Name
George Victor Webster
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
21992
Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
118th Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BUFFS ROAD CEMETERY
D. 6.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hatfield Town Memorial, Hatfield In Memoriam Book, St Luke's Church Memorial, Bishops Hatfield, Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
George was born in Hatfield circa 1896 the son of Thomas and Emily Webster, of North Road Hatfield.
In the 1901 census was living with his parents siblings and a boarder at North Road, Stanborough, Hatfield. His father was working as a labourer with the G.N.R. In 1911 the family were still living at North Road. George was working as a plumber’s assistant.
Officially recorded as born in Hatfield and was living there when he enlisted Hertford.
Wartime Service
Formerly 2600, 1st Herts Territorials which means that he was a Territorial who enlisted before January 1914. He went to France with them, landing on 6th November 1914. He transferred to the Machine Gun Corps 118th Coy. with the service number 21992 on 4th June 1916 and was a Corporal..
Killed in action.
In the Bishop’s Hatfield Parish Magazine of October 1914, in the second list of men mobilised from Hatfield, recorded: “Webster, George Victor, North Road 1st Herts. Territorials.”, in May 1917 recorded: “Promotions, George Webster, Corporal.”, and then in September 1917: “Hatfield Roll of Honour, This issue of the Magazine is of necessity a sad one owing to the large number of casualties incurred by Hertfordshire in the glorious action at St. Julien(*1), in which all the officers of the 1st Herts were killed or wounded and a heavy toll in life of the men under them was taken. The story has been graphically told by Mr. Beach Thomas in “The Daily Mail,” and repeated in “The Herts Mercury” and “The St. Albans Times” of August 18th, that it need not be repeated here.
We have, however, to mourn the loss of seven brave men: ........ Victor Webster, Machine Gun Corps...... while of Victor Webster, his officer writes that he was one of his best N.C.O.’s and was killed while bringing his gun team into action.”
Awarded the 1914 Star, British War Medal &Victory Medal.
*1 This may still be true, but he was not in the Hertfordshires at that time.
Killed in action, probably at St Julien, Belgium (UK family headstone says 'France'..
Additional Information
Hatfield Parish Council Souvenir Committee Ledger: Mrs Webster (Mother) of North Road, Hatfield, received a Silver Matchbox.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Christine & Derek Martindale, Hatfield Local History Society (www.hatfieldhistory.uk)
