Name
George Grover
23 August 1888
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/07/1916
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
17525
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POZIERES BRITISH CEMETERY, OVILLERS-LA BOISSELLE
III. G. 23.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Bourne End Village Memorial, St John's Church Roll of Honour (book), Bourne End, Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, Not on the Boxmoor memorials, We are not aware of any memorial in Winkwell
Pre War
George Grover was born on 23 August 1888 at Winkwell, Bourne End, nr. Hemel Hempstead, Herts, the son of William Charles and Annie Grover and baptised at Bovingdon, nr Hemel Hempstead on 30 September the same year. He was one of seven children. The family were then living at Bourne End Lane, Winkwell, close to the Three Horseshoes Public House next to the Grand Union Canal.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Bourne End, Boxmoor,. Bovingdon, Herts where his father was working as a Farm Labourer. They remained there on the 1901 and 1911 Censuses and in 1911 George was also working as a Farm Labourer.
Wartime Service
George enlisted in Watford in October 1914 and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment. He was posted to the 6th (Service) Battalion and started basic training at Aldershot finishing up at Salisbury Plain.
He was sent to France on 30 July 1915 and saw his first major action at the Battle of Bazentin Ridge (part of the Battle of the Somme). They were ordered to attack and capture Pozieres, but the Battalion were held up by German machine gun fire and sustained heavy casualties with 330 casualties killed, wounded or missing. Although initially listed as missing, it was later confirmed that George was one of those killed in action on 15 July 1916, age 27, and one of five local men who died at Bazentin Ridge on the same day.
He is buried at Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers- La Boiselle, France. His body was originally buried in another location and 'concentrated' with others at Pozieres in June 1919.
Additional Information
His mother Annie received a war gratuity of £7 10s and pay owing of £2 4s 9d. She also received a pension of 5 shillings a week from 7.3.17
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, www.hemelheroes.com
