Name
George Herbert Westerberg
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
05/09/1916
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery
106th Brigade
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DANTZIG ALLEY BRITISH CEMETERY, MAMETZ
IX. T. I.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Bushey Town Memorial, St James’ Church Memorial, Bushey
Pre War
Born on 1 June 1879 in Göteborgs Gustavi in Sweden, George Herbert Westerberg was the son of Johan August Westerberg and Jemima Andersson Marshall.
At the 1901 census, George was 21 years old and living with the Anderson family at 1 Rickmansworth Road in Watford. George was a cousin to the head of the family, John Anderson, who was a 75-year-old retired merchant. Also present were John’s 59-year-old sister, Charlotte Anderson, and three servants; a sick nurse, a domestic cook and a housemaid. The birthplace for John and Charlotte was given as Scotland.
George became a naturalised British subject on 13th June 1910, having sworn his oath in front of the Right Honourable Winston Leonard Spenser Churchill. He was living at that time at 8 Loates Lane in Watford.
George married Jane Clark in the registration district of Watford in the second quarter of 1910. She was the daughter of John Lockie Clark, a ship owner and ship broker, and was living at Southampton Lodge in Friern Barnet at the 1891. Her birthplace was given as Hampstead in London.
At the 1911 census, George and Jane were living at Porch Cottage, 15 Nightingale Road in Bushey. George and Jane were 31 and 28 years old respectively and George had a business as a wholesale merchant chiefly confectionary and sugar. Also present was a general domestic servant. George and Jane had had 2 children, Peter, born in 1911 and Marjorie born in 1914.
Wartime Service
George Herbert Westerberg gained a commission as 2nd Lieutenant with the Royal Field Artillery. He was killed in action at the Somme on 5 September 1916 and is buried at Danzig Alley Cemetery, Mametz. He is also commemorated on the Bushey, Clay Hill memorial and on the St James’ Church memorial in Bushey. George was entitled to the Victory and British War medals. The medal record card gave the address for Jane as The Brae, Avenue Rise in Bushey.
The Registers of Soldiers’ Effects named Malcolm Clark as the Executor and included three payments totalling £76 17s. 8d. There is also an entry in the National Probate Calendar for 1916 which reads: WESTERBERG George Herbert of The Brae Bushey Hertfordshire 2nd Lieutenant R.F.A. special reserve died 5 September 1916 in France Probate London 27 December to Malcolm Clark lieutenant A.S.C. Effects £5498 17s. 7d.
The 1939 England and Wales Register listed Jane and Peter Westerberg living at Old Farm Cottage in Chichester, Sussex. Jane living by ‘Private Means’ and Peter was a Qualified Mining Engineer.Also present was a domestic servant, Anne Lavin.
Additional Information
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
