been somewhat of a miracle.

“The corporal was proceeding up a flight of stairs when he fell and rolled to the bottom.

“He was unconscious for several hours but on regaining his senses discovered to his great joy that he could speak again.

“He could hardly realise the fact after his five months’ experience of awful silence.

“The fact that Cpl Hosking has been unable to converse with his friends was having a prejudicial effect on his mind and health, but it is hoped now that he has overcome this great affliction he will soon recover his bodily strength.

“The corporal speaks highly of the doctor and staff at the auxiliary hospital at Macclesfield, where he had every care and attention.

“He lives at 18 Jason Street, Vickerstown and his friends will congratulate him on his remarkable recovery so far as his speech is concerned.”

On the 1911 census George Edward Hosking was living with his mother Mary at 39 Methuen Street in Vickerstown, Walney.

He was a 16-year-old junior clerk at Vickers.

He joined the territorials of the 1/4th King Own on July 14 in 1913, aged 18 years and four months.

The teenager soldier was 5ft 7in with a 36in chest.

He served with the King’s Own in France from May 3 in 1915 to September 9 in 1916 and was entitled to the Silver War Medal, Victory Medal and silver War Badge.

He was discharge to the army reserve in 1917 and returned to Barrow.