Name
George John Brett
1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/07/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
18195
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DANTZIG ALLEY BRITISH CEMETERY, MAMETZ
IV. C. 4.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
London Colney Memorial, London Colney Roll of Honour, London Colney - Incorrectly shown as survived, St Mark’s Church Plaque, Colney Heath, St Albans Citizens Memorial Town Hall (old) Memorial, St Albans, Fleetville Memorial (Hatfield Rd Cemetery), St Albans, We are not aware of any memorial in Tyttenhanger Green
Pre War
George John BRETT was born in 1887, in Tyttenhanger Green, Hertfordshire. George Jr. was employed, for fourteen years at Highfield Hall by Charles Morris.
His parents were George and Ellen Brett (nee Smith), and his wife’s name was Ellen Alvina (nee Childs – sister of Arthur Child who also died).
George John Brett was baptised in St Mark’s Church, Colney Heath, on 29th August 1886.
The 1891 census records George, aged 4, and his family as living at the house next door to The Plough in Tyttenhanger Green. Along with his immediate family. George’s mother’s parents John and Jane Smith were also living in the house at the time of the census.
The 1891 census also records the neighbours in Tyttenhanger Green as, Arthur George Payne and his parents William and Lillian; and Frederick James Cook and his family; both families suffered deaths in the Great War.
His mother Ellen Breet, died in 1897, aged 32, her death was registered in St Albans, Herts.
The 1901 census records that George also had a sister, Mary Ann and confirms that George Jr. was employed as a rural boy worker undertaking domestic duties, this was probably the start of his employment with Charles Morris at Highfield Hall.
George married Ellen Alvina Childs of Smallford, Herts, the daughter of George Edward and Sarah Ann Childes at St Mark’s Church, Colney Heath, Herts, on 4th September 1909, so at the time of the Great War, George was married but had no family.
1911 census records George (24), an Electrical Engineer, married to Ellen (25), they are living with his widowed father George Sn. and his brother John (16) a farm labourer, in Tyttenhanger Green, Herts. They had a boarder Widow Mary Service.
Prior to enlisting he was a member of the Highfield Hall Cricket Club and was vice captain for many years. He was wicket keeper and batsman for the team.
Wartime Service
George enlisted at St Albans, Herts, in December 1914, posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment, issued with the service number 18195, on completion of his training George went out to France on 26th July 1915, with the 7th Battalion. From the moment George went out to France the records would indicate that he had no home leave.
When George’s death was reported his wife, Ellen, was living with his father, George Brett (senior) in Tyttenhanger Green. George was officially reported as killed in action on 1st July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, (Battle of the Somme 1st July – 18th November1916) when nearly 20,000 men lost their lives and a further 40,000 were wounded or missing.
The Herts Advertiser reported that:
“Mrs Brett first received news that her husband was missing, but later the worst was reported, and a letter of sympathy came from the King and Queen.”
The report went on to describe how:
Earlier in the month Mrs Brett had a letter from a friend of her husband – Pte H Morgan – who said [George] Brett was reported missing and believed to be killed. Pte Morgan wrote: “He was my best pal. Just before the great attack on July 1st we were talking together of what we should do if we came through the fight. The platoon misses him greatly. He was one of our best bombers.”
George is buried in Danzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, France. Grave IV. C. 4.
Additional Information
Ellen received a Widows Pension of 10/- a week from 22nd January 1917, and is effects of £6-10s-00, his war gratuity.
Ellen remarried in late 1918, to Harry Norgon from Hitchin, Herts. Harry Norgon served his Country in the Great War, serving with the East Surrey Regiment, on the Western Front and in Egypt.
His brother Private 301568 John Reuben Brett of the Tank Corps was Killed in Action on 23rd August 1918.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Graham Clark – World War One – The Fallen of London Colney, Grace Clark, Jonty Wild, Gareth Hughes
