Number: 44056
Unit: Labour Corps.
Rank: Pte.
Commemorated: Woodhall Spa.
PERSONAL DETAILS
George was 41 years of age when he died, at home, in February 1918. Prior to the war he lived at Roughton. He left a wife and 2 children who lived in Mill Lane, Woodhall. It is likely he died from pneumonia. He was brought from Surrey, where he died, to Woodhall. He was buried with full Military honours.
SERVICE DETAILS
George’s headstone in Woodhall Spa Cemetery
Very little is known of George’s military service. He was formerly a member of the Lincolnshire Regiment (regimental number 27821) but he transferred (the exact point in time is not known) to 680 Agricultural Company of the Labour Corps. His new regimental number was 44056. Without precise details as to which battalion of the Lincolns he served with, and the date of his transfer, it is difficult to trace his early footsteps. What is certain, verified by a local newspaper report, is the fact George died, in Surrey. His body was brought to Woodhall Spa where he was buried with full military honours; four volleys being fired over his coffin.
At the time of his death, George was serving in a Home Service Company of the Labour Corps. For a man to be transferred to a Home Service Company, he would have been medically classified as not fit for service abroad. This would have been due to injury or illness. Unfortunately Home Service Companies did not keep War Diaries and virtually no records still exist about their work in the UK. However I do know that this Company was an Agricultural Company. 680 Company’s Headquarters was located at Guildford. Men who were transferred to Agricultural Companies were usually those of the lowest medical category. I say usually as there are also a few examples of men with agricultural experience being transferred to these Companies.
