Name
George Aish
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/09/1916
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
3543
London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles) *1
1st/15th (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 13C.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Watford Grammar School Memorial, Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance, Bushey Town Memorial, Clay Hill, St James’ Church Memorial, Bushey, St Paul's Church Memorial, Bushey
Pre War
Born in Chorlton, Lancashire in 1888, George Aish was the eldest son of George and Ellen Aish (nee Hill) of ‘Burnage’, 44 Bushey Grove Road, His family moved to Brixton Road, Watford in the 1890s.
His parents married 1884 at Chorlton on Medlock Registry Office, Lancs. Ellen died 25 January 1930 in Bushey aged 71, and was buried 29 January in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; George died 6 February 1936 in Bushey aged 76, and was buried 8 February, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
His father was a railway clerk and the family moved into the housing development in New Bushey created after the coming of the railway.
George was born 8 May 1888 in Manchester and baptised 1 July 1888 at the Methodist Free Church, Ardwick, Lancs. He attended first Callowland Infants’ School, Watford; then Callowland Boys’ School, Watford from 14 January 1895 to 14 September 1900 when he gained a scholarship, and attended Watford Grammar School from October 1900 to June 1902. He resided in Bushey.
He has an entry in the National Probate Calendar.
On the 1891 Census, aged 2 he lived in Gorton, Manchester, with his parents and one sibling. On the 1901 Census, aged 12 he lived in Watford, with his parents and three siblings. On the 1911 Census, a railway clerk aged 22, he lived in Bushey, with his parents and two siblings.
Wartime Service
George Aish served as Lance Corporal 3543 in the London Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles), 1st/15th Battalion.
He enlisted in London April 1915 in the Civil Service Rifles, and went to France the following October. In December 1915 he was wounded and spent four months in a base hospital, rejoining his Regiment in April 1916. He took part in the attacks on Vimy Ridge and on the Somme. He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 27 October 1915, and was killed by a shell while helping to consolidate captured ground 19* September 1916.
He is remembered with honour on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. (Panel ref: Pier and Face 13 C).
He is also commemorated on the Bushey Memorial, at St James’ Church and at St Paul’s, Bushey.
Additional Information
Unfortunately, George’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing. There is a Death announcement for George in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 7 October 1916; plus In Memoriams in the issues dated 15 September 1917, 14 September 1918 and 20 September 1919.
His brother William survived the war. Some information provided with the kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
The published Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance entry reads:
“AISH, GEORGE. School period: October, 1900, to June, 1902. Lance-Corporal, Civil Service Rifles. Enlisted in April, 1915, and went to France in October; in December was wounded and spent four months in a base hospital; took part in the attacks on Vimy Ridge and on the Somme; killed by a shell while helping to consolidate captured ground, 15th September, 1916."
*1 Believed more
correctly, (County of London) Bn. London Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own Civil
Service Rifles).
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
