Name
George Shead (MM)
1/06/1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/08/1918
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
103444
Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
10th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Military Medal
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MONT HUON MILITARY CEMETERY, LE TREPORT
VII. A. 8A.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
St Thomas' Mission Hall, Green Tye, St Thomas' Church Memorial, Perry Green, Much Hadham Village Memorial, St Andrew’s Church Memorial, Much Hadham, Stone Bench Plaque, Much Hadham, Congregational Church Memorial, Hadham Cross
Pre War
George Shead was born on 1 July 1885, in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, son of George Shead a Farm Labourer and Eliza (nee Ricket) Shead.
1901 Census records George aged 18, working as a General Labourer, living with his parents in, Perry Green, Herts.
In the 1911 Census George is single, working as a Farm Labourer, and living at home with his parents in, Perry Green, Herts.
Wartime Service
George travelled to the County Town of Hertford on 21 September 1914, to enlisted, posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment with the service number 7282. He embarked at Folkstone for France on 17 August 1915. His service record shows he was sent to Mortar Training School, and on completion of his training he spent some time with the 84th & 54th Trench Mortar Batteries.
In April 1917, while with the 7th Bedfordshire Regiment, he was awarded the Military Medal.
On 11 August 1917, he received Gunshot Wounds and was admitted to Hospital on 13th August 1917, spending 106 day there, on his discharge from hospital he had some home leave and then spent some time with the 3rd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. On 6 April 1918, he embarked at Dover for Calais, France, arriving there later that day. The following day he was transferred to the 10th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters with the new service number 103444.
George died on 21 August 1918, in 2nd Canadian General Hospital in Le Treport., as a result of being severely gassed during a heavy gas bombardment on 15th August 1918. This was near Proyart, in France.
Extract from the 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters War Diary:
12th -August 1918 - Hurried move at 3.15pm, into front line at Proyart.
15th -Heavy enemy gas bombardment started at 12.15am and lasted for 3 hours. "D" Coy all casualties and most of "B" Coy. Total casualties 13 officers and 423 other ranks.
Additional Information
When George enlisted, he was registered as George Shed and not Shead. He is named as G. Shed in the CWGC database and on the Much Hadham Memorial, but as G. Shead on the Perry Green Church and Mission Hall, Roll of Honour. His father George was awarded a dependents pension of 3/6 a week from 25 February 1919, and his effects of £9-8s-5d, Pay Owing and a War Gratuity of £19.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Malcolm Lennox, “Lest We Forget – Much Hadham 1914-18” by Richard Maddams (Much Hadham Forge Museum)
