Personal Details

Born: 1858 in Narford, Swaffham, Norfolk, and baptised on 16 April 1858 in Narford Parish Church.

Family: He was the youngest of three children of George Pond, a gamekeeper, and his wife Jane. He married Martha Harriet Hopkins on 31 January 1897 in Valetta, Malta and together they had three children – Charles, Rebecca Jane and Mary.

Residence: The family were living in Narford at the time of his baptism; in 1871 he lived at Botnay, Bay Cottages, Gooderstone, Norfolk and by 1881 he had moved to Keepers’ Cottage, Penllyn Castle, Penllyn, Glamorganshire, Wales with his father. He enlisted in the army in December 1881 and between then and May 1914 served in India, Malta, Egypt, China and in the UK. He rejoined in November 1914, showing his address as 5 Smallbrook Road, Whitchurch, Shropshire on his attestation where he continued to live until the time of his death. In 1911 his wife and three children were living in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers barracks in Wrexham, Denbighshire, Wales.

Employment: He was a gamekeeper until he enlisted in 1881.  When he enlisted in 1914 he was a post office cleaner; he became a career soldier serving during WW1 as a batman. At the time of his death he was a postman.

Died: 5 October 1921 at the Norwich and Norfolk Hospital and was buried on 10 October the same year in Whitchurch cemetery.

Military Details

Regiment: Royal Welsh Fusiliers (previously Labour Corps and Royal Welsh Fusiliers)

Rank: Private

Service Number: 76078 (previously 267902 and 17804)

Date of Enlistment: 19 November 1914

Date of Discharge: 11 April 1920

Reason for Discharge: Demobilisation

Other Information: George served as a career soldier with the Army Hospital Corps and Royal Welsh Fusiliers from December 1881 to May 1914, serving and being decorated for campaigns in India, Egypt, Malta and China.