Name
George Sharp (*1)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/03/1917
43
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
201196
Essex Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
JERUSALEM MEMORIAL
Panels 33 – 39
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St Mary's Parish Church Memorial, Watford, Not on the Bushey memorials
Pre War
Born on 11 March 1874 in Bushey and baptised on 25 March at St James’ Church in Bushey, George was the son of Alice (nee East) and the late Thomas Sharp. His parents were married on 9 November 1873 at St Mary’s Church in Rickmansworth, Herts. Thomas died, aged 50, in 1899 in Rickmansworth and was buried on 10 May at St Mary’s, Rickmansworth.
At the 1881 Census, George was seven years old and lived in Rickmansworth with his parents and no siblings. His father was a labourer and George was at school.
At the 1891 Census, the family was still living in Rickmansworth at 8 Gordon Terrace in Norfolk Road. Thomas, a bricklayer’s labourer, was aged 40 and Alice was 34 years old. George, now 17, was also a labourer in a brickfield. He now had three siblings, Bertie, Ernest and Alice, whose ages were 5, 3 and 1 years, respectively. Also present was Alice’s widowed mother, Eliza East. The birthplaces were all in Hertfordshire and were Leavesden for Thomas, Barley for George and Rickmansworth for Alice (Snr.) and the other three children.
George married Emily Walker on 17 March 1895 and they had six children one of whom died in childhood. At the 1901 census they were living at 7 Chapel Row, Water Lane in Watford. George and Emily were 27 and 26 years old respectively and George is still working as a general labourer. There were four children: Alice, Beatrice, George and Daisy and their ages were 5, 3, 2 and 4 months old respectively. Birthplaces were given as Bushey for George, Bricket Wood for Emily, Rickmansworth for Alice and Watford for the other three children.
At the 1911 census, George was 37 years old, still working as a general labourer and living at 85 Elfrida Road, Watford Fields in Watford with the five surviving children. Emily is not present. The children were Alice Emily, George William, Daisy Hilda, Harold Thomas and Bessie May, who were 15, 12, 10, 8 and 6 years old respectively. Also present was Jane Howard, a 38-year-old housekeeper. It has not been possible to find Emily on the 1911 census, nor a record of death.
Officially recorded as born in Bushey and was living in Watford when he enlisted in Watford.
Wartime Service
George enlisted in Watford and served in the Egyptian theatre as Private 201196 in the 4th Battalion of the Essex Regiment. He was presumed killed in action on 27 March 1917 in Palestine, aged 43, and was entitled to the Victory and British War medals. He was formerly Private 20691 in the Bedfordshire Regiment.
The 4th Battalion of the Essex Regiment was a territorial unit, becoming part of 161st Brigade of the 54th (East Anglian) Division in May 1915. They landed at Suvla Bay on the 12th of August 1915 and engaged in operations against the Turks. Due to severe casualties from combat, disease, and harsh weather the Battalion was evacuated from Gallipoli to Mudros on the 4th of December 1915. On the 17th of December 1915 they were deployed to Alexandria for defence of the Suez canal. The 4th Battalion took part in the First Battle of Gaza on the 26th and 27th of March 1917. It was an attack designed to clear the way for an invasion of Palestine and came close to success, but ultimately failed. During the afternoon of the 26th, the 4th and 5th Battalions led an attack on the strategic defensive positions of Mansura Ridge. The attack faltered but with support from 6th Essex, the Turkish trenches were occupied by 5 30 pm. Severe casualties were incurred. A Turkish counter-attack on the morning of the 27th forced a withdrawal, and was probably when George was killed. Over the two days of battle, the 4th lost 58 killed, 334 wounded and 74 missing.
George is remembered with honour on the Jerusalem Memorial: Panels 33 to 39, and is also commemorated at St Mary’s Parish Church in Watford.
The Registers of Soldiers’ Effects named Daisy, Harold and Guardian (Annie Lumm) of Bessie as his legatees.
Additional Information
*1 G Sharp appears on the St Mary's Church, Memorial, Watford and a G W Sharpe appears on the St Andrews Church Watford memorials. There appear to be three candidates: George Sharp (201196), (85396) George Victor Sharpe and (203355) George William Sharp. All have a direct connection to Watford and could be on a memorial there. Until further evidence comes to light, we have chosen the following for the reasons given. We believe that the first man named is on the St Mary’s memorial, because of the lack of any middle initials and that (85396) George William Sharp is the on the St Andrew memorials because of the middle initial. The third man we have assumed is not listed on the Watford memorials (but has associations with Watford) this is because in his details for the period in the run up to 1914 he seems to more associated to Leavesden and we believe he is on the memorial there, of course there remains some uncertainty.
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Jonty Wild, Mike Collins, Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
