George William Barrett

WWI Memorial Roll

By Lynette Wray

George William Barrett

Military History:        

Regiment:                                Labour Corps

Rank:                                       Private

Regimental Number:              489778

                                                Previously 7196, 201910

Date of Enlisting:                   15.11.1915

Date of death:                        22.5.1962

Cemetery/ Memorial:            

UK Cemetery/Memorial:       St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour

George enlisted on 15 November 1915 at Bedford, Bedfordshire and was posted to the 5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, Regimental Number 7196. On 20 December.1916 he was appointed Drummer. He was deemed medically unfit for active duty and on 24 November, as his occupation was a gardener, he transferred to the Labour Corps, Agricultural Division, 482nd Company, Leicester, Leicestershire.  He was discharged on 24 July 1919.

He survived the War and died at Biggleswade, Bedfordshire on 22 May 1962.

Family History:

Date of Birth:                15.12.1885

Birth Place:                   Biggleswade, Bedfordshire

Residence:                    Biggleswade, Bedfordshire

Marriage:                      8.9.1910

George was born on 15December 1885 at Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, the third son of Charles and Harriet (nee Smith) Barrett. He married Florence Naomi Pope at Biggleswade on 8 September 1910, and soon thereafter moved to Mill Street, Ashwell, Hertfordshire.  He was employed by Mr WA Fordham at The Bury as a kitchen gardener.  George and Florence had one daughter, Greta Florence who was born at Ashwell on 1 October 1916.

After being discharged from the army George and his family moved back to Biggleswade.

Florence died in January 1927 and in July 1928 George married Bertha Grant. They had one son, Sidney G, born 1 February 1932.

George died at Biggleswade, Bedfordshire on 22 May 1962.