Family :

Education & Career :

Educated at Warwick School and Durham University; joined the Indian Civil Service in 1899; was for some years in the Federated Malay States, where he held several appointments, and was District Officer until 28 Dec. 1911, when he became Manager of the Telong Rubber Co.:

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

31 July - 10 November 1917. By the summer of 1917 the British Army was able for the first time to fight on its chosen ground on its terms. Having secured the southern ridges of Ypres at Messines in June, the main attack started on 31st July 1917 accompanied by what seemed like incessant heavy rain, which coupled with the artillery barrages conspired to turn much of the battlefield into a bog. Initial failure prompted changes in the high command and a strategy evolved to take the ring of ridges running across the Ypres salient in a series of 'bite and hold' operations, finally culminating in the capture of the most easterly ridge on which sat the infamous village of Passchendaele. The Official History carries the footnote ?The clerk power to investigate the exact losses was not available? but estimates of British casualties range from the official figure of 244,000 to almost 400,000. Within five months the Germans pushed the British back to the starting line, which was where they had been since May 1915.

Detail :

Major, 10th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.

Killed in action between the 10th and 11th August 1917. Aged 40.

Employed as a Planter on the Tebong Estate, Malaysia. Husband of Gladys O. Johnston (formerly Stratton), of 17, Nettlecomb Avenue, Southsea, Hants.

Buried in RAMSCAPPELLE ROAD MILITARY CEMETERY, Nieuwpoort, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Plot II. Row B. Grave 22.

Extract from de Ruvigny's Roll of Honour 1914-18 - Part Four - Page 200: STRATTON, GEORGE BERNARD, Major, 10th (Service) Battn. The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, son of the late Thomas Henry Marshall Stratton, by his wife, Kathleen Helen, daughter of Canon Scott; born New Seaham, Co. Durham, 18 Aug. 1896; educated at Warwick School and Durham University; joined the Indian Civil Service in 1899; was for some years in the Federated Malay States, where he held several appointments, and was District Officer until 28 Dec. 1911, when he became Manager of the Telong Rubber Co.: returned to England on the outbreak of war; was gazetted 2nd Lieut. The Berkshire Regt. in 1915; attained his majority in Jan. 1916, having transferred to the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry In Nov. 1915 ; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 20 June, 1916, and was killed in action at Coxyde 11 Aug. 1917. Buried in Oost Dunkerque Bains British Cemetery. An officer wrote: 'Major Stratton always showed the keenest interest in the welfare of the men, and his death will be very keenly felt by all. We can but feebly express to you what it means to us. He had been with us so long, and the blow is so much heavier on that account'. He was Mentioned In Despatches by Gen. (now F.M.) Sir Douglas Haig [London Gazette, 4 Jan. 1917] for gallant and distinguished service in the field. He married at Southsea, 10 May, 1917, Gladys Dundas, widow of the late Capt. Harkness, and daughter of James Frederick Knowles, and had a son, George Bernard born 20 Jan. 1918. Stratton was exluded from Lodge of St Michael #2933 at the District Grand Lodge Meeting of the Eastern Archipeligo held at Freemasons Hall Singapore on 15th May 1914. Also excluded as a Companion in Chapter. He had been the District Grand Pursuivant in 1910. It is not clear why he was excluded. He was a member of St George Lodge No 1152 based in Singapore.

Masonic :

Joined Royal Prince of Wales Lodge No. 1555, Penang, 7th May 1902, and was more than likely passed and raised in this Lodge. He joined Lodge of St. Michael No. 2933 on 29th July 1904 and further joined Lodge Negri Sembilan No. 3552 in 1912.

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
• Website : De Ruvigny' s Roll of Honour