Tuesday 16 December 2014

George Arthur Deffley died 17th October 1918

In August I posted I've posted an article to the site about the terrifying death of Alice Deffley who was the daughter of the licensee of the Bridge Inn at Ford Ridgeway Sheffield.

Four months later I received additional information from a descendent of Alice Deffley


" Blanche's father George Deffley was killed in the First World War when she was only 3 so she had two heart rending tragedies by the time she was 13. She was pulled from pillar to post before she left home and went into service. One of her positions was living in the Tower of London looking after the children of the niece of the Keeper of the Keys. Not many people can point to a room in the Tower and say that their mother in law lived there. I suppose a few Royals could say that  they had relatives who lived ( and died) there. She (Blanche) went on to have a full life and was dearly loved and respected by her children and grand children who she adored.
We never managed to find Alice Deffley's grave in Ridgeway church although we searched quite a few times. However we did manage to take her to France to see her fathers grave. It was very emotional and was reported in The Sheffield Star on 1st Nov 1999.
It really is the end of an era and a lost way of living-for good or bad."
I checked with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and found the following entry for George
Rank: Private
Service No: 50060
Date of Death 17/10/1918
Regiment/Service Essex Regiment 11th Bn.
Grave Reference: V. A. 1. Cemetery PREMONT BRITISH CEMETERY
Additional Information:

George Arthur Deffley Private 50060 served with the 11th Bn., Essex Regiment and died on Thursday 17th October 1918. He is buried in Premont British Cemetery at Aisne, France (Plot 5, Row A, Grave 1). He enlisted in Sheffield and was formerly Private 64979 of the North Staffordshire Regiment

Name: George Arthur Deffley
Birth Place: Eckington, Derbyshire
Residence: Sheffield
Death Date: 17 Oct 1918
Death Place: France and Flanders
Enlistment Place: Sheffield
Rank: Private
Regiment: Essex Regiment
Battalion: 11th Battalion
Regimental Number: 50060
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Theatre of War: Western European Theatre
Comments: Formerly 64979, North Staffs Re
gt.

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