Name
George Bignell
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/08/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
17760
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HEILLY STATION CEMETERY, MERICOURT-L'ABBE
III. B. 7.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Northchurch Village Memorial, St Mary’s Church Window, Northchurch
Pre War
George was born in Northchurch in 1891 the son of George Bignall and Elizabeth (nee Rush).
On the 1911 Census he was Described as a Machine Driver.
Wartime Service
George enlisted in 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment as Private 17760 and went to France on 27 Jul 1915.1st Beds were involved in an attack at Longueval on the Somme as part of the Battle of Delville Wood on 27/28 Jul 1916. During this attack and subsequent counter-attack and heavy bombardment, 1st Beds suffered 303 casualties from a total of 807 other ranks.
As George died of his wounds at 36 Casualty Clearing Station it can perhaps be assumed he was involved in this engagement.
Additional Information
War gratuity £7 10s and arrears of £3 10d paid to father George W.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk/first-world-war-database
