Name
George William Filby
6 Nov 1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/08/1916
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
80375
Royal Army Medical Corps
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ABBOTS LANGLEY (ST. LAWRENCE) CHURCHYARD
381. (N.W. Plot).
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Abbots Langley Village Memorial, St. Lawrence Church Memorial, Abbots Langley, Leavesden Asylum/Hospital War Memorial, Leavesden
Pre War
Wartime Service
Biography
George Filby was born on 6 Nov 1884 at Glemsford, Suffolk, ten miles south-west of Bury St Edmunds. Edward Filby, a Corn Miller, and his wife Ann had one daughter and four sons, and George was the youngest of the boys.
On 12 Mar 1902 George enlisted as Private 7309 in 3rd (Militia) Battalion Essex Regiment but bought himself out on 14 Oct 1902. George married in 1908 to Lillian Beatrice Needham.
By 1911 George was working as an Attendant at Leavesden Asylum and was living with his wife, Lillian, at 15 Asylum Cottages, Abbots Langley with their two children, Maud Alice, born in 1910, and Frank, born in 1911.
On 4th November 1915 George attested at Watford and on the same day went for his Medical Examination. By this time the family was living at 50 Marlin Square. Soon afterwards on 9th November he enlisted into the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) as Private 80375.
It is now believed that he arrived in Rouen on 20 Jun 1916 and on 28th June 1916 he was posted to the 138th Field Ambulance. The Abbots Langley Parish Magazine listed him for the first time in its Roll of Honour serving with the RAMC in December 1915.
His Service Record notes that he received a gun-shot wound to the right leg on 20th July 1916, and was evacuated to the 1st Canadian Casualty Clearing Station. The next day, 21st July, he sailed he sailed by Hospital Ship from Boulogne back to England, and from 22nd July to 17th August he was treated at the Birmingham War Hospital. He died of wounds received in action at the Birmingham War Hospital on 17th August. His Casualty Report recorded that the cause of death was a combination of shrapnel in his right leg, septic pneumonia and cardiac failure.
The Parish Magazine of September 1916 recorded that: “George William Filby, R.A.M.C, died at the Military Hospital, Birmingham on August 17th, of wounds received whilst acting as a stretcher-bearer. He leaves a wife and two little children, to whom the sympathy of us all will go out. He was buried in our own Churchyard on August 23rd, when there was a large attendance of his fellow-workmen from Leavesden Asylum and his other friends”.
On 19th February 1917 his widow was awarded a Pension of 18 shillings and six pence per week.
George’s brother Harry was also recorded in the 1911 Census, working as an Attendant at the Asylum, and was living with his family at 19 Breakspeare Road. His son, Harry Frederick Filby served as a Gunner with the Hertfordshire Royal Field Artillery (RFA), and survived the War.
George Filby was buried in the Churchyard at St Lawrence Church in Abbots Langley and was commemorated on the Abbots Langley War Memorial.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £3 and arrears of £4 18s 5d was paid to his widow. On 19 Feb 1917 his widow was awarded a Pension of 18 shillings and 6 pence per week.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
