Early Life
George Jarrratt (1891-1917) was born in Kennington on 22nd July 1891.
His father, Leviticus “Levi” Jarratt, had served as a sapper in the Royal Engineers at South Camp, Aldershot and was discharged on 19th April 1883. In 1891 he was a packer, and later an electrical engineer. He married Frances Cole on 24th October 1880 in Aldershot, and the couple settled in Lambeth, London. They had seven children including George between 1882-1896.
The 1911 census
Shows that the Jarratt family lived at 18 White Hart Street, and that George was employed locally as a clerk at the Beefeater Gin distillery in Kennington.
His father Levi, 59 and from Tilford, Surrey, was a “general hop keeper”. His wife, Frances, 56, was from Farnham. Surrey. The children on the census were:
Elsie Jarrett, 29, a military tailor, born in Farnham
Edith Jarratt, 22, a “numberer”, born in Kennington
George Jarratt, 19, a junior clerk, born in Kennington
Sidney Jarratt, 17, a junior clerk, born in Kennington
Percy Jarratt, 14, an office boy, born in Kennington
George’s Brief Army Career
He enlisted in the Royal West Kent Regiment in 1914 and served in 12th (Reserve) Battalion until transferring to the Royal Fusiliers.
George married Gertrude Elkins in 1915, and she hailed from Slough, Buckinghamshire. She worked as a draper’s assistant prior to her marriage. George and Gertrude had a daughter, Joyce, born in 1916 in Wandsworth.
George was posted to France on 21st March 1917, and only saw service for just under two months.
On 3 May 1917 to the south of the River Scarpe, 8th Battalion The Royal Fusiliers was involved in an attempt to capture Pelves, a village due east of Arras. Roeux, to the north of the river, was still in German hands and the attack failed. Corporal G Jarratt was taken prisoner but gave his life in dampening the explosion from a bomb thrown into the dug-out where he and other prisoners were being kept when the 7th Battalion of The Royal Sussex Regiment pressed on with their assault.
The Citation For most conspicuous bravery and devotion in deliberately sacrificing his life to save others. He had, together with some wounded men, been taken prisoner and placed under guard in a dug-out. The same evening the enemy were driven back by our troops, the leading infantrymen of which commenced to bomb the dug-outs. A grenade fell in the dug-out, and without hesitation Cpl. Jarratt placed both feet on the grenade, the subsequent explosion blowing off both his legs. The wounded were later safely removed to our lines, but Cpl. Jarratt died before he could be removed. By this supreme act of self-sacrifice the lives of these wounded were save Second Supplement to The London Gazette of 8 June 1917. 8 June 1917, Numb. 30122, p. 5705
The VC was presented to his widow Gertrude and baby Joyce by King George V outside Buckingham Palace (pictured)on 21st July 1917.
The King presented 32 Victoria Crosses that day, eight of which eight were presented posthumously to soldiers’ families.
In a letter dated, June 10th 1917 Lt. Col. Elliott Cooper VC, wrote to Mrs Jarratt: “all of us offer you our deepest sympathy that he did not live to receive the cross. I saw your husband shortly before he died, & I am quite sure that although so severely wounded, the shock was so great that he felt no pain. I could not help noting that he seemed extraordinarily bright & cheerful, & certainly was a splendid example of a magnificent man…Your husband will remain a hero to this battalion as long as it exists, & his name will help its members to try to live up to his magnificent example”
Where to see his medals
His medals are on display at the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (City of London) Museum, based at the Tower of London.
In addition to his VC, he was awarded the British War Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal 1914-19. The medals were sold to the trustees of the Royal Fusiliers Museum by Gertrude in 1963 and are held by the Royal Fusiliers Museum. Gertrude re-married after her husband’s death to Ernest Pearce in 1921.
No Known Grave
George’s body was not recovered after the war, but he is commemorated at the following Memorials.
Arras Memorial to the Missing (bay 3), Faubourg d’Amiens Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France
Named on War Memorial, St Marks Church, Kennington, South London
2017 Commemorative Paving Stone
A ceremonial paving stone was created as part of a campaign launched to honour all Victoria Cross recipients from WW1. A total of 628 Victoria Crosses were awarded during the First World War, and a stone for each of them will be laid in the birthplace of their recipients, to honour their bravery, within their old communities.
A special memorial service to celebrate his achievements was held at Kennington Park on May 5 2017, when the new ceremonial paving stone was unveiled in his honour.
Cpl Jarratt VC Paving Stone 
Speaking after the ceremony last week at the Civilian War Memorial Path in Kennington Park, George’s grandson Terry Harwood told of how he had grown up hearing the story from their grandmother Gertrude.
Terry and his two brothers were raised in Romford by George’s daughter Joyce, who was also born in Kennington. The 69-year-old told the News: “As children, we were aware of our grandfather because we had his Victoria Cross at home. I remember it well.”
But tragedy struck the family when Joyce died young in 1960. After her death, their grandmother Gertrude gave her late husband’s medal to the Royal Fusiliers, and it was kept at the Tower of London. Terry said the ceremony on Friday was a “poignant” occasion, for the fact that it brought the three brothers together again for the first time in several years. Terry read a poem he had written “Sonnet to an unknown Grandfather”, and George’s citation was read by Terry’s brother Robert Harwood.
It was also attended by serving members of the London Regiment, and the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, George’s descendant regiment.
View the Ceremony below
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