Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Brunt Ball, a shoe trade finisher, born on the 19th June 1865 in Leicester and baptised on the 17th March 1878 in St. Saviour’s Church, Leicester and his wife Ellen Ball (nee Peach, married on the 31st July 1887 in St. Peter’s Church, Belgrave, Leicester), born on the 16th September 1865 in Leicester and baptised on the 1st April 1866 in St. Peter’s Church, Belgrave. George was born in the 3rd quarter of 1890 in Belgrave, Leicester and baptised on the 13th July 1890 in St. Peter’s Church, Belgrave, he had one sibling, a sister Ellen, born in the 2nd quarter of 1888 in Belgrave and baptised on the 30th December 1888 in St. Peter’s Church, Belgrave, in April 1891 the family home was at 34, Shirley Street, Belgrave, Leicester. In March 1901 George was residing in the family home at 46, Shirley Street, Belgrave, together with his father, a shoe trade finisher, his mother and siblings, Ellen, Arthur, born in the 4th quarter of 1892 and baptised on the 1st January 1893 in St. Peter’s Church, Belgrave, Frank, born in the 2nd quarter of 1895 and baptised on the 14th April 1895 in St. Peter’s Church, Belgrave, Norah, born in the 4th quarter of 1897 and baptised on the 5th December 1897 in St. Peter’s Church, Belgrave and Eva, born in the 3rd quarter of 1900 and baptised on the 26th May 1901 in St. Peter’s Church, Belgrave, all his siblings were born in Belgrave. In April 1911 George was employed as a painter and paperhanger and was residing in the family home at 53, Acorn Street, Leicester, together with his father, a shoe trade finisher, his mother, a retail grocer, and siblings, Ellen a cotton trade winder, Arthur, a departmental mechanic and inspector, Frank, an elastic trade weaver’s assistant, Norah a shoe trade errand girl, Eva, a schoolgirl and Horace, a schoolboy, born in the 2nd quarter of 1903 in Leicester and baptised on the 5th July 1903 in St. Peter’s Church, Belgrave.
George’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the Royal Army Medical Corps, Territorial Force, being allotted the service number 2339, and was posted as a Private to that Corps Depot for training, subsequently being posted to the 1/2nd North Midland Field Ambulance. It was to join this Corps, that he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 28th February 1915. Nothing further is known of his military service until he was officially recorded as being killed in action by a shell at Rettemoy Farm, near Foncquevillers in France on the 14th March 1917. He was buried in Foncquevillers Military Cemetery in France. George was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 14 Mar-17 – FONCQUEVILLERS. – At 1.00am two Battalions of 137th Infantry Brigade attacked enemy positions West of BUCQUOY. At 4.30am I was informed that casualties of SHERWOODS on left sector trying, whilst those of STAFFORDS on right were severe. Fifty extra bearers were despatched to BIEZ WOOD under Captain GRAHAM and the work of clearing the wounded was complete shortly after mid day. The carry was a long one (5,000 yards) over very bad ground the roads being thigh deep in mud and water. Seventy five stretcher cases were dealt with at A.D.S. FONCQUEVILLERS during day; walking cases were directed to a temporary A.D.S. on the SOUASTRE – FONCQUEVILLERS road, staffed by 3rd NORTH MIDLAND FIELD AMBULANCE. No. 2339 Private G. BALL of this unit was killed by a shell at RETTEMOY FARM.