Name
George Edwin/(Edward) Ellis
1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/11/1914
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
2518
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 54 and 56.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Baldock Town Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Baldock, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
George Edwin Ellis was born in Bygrave, Baldock in 1884, the son of William and Annis (Annice) Ellis. He was one of seven children, although one died in infancy. He was baptised on 23 November 1884 at St Nicholas Church, Norton, nr Baldock.
On the 1891 Census the family were living in White Horse Street, Baldock, Herts, where his father was working as a groom. By 1901 They had moved to Chequers Yard, Baldock and his father was then a postman, with George having taken over the role of groom and working at The Chequers Inn next door. They remained in Chequers Yard in 1911 at which time George was working as a general labourer.
Prior to enlistment he also played for Baldock Town football club.
His parents later lived at the The Hen and Chickens Public House, 51, Clarke's Lane, Baldock, Herts.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hertford and joined the Hertfordshire Regiment, serving in France from 6 November 1914. His regimental number of 2518 suggests he enlisted before the outbreak of war and was mobilised when war was declared.
They arrived at Le Havre on 6 November at about 12 noon and marched three and a half miles to a rest camp. The following day they left by train to go to St Omer and, a couple of days later, marched through Ypres. They were soon in trenches at Nonne-Bossen and suffered their first casualties when they were shelled.
George was killed in action on 19 November 1914 when the Hertfordshires were in trenches near Zillebeke. George was one of eight soldiers killed on that day as a result of heavy shelling. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
Additional Information
N.B. George Edwin Ellis was registered and baptised with the middle name Edwin. Pension records, Register of Soldiers' Effects and Medal Rolls all use the correct middle name.
His father received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £3 5s 5d. His mother received a pension of 4 shillings a week.
Brother to Frederick Francis Ellis who served with the Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed on 15 September 1916, and whose name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Brother Herbert Frank enlisted on 18 April 1916 and joined the 28th Middlesex Regiment, serving in Salonika from November 1916, but also suffering from Enteritis and Dysentery. Correspondence in early November 1916 following the deaths of his brothers George and Frederick suggests that it was decided that Herbert, who had then been transferred to the Machine Gun Corps should not be sent abroad and retained in the United Kingdom on compassionate grounds
George is mentioned in the story of William Sell, which can be found on this site in the Archive at: Archive - Hertfordshire Men & Women - Individuals Stories - William Sell (MM) - Biography Include others from the Herts Reg.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson, Jonty Wild
