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George Housden Dellar was born in St. Ives in 1889, the eldest child of
George and Ellen Mary Dellar.
In 1891 the Dellar family were living in Crown Walk, St. Ives.
For some years George worked as a Clerk for Messrs. Cranfield and
Wheeler in St. Ives and at the outbreak of war he joined St. Ives
Volunteer Training Corps (V.T.C.)
In November 1915 George enlisted in the Huntingdonshire Cyclist
Battalion, in which he served with the 3/1st Battalion as a Private, no.
1551.
On 10th January 1916 at Somersham Baptist Chapel, George married
Grace Harlick of Somersham.
The couple had no children.
In July 1916 George was transferred to the 1st Battalion Bedfordshire
Regiment, 5th Division, as a Private, no. 43109 later in the same month
he was drafted to France to serve with the Battalion.
On 3rd September 1916, during the battle of the Somme the 5th Division
took part in a huge attack launched on Leuze Wood, near Guillemont,
France. For this attack the
1st Bedford's were in reserve but eventually they were committed to the
attack. The 1st Bedford's
orders were to attack and capture the South Western edge of Leuze Wood
and to gain contact on the right with the French around Savernake Wood. The 1st Bedford's were to go over the top at 12.55pm.
The War Diary does not state if the attack was successful or not,
but the Bedford's suffered a large amount of casualties amongst these
was George who had received a serious wound to the chest.
George was taken to the Base Hospital in France where his condition was
so critical that his wife and father were sent for and upon arriving in
France they found George much better and they had every hope for his
recovery. George was then
transferred to England where he was treated in Windsor Hospital but
unfortunately his condition quickly deteriorated and he passed away in
Windsor Hospital on 4th December 1916.
On Friday 12th December 1916 business in St. Ives came to a standstill
for the funeral of Pte. George Dellar.
The service was held in the Free Church, and was attended by many
members of his family and friends also there were many local dignitaries
present as well as soldiers from the V.T.C., Hunts. Cyclist Battalion
and the local Military Hospital.
Outside the church a large crowd of sympathisers gathered to see the
procession.
During the service the
Rev. Albert Hooper also mentioned the other members of the Church who
had given their lives for their country so far, they were: I. Day, F.
Dunkling, W. Deighton, W. Edwards, L. Geeson, D. Gray, C. Howard, T.
Maile and C. Walker. After the service the cortege proceeded to the Borough
Cemetery, Broad Leas. The
pathways were blocked by townspeople paying their respects.
After the last rites were conducted by Rev. Hooper the coffin was
lowered into the grave accompanied by three volleys fired by a party
from the V.T.C., then Bugler Masters of the Hunts. Cyclist Battalion
sounded the 'Last Post'.
George's gravestone in Broad Leas Cemetery, St.
Ives is inscribed:
'FOR US - PARTING AND THE SORROW FOR HIM -
GOD SPEED' IN
LOVING MEMORY OF GEORGE HOUSDEN THE BELOVED HUSBAND OF GRACE DELLAR WHO
DIED DECEMBER 4th OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION AT GUILLEMONT.
SEPTEMBER 3rd 1916. AGED 27 YEARS.
'WHAT IS NOBLER, SWEETER, PURER, THAN THE LOVE WHICH FRIENDSHIP
BRINGS. WHEN TWO HEARTS IN TRUE AFFECTION MEET AND BLEND'
Elsewhere George is also commemorated on St. Ives War Memorial, Market Hill as Pte. George Housden Dellar; St. Ives Free Church Memorial as Dellar, George; St. Ives Literary Society Memorial as George Housden Dellar - Pte. Beds. Regt.; and in St. Ives Parish Church.
He was
formerly clerk at Messrs. Cranfield and Wheeler, is suffering from a chest wound.His wife has received information that the wounded is not serious.
If you can help with any data on this Huntingdonshire Cyclist please contact me at huntscycles@btinternet.com
09/04/2012