Name
George Thomas Radley
18 January 1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/11/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
293
Hertfordshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 12 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, All Saints Church Memorial, Hockerill, All Saints Church Memorial Board, Hockerill
Pre War
George Thomas Radley was born on 18 Jan 1890 (baptised 27 Jun 1891 at St Michael’s Bishops Stortford), to Thomas Radley, a maltster’s labourer, and Eliza (nee Gould).
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, Frederick J (born 1886), Lucy E (born 1888) and George were living at Wharf Road, Bishops Stortford.
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Frederick, Lucy, George, Frank (born 1892, Clara (born 1894) and Percy W (born 1896) were living at Hadham Road, Bishops Stortford.
By the 1911 Census the family of parents, George, an under gardener, Clara, a servant, and Percy were living at 55 Crown Terrace, Hockerill, Bishops Stortford.
Wartime Service
No Service record was found for George. He had the service number of 293 as a Private in the 1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment and was at some time promoted to Serjeant. George’s service is unusual in being a three figure number where most were four figure but most records confirm him as 293. A newspaper report dated 6th May 1916, from which the photograph was found, records that he had lived in Bishops Stortford and that he had been in the Army for 9 years, but does not says whether as a regular or Territorial (or both.
So he was already serving with Herts Regt when the Great War began. George went overseas with the Battalion on 6 Nov 1914 and served with them at Ypres, Festubert and the Somme.
On the night of 13 Nov 1916 the Battalion moved to positions at the Schwaben Redoubt and at 5.45 am on 14 Nov advanced under cover of Guns and an early morning mist successfully advanced over 1600 yards capturing the whole of the Hansa line, taking over 250 prisoners and killing many Germans, During the day they repulsed 3 small attacks after consolidating their positions. During this action as part of the Battle of the Ancre the battalion lost 7 officers wounded, 20 Other Ranks Killed, 5 Missing and 115 Wounded. George was one of those killed in Action on 14 Nov 1916.
George’s remains were not recovered and he is remembered on The Thiepval Memorial to the Missing on the Somme Battlefield.
Additional Information
His mother Eliza received a War Gratuity of £13 and arrears of £12 12s 6d. His mother died, so his father was awarded a pension of 5 shillings a week from 12 June 1917.
Brother Frederick served in Bedfordshire Militia & Middlesex Regiment From 1903 -1906 and during the Great War with 11 Service Battalion Middlesex Regiment from Sep 1914 dying of wounds 28 Jul 1916.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
