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, Surrey. Henry was working as a labourer and Clara was looking after her children: Harry, Frederick William, John Francis, George and Walter Herbert.
Henry Truelove lived at Staplehurst in Horley, Surrey between 1893 and 1895 according to the Electoral Registers
At the time of the 1901 Census, the family lived at Broomfield Cottages, Westcott, Dorking Rural, Surrey. Henry was working as an agricultural labourer and Clara was looking after her children – carter Harry, agricultural labourer Frederick Wiliam, agricultural labourer John Francis, George, Charlotte Annie (Hannah), Reginald Raymond and Elsie Maud.
George and Reginald Raymond´s father Henry Truelove died in the 3rd quarter of 1908 in the Registration District of Dorking. He was 55 years old. He was burried on the 3rd of October 1908 at the Dorking Municipal Cemetery.
At the time of the 1911 Census, the family lived at 12 Ansell Road in Dorking, Surrey. The family was lead by labourer eldest son Harry Truelove. The household further comprised of Harry´s widowed mother Clara and her children: unemployed Charlotte Annie (Hannah), grocer boy Reginald Raymond, Elsie Maud and a boarder Flor Parkhurst. Clara stated, that she had given birth to ten children of whom eight were still alive. The accomodation 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 the 19th of 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. Families were left behind. On the 27th of August, the 2nd Battalion sailed on HMT Kenilworth Castle from Table Bay in Cape Town to Southampton, England. On the 19th of September 1914, the 2nd Battalion arrived to Southampton and went to Lyndhurst to prepare for the front. They arrived there about 8.30pm.
At 3PM on the 4th of October 1914, the 2nd Battalion received orders to transport to Southampton for disembarkation to the Western Theatre of War.
On the 5th of 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 the 6th of October.
On the morning of the 29th of 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.
George Truelove had been missing since the 29th of October 1914.
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 Truelove £7, 13s and 8d on the 10th of June 1919 and a further £ 5 on the 27th of August 1919 in Soldier´s Effects.
According to the 1914 and 1915 Surrey, England, Electoral Registers, Clara Truelove lived at 10 Dene Street in Dorking.
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 Raymond Truelove´s father Henry Truelove was born in the 4th quarter of 1852 in Buckland, Surrey to agricultural labourer Francis Truelove, born about 1825 in Buckland, Surrey, and Mary Truelove, born about 1827 in Buckland, Surrey. Henry Truelove was baptised on the 25th of December 1852 in Buckland. At the time of the baptism, the family lived at Buckland and Francis was working as a labourer.
At the time of the 1871 Census, Henry Truelove and his family lived in Leigh Road, Braggs Land in Reigate, Surrey.
George and Reginald Raymond Truelove´s mother Clara Skilton was born in the 1st quarter of 1856 in Betchworth, Surrey to labourer John Skilton, born about 1831 in Leigh, Surrey and Sarah Skilton 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, Surrey.
At the time of the 1871 Census, Clara Skilton was a servant to gardener and keeper Charles Trigs of Little Denshott, Leigh, Reigate, Surrey.
Henry Truelove and Clara Skilton married in the 4th quarter of 1878 in the Registration District of Reigate.
Henry and Clara had ten children of whom nine are known: Harry Truelove born in the 2nd quarter of 1880 in Meadvale (a village between Redhill and Reigate), Surrey; Frederick Willliam Truelove born in the 1st quarter of 1884 in Horley, Surrey; John Francis Truelove born in the 1st quarter of 1886 in Horley, Surrey; George Truelove born in the 2nd quarter of 1888 in Horley, Surrey; Walter Herbert Truelove born in the 2nd quarter of 1891 in Horley, Surrey; Charlotte Annie (Hannah) born in the 2nd quarter of 1893 in South Nutfield, Surrey; Reginald Raymond (Reggie) Truelove born on the 26th of April 1895 in Steeplehurst (Staplehurst) in Horley, Surrey and Elsie Maud born in the 2nd quarter of 1898 in Silent Pool, Albury, Surrey.
At the time of the 1881 Census, the family lived at Holmesdale Road in Reigate, Surrey. Henry was working as a labourer and Clara was looking after her son Harry Truelove.
The 1922 Surrey, England, Electoral Register reads, that Clara Truelove and her son John Francis Truelove lived at 19 North Street in Dorking.
The 1923 and 1924 Surrey, England, Electoral Register read, that Clara Truelove and her son John Francis Truelove lived at 10 Dene Street in Dorking.
The 1925 and 1927 Surrey, England, Electoral Register read, that Clara Truelove and her son John Francis Truelove lived at 17 Dene Street in Dorking.
Clara Truelove died in 1928 in the Registration District of Dorking, Surrey.
