Name
George Thomas Keen
1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/02/1919
40
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
101589
Royal Garrison Artillery
10th Fire Command
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
NORTHCHURCH (ST. MARY) NEW CHURCHYARD
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
STILL MISSED
UK & Other Memorials
Berkhamsted War memorial, Not on the Northchurch memorials
Pre War
George Thomas was born in Berkhamsted, Herts in 1879, the son and eldest child of Joseph and Eliza Keen (nee Geary) and was baptised on 26 January 1879 at Great Berkhamsted. He was one of seven children but his sister Kate died in infancy.
On the 1881 Census the family were living next door to the Crooked Billet Public House at Northchurch, where his father was working as a farm labourer. They had moved to Dudswell, Northchurch by 1891.
George married Sarah Jane Sterne on 15 February 1901 at Berkhamsted and they were listed as visitors living with George and Alice Church and their family at 3 St John's Well Lane, Berkhamsted on the 1901 Census. George was then working as a domestic gardener.
By 1911 George had moved with his family to 66 Connaught Road, Cromer, Norfolk and working as a gardener (domestic) and had five children. A son Kenneth was born in 1916.
On enlistment they were living at The Lodge, Leasam House, Rye, Sussex, where George was working as a gardener.
His widow later returned to Berkhamsted, living at Swing Gate Lane and Conglefield Laundry.
Wartime Service
George was conscripted on 1 July 1916 and served with the Royal Garrison Artillery as a Gunner with 10th Fire Command. After training at Bexhill and Aldershot he was posted to BEF on 2 January 1918. By 23 August 1918 he was admitted to hospital and evacuated to the UK to a hospital in Birmingham.
He had a number of spells in hospitals and was eventually admitted to the 2nd Eastern General Hospital, Brighton suffering from bronchitis and broncho-pneumonia following influenza, from which he died on 2 February 1919 with his wife Sarah at his bedside.
His family returned to Berkhamsted and George was buried in Northchurch, (St Mary) New Churchyard.
Additional Information
His wife, Mrs. S. J. Keen, 9, Swing Gate Lane, Great Berkhamstead, Herts. ordered his headstone inscription: "Stiil Missed".'
His widow received a war gratuity of £15 and pay owing of £17 19s 11d . She also received a pension of £1 17s 11d a week.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper, Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk/first-world-war-database
