Biography of Private George Edward Daff (1077)
1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment
Died 4th October 1917

Soldier

  • Name: George Edward Daff
  • Date of birth: 1894
  • Place of Birth: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England
  • Date of Birth Registration: January – March 1894
  • Place of Birth Registration: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England
Father

  • Name: John Thomas Daff
  • DOB: 1873
  • Place of Birth: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England
  • Occupation: Shepherd on farm
Mother

  • Name: Louisa Ann Broughton
  • DOB: 1874
  • Place Of Birth: Baston, Lincolnshire, England
  • Marriage: 1893 Bourne District

Siblings: (Name), (DOB), (POB)

  • George Edward Daff, 1894, Bourne
  • Jessie Daff, 1895, Bourne
  • Percy Daff, 1897, Bourne
  • Alice Daff, 1900, Bourne
  • James William Daff, 1901, Haconby
  • John Broughton Daff, 1914, Aslackby
  • Wilfred Douglas Edward Daff, 1918, Aslackby
Census

  • 1901: George is living with his parents in Haceby, Lincolnshire
  • 1911: George is living with his parents in Aslackby, Lincolnshire. The census gives him an age of 17 and he is listed as farm labourer.

Relatives in services

  • George’s brother Percy also served in the Lincolnshire Regiment but was discharged due to wounds.
Marriage

  • No marriage for George has been found and because of his age we can assume that he never had the opportunity to marry.

Newspaper Mentions

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 19th August 1916.
    Aslackby
    Thirty-two brave lads from this village are serving with the colours, either at the front or training in camp. Two of them have unfortunately been wounded in the recent advance , viz, Pte George Daff and Pte William Sutton. The former was carrying ammunition to a machine gun when he was struck twice by shrapnel and received a wound in each arm, that in the left smashing the joint of the elbow. His father went over to Southport last week and found him very cheerful and progressing as well as can be expected, although an operation may yet ne necessary. Pte Sutton has received a gunshot wound in the leg.

 

  • War Office Casualty List December 11th 1917
    MISSING
    LINCOLNSHIRE REGIMENT
    Daff 1077 G. (Aslackby)

 

  • War Office Weekly Casualty List March 26th 1918
    Previously reported missing, now reported
    KILLED
    LINCOLNSHIRE REGIMENT
    Daff 1077 G. (Aslackby)

 

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 30th March 1918.
    Aslackby
    KILLED IN ACTION: It is with regret we record the death of Pte Gerald Bertram Barstow fourth son of the late Vicor of Aslackby, killed in action in France. He joined the Canadian Army at the beginning of the war and arrived in France July 1917. He was reported missing and is now regarded as having been killed in action.  We also regret to state that George Edward Daff, eldest son of Mr and Mrs daff who was reported missing on October 4th 1917 is now regarded by the War Office as killed. The deceased soldier worked on the land, previously to enlisting. He was a scholar at the Methodist Sunday School, a ringer, a teacher in the Church Sunday School, a chorister and communicant. The sincere sympathy of the neighbours is offered to the sorrowing parents. The Memorial Service will be hold on Sunday April 7th.

 

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 3rd August 1918
    ASLACKBY
    GUNNER Wm. PLOWRIGHT was reported missing on May 27th.  The Red Cross have made diligent enquiries, and reported that his papers were seized, and it is feared that he has been taken prisoner.  Much sympathy is felt with his following parents.
    A MEMORIAL SERVICE was held on Sunday for two of our brave lads, who have made the great sacrifice – Pte. Bertram Barstow and Pte. george Daff.  The Rev. J. S. Barstow, brother of the former, and an Army Chaplain in France, was the preacher, taking 2  Tim. 1. 10 for his text.  Pte Barstow joined the Canadian Army, and was killed in action in France on August 27th, 1917.  Pte. George Daff was a ringer, Sunday School teacher, chorister, and Communicant.  He was reported missing in France in the autumn of 1917, and his body was found a few months after, and reverently buried on the field of battle.  His brother, Pte percy daff, is invalided home with a shrapnel wound, and now lies in hospital.

    Military Records

    Attestation Papers

    • Available
    Soldier’s Died In The Great War

    • These records show that Private George Edward Daff, 1077, 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment was killed in action on 4th October 1917 in the Western European Theatre in France and Flanders.

    Pension Records

    • Available

    Effects Left Too

    • Father John

    Medals

    • The British Medal
    • The Victory Medal

    Memorials

    • UK:
    • Aslackby, plaque in St James’ Church

     

    • Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
    • In Memory of Private George Daff, 1077, 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment who died on 4 October 1917 Age 24.
    • Son of John Thomas and Louisa Ann Daff. of Aslackby, Falkingham, Lincs
    • Remembered with Honour Tyne Cot Memorial
    • Panel 35 to 37 and 162 to 162A

     

    © Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

    © Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

    Military Service Timeline

    • Enlisted in Bourne
    • Killed in action

     

    • This is ongoing research and will be posted when completed

    Sources

    • WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
    • British Newspaper Archive.
    • Fold 3
    • Find My Past
    • Genealogist
    • Forces War Records
    • British Army Service Numbers
    • War Gratuity Calculator
    • Commonwealth War Graves Commission
    • National Archives – Battalion War Diaries
    • General Registry Office