Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Thiepval Memorial, Picardie | Pier and Face 2 C and 3 A. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.123 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 31D GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Born at Compton, 1877, son of the late Rev. Hugh Gillett, rector of Compton from 1877 to 1912 and of the Hon. Mrs. Gillett, of Thornbury House, Thornbury, Gloucestershire. When in Compton, the family lived at The Grange in the Avenue, which was then the rectory house.An article written for the South Gloucestershire Chronicle, 20th October, 1916 reported, "George attended St. Edward's School in Oxford and entered the Bank of England."
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 6/Leicestershire Regiment |
6th (Service) Battalion Formed at Leicester in August 1914 as part of K1 and attached as Army Troops to 9th (Scottish) Division. April 1915 : transferred to 110th Brigade, 37th Division. Landed in France on 29 July 1915. 7 July 1916 : transferred with Brigade to 21st Division. |
| Action : The Battles of the Somme 1916 |
The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.
Detail :
George joined the 6th battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment in September 1914 and was a captain at the time of his death. He died in the Battle of the Somme, reportedly killed in action when a shell exploded on September 26th 1916 aged 33. His body was never recovered. The battalion was positioned to the south of Guedecourt and was involved in the capture of the village. By 1800hrs the battalion had secured the village and was dug in on the far edge. In the capture of Guedecourt, brother officer and Brother Mason, Major Henry Hetherington EMMERSON of the same battalion, was killed.
He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial that commemorates the missing of the Somme, on the St Edwards School "Boards", and also on the World War One Memorial in Thornbury.
See also: Thornbury Roots.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Wickham No. 1924 E.C. | London |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
3rd May 1909 | 5th July 1909 | 1st November 1909 |
Clerk, resident at Compton Rectory, Guildford (1909)
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley