Bryant, George

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Bryant, George

Military History

Regiment: 
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Battalion 190 Brigade 63 Division (Royal Naval)

Rank:
Private

Regimental Number:
26216

Date of Enlisting:
February 1916

Date of death:
13.11.1916

Cemetery/ Memorial:
Thiepval Memorial, France

UK Cemetery/Memorial:
St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour
Ashwell Village War Memorial

George was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School, Ashwell.  According to the Merchant Taylors’ records George enlisted in February of 1916 as a private in the Bedfordshire Regiment 4th Battalion 190th Brigade 63rd (Royal Naval) Division and was immediately sent to France where he was killed in action on 13th November 1916.

The Regiment landed at Le Havre on 25th July 1916 and went straight to the front line on the Somme.  George was killed in an assault on the village of Beaucourt during the Battle of the Somme.  The attack began at 06.00am in pitch darkness as well as thick fog which lasted most of the day.  Although surprised by the attack the German dugouts and machine gun positions were not effectively dealt with and many casualties were sustained as a result of heavy rifle and machine gun fire.  The battalion suffered 194 casualties in the action, one of whom was George Bryant.  Beaucourt was not taken until the following day.

George was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

George is commemorated on the Guards Cemetery, Thiepval Memorial, France (Pier and face 2 C), St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour and the Ashwell War Memorial.

Family History

Date of Birth:
c. 1889

Birth Place:
Steeple Morden, Hertfordshire

Residence:
Ashwell, Hertfordshire

Marriage:
Single

George was the third son of Benjamin and Esther (nee Huffer) Bryant of Victoria Cottage, Ashwell, Hertfordshire, born in Steeple Morden in about 1889.  He attended the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.

Before enlisting in the army George was a bricklayer’s labourer.

George’s brothers, Arthur, Percy, Stanley and Sidney all survived the war and returned to Ashwell. Rupert, the second son received a shrapnel wound to his arm and was awarded a wound stripe.

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