In its first published roll call of local serving men in October 1914, Chailey Parish Magazine notes
that George Page is serving his King and Country.
Twelve months later he is noted as serving with the 1st Royal Sussex Regiment in England
but by December 1915 is recorded as being in India. In January 1917 the parish magazine notes against his name that he is missing but
by January 1918 he is being recorded simply as Page, Pte G, RE. This information is then repeated monthly up to and including December 1918 after which there is no further
information about this man.
From the information provided in Chailey’s parish magazine I have been unable to match George
Page with certainty to any named individuals in census returns or to provide a link between him and Chailey. Subsequently however, and thanks to the work of a Newick-based researcher, Simon Stevens, I have discovered
that George Robert Page was a pupil at Newick school between 1899 and 1906. John
Oldaker, the headmaster there during the First World War, contacted ex-pupils and asked them to send him photos of themselves
in army uniform. He also made notes about their service careers. For George Page he has this to say:
“Enlisted 1910. Royal
Sussex Regt, 1st Batt. In India during the war. Transferred to RE. Died in India 1919.”
The National Archives records him as L/9311 Private George Page, Royal Sussex Regiment, later 315261
Pioneer George Page, Royal Engineers. His Royal Sussex Regiment number confirms
that he was a career soldier although I think that 1909 is a more likely enlistment date than 1910. He may be related to John Page and Thomas Page who also appear in Chailey’s roll call of local serving men.
The photo that appears on this page is a detail taken from what was probably an In Memoriam type
photograph which, in its turn, had been cropped from a group photo. George’s
name does not appear on either the Chailey or Newick war memorials but he is commemorated on the India Gate memorial in Delhi.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission adds the additional information that he was 27 years old and was serving with the 36th
Signal Company, RE. He is buried in Landi Kotal cemetery (which is now in Pakistan). His tombstone can be seen
over his right shoulder in the photograph on this page.
Sources and Acknowledgements
- Chailey Parish Magazine
- The National Archives: Medal Card Index
- The Commonwealth
War Graves Commission
- Simon Stevens for sending me the photograph and notes from John Oldaker’s collection.
