No. 2133, Rifleman, George William DAVEY
Aged 29
8th Battalion, Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own)
Killed in Action on Thursday 4th April, 1918
Born in Exning in Q4-1888 [Newmarket 3b:505], eldest son of George and Susannah DAVEY (née MUNNINGS) of Oxford Street, Exning. 1891 census...George [2] was staying with his grandparents Charles and Susannah MUNNINGS in Burwell at the 1891 census. His father George DAVEY [26] a gardener, born Burwell, his mother Susannah [24] a charwoman born Lambeth and his brother Charles F [1], born Exning, were living in Oxford Street, Exning 1901 census...at 2 Eleanor Terrace, Exning were George, his parents (mother has changed her place of birth to West Ham), brother Charles and 5 new brothers, all Exning born John[8], Harry [6], William [4], Walter [2] and Robert [2 weeks] and his Grandfather, another George DAVEY [66] born Burwell. 1911 census...George was in the Army in Cairo. In Ashley were his parents, brothers William (now a labourer), Walter and Robert,plus new sisters Violet[8] born Exning, Mary[5] born Ashley, Daisy [7 months] born Ashley and brother Edward [2] born Ashley. The CWGC has his parents address later as 46 Cottage, Cheveley, Newmarket,( the pension card has No.48) which must account for him being named on the Cheveley memorial. Some records gave the family as at Ashley cum Silverley |
The final German attack was launched towards Amiens on 4 April, when fifteen divisions attacked seven Allied divisions on a line east of Amiens and north of
Albert. The Rifle Brigade lost 81 men this day, only 13 have identified graves. Of the 81, 47 were from the 8th Battalion.All the missing are named on the Pozieres Memorial George is presumed to be the same man named on the Exning War Memorial. There are no clues as to where George may have been when his young brother Walter James DAVEY was killed on Christmas Eve, 1915. George was in the Army Cyclist Corps at the time. The illuminated Roll of Honour in St. Martin's Church, Exning, has a George Davey, living at Plantation Farm and serving in the Middlesex Regiment and a married man, this would appear to be another person, who survived the war. |
photo: Roy Beardsworth
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