Name
George Frederick (poss Frederick George) Fleckney
1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/03/1918
22 years
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/14538
Royal Sussex Regiment
9th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POZIERES MEMORIAL
Panel 46 and 47
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no Headstone, he is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial to the missing.
UK & Other Memorials
Great Offley Village Memorial,
St Mary Magdalen Church Memorial, Great Offley,
Not on the King's Walden memorials,
We are not aware if any memorials at Mangrove Green
Pre War
George Frederick Fleckney was born in the Offley area of Hertfordshire, believed to be Mangrove Green, (locations vary depending on the documents) in 1895, the son of George Fleckney (B 1861 in Darley Hall, Herts) and Hannah Fleckney. (nee Adams) (B 1863 in Kings Walden, Herts).
Baptised in St Mary’s Church, Kings Walden, on 13th October 1895.
Recorded elsewhere as born in Mangrove, Beds (Mangrove Green, Herts) and enlisted in Bedford.
1901 Census records George as Herbert G. aged 5, living with his parents, brothers Albert 13, Sidney 7, Walter 3, sisters Elizabeth 15 and Edith 6 months, at Mangrove, Offley, Herts.
In 1906 Georges mother Hannah Fleckney died.
1911 Census records George aged 15, working as a Farm Labourer, living with his widowed father George, brothers, Albert 23, Sidney 17 and Harry (Walter) 13, at Mangrove, Offley, Herts.
Wartime Service
George enlisted in Bedford, posted to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment with the service No G/14538, later transferred to the 9th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment.
The Hospital admission and discharge register for April – May 1917, shows George was a patient in April 1917; at No 39 Casualty Clearing Station.
His Battalion were part of the 73rd Brigade, 24th Division, XIX Corps of the 5th Army on the first day of the great and last German Offensive. He was probably killed near Jeancourt north west of St Quentin in the 24th Division Battle Zone when men of the 9th Royal Sussex came up from reserve.
George was Killed in Action on Thursday 21st March 1918, aged 22. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial to the missing, Somme, France.
A very brief article in the Hertfordshire Express on 25th of May 1918 states that Captain Wright of the Royal West Surreys has written George's sister: "Private Fleckney was a good soldier, a credit to his company, and I have lost one of my most valuable men." It also confirms that a memorial picture is being placed in St. Hugh's Church, Cockernhoe.
Additional Information
His effects left to his sister Mrs Elizabeth Harman.
Georges documents appear under a combination of his name “George Fleckney” “George Frederick Fleckney” & “Frederick George Fleckney”, all with the same service number to confirm that they are the same person.
His elder brother Private 13164 Sidney Thomas Fleckney, 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment was killed in Action on Sunday 4th June 1916. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the missing in France.
We need to confirm whether a memorial picture exist on St Hugh's Church, Cockernhoe.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Derry Warners
Adrian Dunne, Stuart Osborne
