Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Garrett, a printer, born on the 15th September 1855 in Cranfield, Bedfordshire (son of James Garrett, 1831 and Harriett Chandler, 1829) and baptised on the 28th October 1855 in Cranfield and his wife Mary Elizabeth Garrett (nee Mimms, married on the 24th August 1882 in Milton Ernest, Bedfordshire), born on the 2nd February 1858 in Milton Ernest and baptised as Elizabeth on the 4th April 1858 in Milton Ernest (daughter of James Mimms, 1825-1908 and Susan Abbott, 1829-1897). George was born on the 8th August 1890 in Bedford and baptised on the 26th October 1890 in Bedford, his siblings were, William James, a schoolboy, born on the 8th November 1882 in Milton Ernest, Sarah May, born on the 16th May 1886 and Lilian, born in the July quarter of 1888 and baptised on the 28th October 1888 in Bedford, the latter two siblings were both born in Bedford, in April 1891 the family home was at3, Bedesmans Place, Bedford.
In March 1901 George was residing in the family home at 16, Sandhurst Road, St. Mary’s, Bedford together with his father, a house painter, his mother and siblings, May, Lilian, Lizzie, born in the January quarter of 1893 and Ellen, born on the 25th August 1895, the latter two siblings were both born in Bedford, also residing with the family was George’s widowed maternal grandfather, James Mimms, an agricultural labourer, born 1824 in Milton Ernest.
In April 1911 George was employed as a traffic department railway clerk and was residing as a boarder at Weir Road, Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicestershire.
George married Annie Laura Smith on the 20th September 1913 in St. Wilfrid’s Church, Kibworth Beauchamp. Annie was born on the 19th July 1891 in Kibworth Beachamp and baptised on the 30th August 1891 in St. Wilfrid’s Church, Kibworth Beauchamp (daughter of John Smith, 1844 and Charlotte Tailby, 1847). George and Annie had a son, George William born on the 28th May 1916 in Luton, Bedfordshire.
George’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Luton, Bedfordshire into the Regular Army. Date not known.
Joined. At place and date not known.
Posted. To Corps of Royal Engineers. Sapper. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 189577.
Posted. To Corps of Royal Engineers. Railway Operating Division. Spr. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France after the 31st December 1915.
Killed in action. In the Field. 29/4/17.
Buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France.
Awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, George nominated his wife Annie Laura Garrett as his sole legatee.
On Friday May 25th 1917, The Midland Mail, established as “Market Harborough Mail.” published the following article on page 5 under the heading. – LOCAL WAR ITEMS. – Market Harborough and District. – The Kibworth stationmaster, Mr. Kingdon, has received a letter from an officer in the R.O.D. Royal Engineers asking him to convey to Mrs. Garratt, of Weir-road, the news that her husband, Sapper George Garratt, of the R.E.s, was on Sunday last killed outright form a bomb from a German aeroplane whilst attending to his duties in a signal box in France. The deceased was 27 years of age. He leaves a widow and one child. For several years he was chief clerk at Kibworth Station. He was an old S.S. footballer, and later a member of the Kibworth Townsmen’s team.
On the 8th November 1917, George’s widow, Annie Laura Garrett, of Weir Road, Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicestershire was awarded a weekly Army Dependant’s Pension of eighteen shillings and nine pence for herself and her son, commensurate on the 12th November 1917, this was further increased to twenty-one shillings and five pence, on the 23rd August 1918.
[recognitum II-IV-MMXXIV]