George William Henry Lay

A Private with the 2nd Battalion, George died on 16th of June 1918 at the age of 38. 

George was born at Lowestoft in 1882, a son of Chester and Emily Lay. He was baptised at Saint Peter’s Church, Carlton Colville, on 24 June 1883, and his family lived at Carlton Colville. In 1891 his family lived at Beccles Road, Carlton Colville, and in 1901 they lived at 2 Water Lane, and George was a house painter. Later his parents lived at 29 Harwarden Terrace, Oulton Broad.  

On 14 July 1906 George married Ethel Ann May Boyles at Saint Michael’s Church, Oulton. George was a painter and they both lived at Oulton. In 1911 they lived at Marsh Road, Oulton Broad, and George was a house painter. Later Ethel lived at Stanley Cottages, 32 Kirkley Run.

George enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 3072. He was posted to France to join the 1/4th Battalion in 1917 he was renumbered 290159. Subsequently he was posted to the 2nd Battalion. 

On 16 June 1918 the 2nd Battalion were in the Hinges Sector. The battalion war dairy states that X Company withdrew the two platoons that had been supporting the front line companies. Intermittent shelling went on throughout the day, principally on the canal bank. Greenwood Lane, and to the right of the lane and the area north of the canal was shelled between q and 2 p.m. Between 6 and 8 p.m. gas shelling took place in the vicinity of Gordon Line, but because this fell at a slow rate it had little effect. At 9.30 p.m. heavy shelling commenced and continued periodically throughout the night. The war diary records that one man was killed: this was George. Six other men were wounded.