Name
George Stevens
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/03/1918
57
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
32373
Royal Defence Corps
15th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
GRAVESEND CEMETERY
Screen Wall. 5192.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Kings Langley Village Memorial, All Saints Church Memorial, Kings Langley, John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Home Park Mill, Kings Langley, Oddfellows Memorial, Rickmansworth, Abbots Langley Village Memorial(*1)
Biography
George Stevens was one of the oldest men from the local area that died in service. He was identified as eligible for inclusion in the Great War records for Abbots Langley when his son Thomas was recorded in the Absent Voter Records for Abbots Langley in Spring 1919. Thomas was also recorded in the Roll of Honour for Kings Langley.
George, and two of his sons John, and Edward all served and were all also recorded in the Kings Langley records, and were not included in the Abbots Langley Roll of Honour. However, through birth-place, and address all of these men can all be considered Abbots Langley men.
George was born in the winter of 1861 at Stoke Poges. son of William and Harriet. His mother died in 1863 and in 1871 he was living, with his father, a garden labourer, in his grandfather’s household in Stoke Poges.
In 1881 he was working as a labourer and living at Two Stones, Mill End, Rickmansworth and in 1883 married Alice Ayers at St Peter’s Church in Mill End, Rickmansworth.
With his wife Alice the couple had seven children, and three sons served in the Great War. In the 1901 Census the family was recorded living at Rickman’s Hill, Stoke Poges. George worked as a Gas Works Stoker. By the time of the 1911 Census the family had moved to Primrose Hill, Abbots Langley. George worked as a Labourer at a John Dickinson’s Paper Coating Mill at Home Park, . where George, aged 50 was working as a labourer. They had 6 children living with them, including John Edward Stevens, aged 10, who also died in 1918 whilst serving in France, and who is commemorated on the Kings Langley War Memorial. As Primrose Hill was close to the centre of Kings Langley the family may have had more association with Kings Langley, than with Abbots Langley.
It is not known when George enlisted, however the Kings Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour noted in November 1915 that he was serving with the National Reserve. He enlisted at Hereford into the Herefordshire Regiment, but when he did he gave his place of residence as Kings Langley, and later his address was confirmed at 83 Waterside, Kings Langley. At some point George was transferred to the 15th Battalion of the Royal Defence Corps. The Royal Defence Corps was formed in March 1916 and comprised soldiers either too old or medically unfit for active front line service, and unable to be transferred overseas. Eighteen battalions were formed and they provided troops for security and guard duties in the UK, guarding ports, bridges, camps, munition dumps and Prisoner of War camps.
In May 1918 the Kings Langley Parish Magazine recorded that George died from pneumonia, aged 57 years, on 11th March 1918. He had been cremated at Gravesend Cemetery in Kent, and was commemorated on the Kings Langley War Memorial.
George’s sons experienced mixed fortunes. Thomas survived the War, however his brothers John and Edward were both killed in action.
Additional Information
Formerly Herefordshire Regiment.
*1 Added to memorial in 2019.
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org, dacorumheritage.org.uk
