Name
George William Henry Payne (*1)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
45
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
294664
Labour Corps
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St Albans Citizens Memorial, Town Hall (old) Memorial, St Albans
Pre War
*1 On the St Albans memorials, with the surname Payne, there is a G W H Payne, a G H and an H on the St Albans Citizens memorial and a George W H Payne, George Henry and a Henry on the Town Hall memorial. So there would appear to be three men with similar names who appear on various memorials. We believe both G H and H have been positively identified, leaving the George W H in doubt.
A ‘W H’ (Watson Heathcote) has been found who died, and he was recorded as living in St Albans when he enlisted, yet he does not appear on any St Albans memorial. Obviously the W H matches to the ‘G W H’, but we have found no evidence that he was also named George, so we have listed him separately, and as ‘Not on the St Albans memorials.
There may still be some doubt, but we have found a George William Henry Payne, who was married to Emma Elizabeth Payne and they had various St Albans addresses. He served as Pioneer 117899 in the Royal Engineers and later as Private 294664 in the Labour Corps. He was discharged after the war on 31st March 1919 and died on the 14th or 15th September 1920: “died of disease contracted after discharge” and consequently a pension was refused.
It seems likely that his widow, despite being refused a pension, blamed his illness and death on his war service, and that he is the man who appears on the St Albans Citizens and Town Hall (old) memorials in St Albans. So he is the man whose biography appears here.
George William Henry Payne:
He lived in St Albans and was married to Emma Elizabeth Payne.
Wartime Service
He entered France on 3rd September 1915, originally Pioneer 117899, 9th Royal Engineers (Labpur Coprs). and later as Pte 294664, Labour Corps.
He was discharged after the war he was discharged on 31st March 1919 and died on the 14th or 15th September 1920: “died of disease contracted after discharge” and consequently a pension was refused.
Additional Information
As he is recorded as dying of disease contracted after discharge, he is notrecorded in the CWGC or SDITGW records.
Acknowledgments
Gareth Hughes
