Railway Operating Department, Royal Engineers
George Stubbs was born in Cheltenham in 1881 and had married Florence Annie Smith on 7 November 1908 at St Peter’s Church in Cheltenham.
At the time of the 1911 Census he, his wife and the first of what would eventually become a family of three children were living at 55 Queen Street, Cheltenham. His occupation was a labourer in a market garden.
His Medal Rolls Index Card records service with the Army Service Corps (ASC), number T4/185649 and the Royal Engineers (261643) and WR/297028. At least part of his Army Service Record has survived and from this it would appear that George had joined the Territorial Army Service Corps on 5 April 1915, as a driver. He completed an Attestation for service for the duration of the war on 16 April 1916, at Park Royal and this may have been to confirm his willingness, as a Territorial, to serve overseas. His entry in Soldiers Died in the Great War states enlistment at Stroud and the probability is that this was the original place of enlistment as a Territorial. His stated address at the April 1916 Attestation was 25 Sun Street, Cheltenham. The Service Record shows that he served in the UK from 5 April 1915 to 11 August 1916 and then transferred to the Salonika front, where he stayed until 17 July 1918. During this time, on 20 February 1917, he was posted to the Royal Engineers, to the Railway Operating Department, as a driver.
During 1917 he began to suffer with bronchitis and this was sufficiently acute for him to be admitted to hospital on 12 November 1917. Eventually he was repatriated to England by sea to Taranto, Italy and probably by rail from there. He died of acute bronchitis and cardiac failure at Frensham Hill Military Hospital, Hampshire (part of Aldershot Command) on 28 October 1918, aged 37. At this time his widow and children were living at 5 Queen Street Cheltenham.
George Stubbs was buried in Cheltenham Cemetery, where a CWGC headstone marks his grave. He is commemorated on the Cheltenham Borough War Memorial and also the War Memorial at St Peter’s Church.
Researched by Graham Adams 8 February 2013