STAFFORD, George Otho

Private George Otho Stafford
60942 Private Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment)

George Otho Stafford was born in 1891 at Westwood, Notts son of Frederick Stafford a butcher from Rutlandshire and his wife Martha (nee Lowe) born Greasley, Notts. George had brothers and sisters William Harold, Frederick Horace, Frances May, Ada Lillian and a half-brother James Alan. In 1893 when George was aged only 2 his mother Martha died and in 1895 his father married Mary Samuel. In 1901 the family was living at Old Westwood (Palmerston Street).

By 1911, George, aged 20, was living at the home of Eliza Clarke a widowed butcher and farmer at Gonalston, Hoveringham, Notts and was employed as a butcher’s assistant.

George enlisted on 11th December 1915. His granddaughter has advised us that George did not like his middle name ‘Otho’ as it was German sounding and not a good connection to have during WW1. During the Somme offensive George was wounded and taken prisoner by the Germans. His injury led to the loss of one of his legs. He was listed in the Times Newspaper casualty lists as wounded in August 1917. He was awarded Silver War Badge no B202802 indicating he was no longer fit for active service but was not officially discharged from the army until 29th March 1919, perhaps due to prolonged hospitalisation. George was also a recipient of the British War and Victory Medals.

Photo: George’s unit. On the reverse the inscription reads ‘ with best loved wishes, taken five days before going to the line … about two thirds of us came back.

In 1924, George married Marian Emily Upwood in Lancashire and they had children Marion, Isabel and Charles Philip.