Name
George James Howard
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/04/1916
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
20584
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 31 and 33.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Little Wymondley
Pre War
George was born in April 1889, in Little Wymondley. The son of John Howard and Betsy Howard (nee Wolf). He was baptised on the 2nd June 1889, in Little Wymondley. The 1891 census recorded George aged 1, living with his parents, sister Ellen and 3 brothers in Little Wymondley. Then in 1901 as living with his parents and 7 brothers in Little Wymondley. George’s mother died in 1904. His father John married his second wife Edith Emily Sharp in December 1908. They had two children Isabelle and Henry. The 1911 census recorded George as living with his father, stepmother Edith, 3 brothers and 2 sisters in Little Wymondley. His occupation is given as a Groom on Farm. George married Kate Marling on the 7th December 1912, in Little Wymondley. They had 2 children, Leslie and Marjorie.
Wartime Service
George enlisted in Bedford. He was posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment with the service number 20584. (He must have enlisted with his brother Fred as they have consecutive service numbers 20583 & 20584). George was Killed in Action on the 19th April 1916; He has no Known grave and is Commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial to the missing. The Battalion War Diary for the night of the 19th/20th April 1916, Reads, “After a 2 hour heavy bombardment, the Germans attacked out trenches and gained a foothold in 3 trenches”. On the 21st April 1916, the trenches were retaken and strengthened.
Additional Information
CWGC Inscription Reads; “Husband of Mrs K. Howard, of Little Wymondley, Stevenage, Herts”. Georges younger brother Frederick (Fred) was killed in Action on The 6th April 1918. He is buried in Gommecourt British Cemetery No2, Hebuterne, France.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
