Thank you to Lenka Cathersides for the following research.
George Truelove Personal History
George Truelove was born in the 2nd quarter of 1888 in Horley, Redhill, Surrey. He was the son of Clara Skilton and Henry Truelove, and the brother of Reginald.
At the time of the 1891 Census, the family lived at Staplehurst Farm Cottage in Horley. Henry was working as a labourer and Clara was looking after her children: Harry, Frederick, John, and Walter.
Henry Truelove lived at Staplehurst in Horley between 1893 and 1895 according to the Electoral Registers
At the time of the 1901 Census, the family lived at Broomfield Cottages, Westcott, Dorking, Surrey. Henry was working as an agricultural labourer and Clara was looking after her children – carter Harry, agricultural labourer Frederick, agricultural labourer John, George, Charlotte, Reginald and Elsie.
George’s father Henry Truelove died in the 3rd quarter of 1908 in Dorking. He was 55 years old. He was buried on 3rd October 1908 in Dorking Cemetery.
At the time of the 1911 Census, the family lived at 12 Ansell Road in Dorking. The family was lead by the eldest son, labourer Harry. The household further comprised of Harry’s mother Clara and her children: unemployed Charlotte, grocers boy Reginald, Elsie and a boarder Flor Parkhurst. Clara stated, that she had given birth to ten children of whom eight were still alive. The accommodation had five rooms.
George Truelove Military History
George Truelove enlisted into the 2nd Battalion, the Queens´ Royal West Surrey Regiment in Guildford. He was a Private and his regimental number was L/9001. At the time of his enlistment he lived in Dorking.
At the time of the 1911 Census, George Truelove was a Private of the 2nd Battalion, the Queen´s Regiment of Infantry in Gibraltar.
He then served in South Africa with the Queens. On 19th August 1914, the Pretoria District Infantry Brigade, including the 2nd Battalion the Queen Royal West Surrey Regiment, left Robert Heights in Pretoria, South Africa for Cape Town. On 27th August, the 2nd Battalion sailed on HMT Kenilworth Castle from Table Bay in Cape Town to Southampton, England. On 19th September 1914, the 2nd Battalion arrived to Southampton and went to Lyndhurst to prepare for the front.
At 3pm on 4th October 1914, the 2nd Battalion received orders to transport to Southampton for disembarkation to the Western Theatre of War.
On 5th October 1914, A and B Companies (B Company included the 2nd Battalion of the Queens´) left Southampton for Dover and disembarked on SS Cymric to Zeebrugge, Flanders, landing there on 6th October.
On the morning of 29th October 1914, during the 1st Battle of Ypres, the 2nd Battalion the Queens´ was in action at Gheluvelt and occupied a number of farms east of the Gheluvelt-Kruiseecke Road in Flanders. They were later reinforced by the 1st Battalion of the Queens´. In the fighting 12 men of the 2nd Battalion were killed, 60 wounded and 20 went missing.
CORPORAL GEORGE TRUELOVE
Another Dorking hero, Corporal George Truelove, of the 2nd Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, son of Mrs. H. Truelove, 10, Dene Street, Dorking has been reported as missing. Although 26 years of age, Corpl. Truelove had seen service in South Africa with the Queen’s. He was sent over to France in September last, and after going through a number of engagements was wounded in February. He did not return to England, but remained in France, and after recovering from the effects of the wounds re-joined his regiment. Corpl. Truelove has been missing since the great battle of Ypres.
George Truelove Missing Notice © Dorking Advertiser ancestry.co.uk
George Truelove had been missing since the 29th of October 1914.
DEATH OF CORPL. GEORGE TRUELOVE
Missing since the great battle of Ypres two years ago, Lce-Corpl. George Truelove, of the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regt., has now been officially reported killed. The son of Mrs. H. Truelove, of 10, Dene Street, Dorking, Lce-Corpl. Truelove was 28 years of age, and had previously seen service with the Queen’s in South Africa. He went to France in Sept., 1914, and after going through a number of engagements he was wounded in the following February. Mrs. Truelove has two other sons in the Services, one in the Navy and the other in the Seaforth Highlanders.
George Truelove Death Notice © Dorking Advertiser ancestry.co.uk
In September 1916 he was officially reported killed. At the time of his death, he was a Lance Corporal.
George Truelove left to his mother Clara £7, 13s and 8d on 10th June 1919 and a further £5 on 27th August 1919 in Soldier’s Effects.
George Truelove´s body was later found, identified by his disc and re-buried at the Hooge Crater Cemetery, Ypres in Belgium. His grave reference number is: XIX.G.9.
George Truelove received the British War and Victory Medals and the 1914 Star.
| Born | Horley | |
| Lived | Dorking | |
| Son of | Clara and Henry Truelove | |
| Brother of | Reginald Truelove | |
| Regiment | 2nd Battalion, The Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment | |
| Number | L/9001 | |
| Date Overseas | 4th October 1914 | |
| Date of Death | 29th October 1914 | |
| Place of Death | Gheluvelt, Flanders | |
| Cause of Death | Killed in Action | |
| Age | 25 | |
| Cemetery | Hooge Crater Cemetery, Zillebeke, Belgium |
Truelove Family History
George and Reginald Truelove’s father Henry was born in the 4th quarter of 1852 in Buckland, Surrey to agricultural labourer Francis, born about 1825, and Mary, born about 1827, both in Buckland. Their mother Clara Skilton was born in the 1st quarter of 1856 in Betchworth, Surrey to labourer John, born about 1831 in Leigh and Sarah born about 1831 in Charlwood, Surrey. Clara was baptised on the 21st of March 1856 at St Bartholomew’s church in Leigh, Surrey. At the time of the baptism, the family lived in Gadbrook in Betchworth, Surrey.
At the time of the 1861 Census, Clara Skilton and her family lived at Dawes Green Cottage in Leigh.
At the time of the 1871 Census, Henry and his family lived in Leigh Road, Braggs Land in Reigate, Surrey.
At the time of the 1871 Census, Clara Skilton was a servant to gardener and keeper Charles Trigs of Little Denshott, Leigh.
Henry and Clara married in the 4th quarter of 1878 in Reigate.
Henry and Clara had ten children of whom nine are known: Harry born in the 2nd quarter of 1880 in Meadvale (a village between Redhill and Reigate); Frederick William born in the 1st quarter of 1884; John Francis born in the 1st quarter of 1886; George born in the 2nd quarter of 1888; Walter Herbert born in the 2nd quarter of 1891, all in Horley; Charlotte Annie (Hannah) born in the 2nd quarter of 1893 in South Nutfield, Surrey; Reginald Raymond (Reggie) born on 26th April 1895 in Steeplehurst (Staplehurst) in Horley, and Elsie Maud born in the 2nd quarter of 1898 at Silent Pool, Albury, Surrey.
At the time of the 1881 Census, the family lived at Holmesdale Road in Reigate. Henry was working as a labourer and Clara was looking after her son Harry.
Clara Truelove died in 1928 in Dorking.
