Name
George Handley
1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/03/1916
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Sergeant
G/2657
East Surrey Regiment
9th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BOULOGNE EASTERN CEMETERY
VIII. D. 76.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Knebworth Village Memorial, Knebworth (Old), St Martin's Church Memorial, Knebworth (New), St Martin's Church Framed Memorial Knebworth (New), The British Legion -Knebworth & District Branch ROH, St Martin Church, Knebworth (New), St Mary & St Thomas Church Memorial, Knebworth Park, Diocese - Book of Remembrance, St Albans Cathedral, St Albans, Diocese of St Albans - ROH, St Albans Cathedral, St Alban
Pre War
George Handley was born in 1896 in Knebworth, Herts, the son of Daniel & Emma Handley and one of five children, although two died in infancy.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 7 Westland Road, Knebworth, where his father was working as a gardener. They had moved to Pondcroft Road, Knebworth by 1911 at which time George was working as a labourer.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hitchin, Herts and joined the East Surrey Regiment, serving with the 9th Battalion in France from 5 October 1915 and rising to the rank of Corporal/Lance Sergeant.
Regimental diaries for the 9th Battalion suggest that several soldiers were wounded or killed at the beginning of March when they were situated in the left sector of the Hooge trenches and suffered enemy shelling. George died of wounds, aged 19, at the 13th General Hospital, Boulogne on 11 March 1916 and is buried in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £7 10s and pay owing of £11 6s 9d. Pension cards exist with his mother as dependant but give no details of any pension awarded. The application was dated 18.3.19.
His father also served in the war, enlisting in Shepherds Bush in August 1915 at the age of 46 and serving with the Royal Engineers, 6th Labour Battalion, under reg. no. 117512. He served in France from September 1915 to January 1916, then in UK from January to November 1916 when he was discharged as his services were no longer required .
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Paul Johnson
