Name
George William Dawbon
1888
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/07/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
17278
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
'C' Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Letchworth Town Memorial, Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Norton, Not on the Ickleford memorial
Pre War
George William Dawborn was born in 1888 in Ickleford, the son of Charles and Julia Dawbon and baptised on 25 January 1888 at Hitchin, Herts.
On the 1891 Census the family were living in Ickleford where his father was working as a bricklayer. They had moved to Hitchin in 1901 and were living at 24 Portmill Lane, Hitchin, at which time, George was working as an errand boy.
By 1911, although he was listed as living with his family of parents, Sarah (corset maker in factory), Charles (gardener), Hilda (factory hand) and Bertie at 65 Common View, Letchworth, Herts and working as a stoker and gas worker, his name had been crossed out and a note in the margin said he was in London.
He married Ellen Mary Jane Reid on 25 Apr 1915 at St Peter's Church, in Hornsey, Middlesex and gave his occupation as 'Army' (having already enlisted) and his place of residence as 6 Harringay Grove, Turnpike Lane. He was said to be a resident of Hornsey, Middlesex at the time of enlistment.
Wartime Service
No Service record was found for George who was serving in the Bedfordshire Regiment as Private 17278 in 1915. He was posted to 7th (Service) Battalion, part of 54 Brigade, 18 (Eastern) Division and went to France on 3 Sep 1915 to join the Battalion. The Division were deployed to the Somme to take part in the initial assault on the first day of the Battle of Albert (1-13 Jul). George was killed on 1 Jul 1916 in action. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a War Gratuity of £8 and arrears of £2 3s 3d. She also received a pension of 10 shillings a week.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Dan Hill, Jonty Wild, Brenda Palmer
