C.P.O. George Albert Ernest
Ettie R.N.

Born at Willow Cottage, Mill Lane, Gosport. George first joined the Royal Navy quickly followed by several years with the Royal Marine Light Infantry (RMLI) like his father and brother "Jumbo" , then returned to the Royal Navy ending his career as a Chief Petty Officer and Chief Cook. George lived at 156 Forton Rd., Gosport, Hampshire, England.

The young George as a Private in the Royal Marine Light Infantry

The older George as a Chief Petty Officer in the Royal Navy

The 1901 Census of England, PRO Ref. RG 13/5327 folios 124 to 151 Page ID 1266757 to 1266803, shows Royal Navy Ships that were at sea or in ports abroad on 31st March 1901:

George was listed as a Cook's Mate aboard
His Majesty's Ship Mars
Class and Denomination of Ship - Battleship First Class
Captain or Commanding Officer - Henry D Barry
Station - Channel Squadron
Position of Ship at Midnight - Gibraltar

His daughter Olive said he retired from the Royal Navy about 18 months prior to his death. He then worked in a bakery in Gosport. Tiring of this he joined the merchant navy to satisfy a desire to return to the sea. On his first voyage out, while serving on the Delphinula (Oiler), he was admitted to hospital in Cape Town, South Africa where he died of Malaria.

He is buried in Maitland (Woltemade) Cemetery, Capetown, South Africa. George left behind a widow and six small children. As a direct result of his early demise George's three sons George , William , and Patrick , followed him into the Royal Navy. All three saw combat in, and survived, World War II.

Photograph taken in 1986 at the request of George's daughter Olive. She paid for the small plaque and made a donation to the Salvation Army for the planting of the rose bush. In the adjacent picture one can see that neither have survived.	Photograph taken in 1998. Many thanks to P.J.C. Brown, R.N. of Cape Town, South Africa, who very kindly responded to my request for help, before I was aware of the existence of the earlier picture. He also went to the records office and located the death and burial information.