George Edward Martin Hansford was born on 25th March 1892, the second of five children – and the eldest son – to Edward and Amelia Hansford. Edward was a farmer from Netherbury in Dorset, and this is where the family were born and raised.

By the time of the 1911 census, Lower Ford Farm had become a family affair, with George and his older sister, Susannah both supporting their father in running things. War was on the horizon, however, and things were to change.

George was called upon to serve his country on 15th February 1916. He joined the Dorsetshire Regiment, and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion. He wasn’t formally mobilised until 19th January 1917, but his medical identified an underlying health condition.

Private Hansford had suffered a bout tuberculosis in 1914, and this left to his medical report confirming that his health was impacted to the point that he was medically unfit to serve in the army. Unfortunately, while awaiting the results of the report, George, who was back at home had a recurrence of the condition, and succumbed to it. He passed away on 11th April 1917, at the age of just 25 years old.

George Edward Martin Hansford was laid to rest in the graveyard of Holy Trinity Church in Salwayash, a few miles from the family home in Netherbury.

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