217838 Pte. George Charles White British Army Machine Gun Corps Herts Yeomanry from:Berkhamsted George Charles White, my father, volunteered for the Cavalry Machine Gun Corps within the Herts Yeomanry in December 1915 after spending 100 days serving in, training for and attempting to join the RFC. All I know from then on is that he was part of the force sent to the Palestinian campaign, was there for some time, and saw TE Lawrence ride in to one of the military camps. My father contracted malaria and almost died from that rather than any wounding. I believe he was given the Silver war badge for the illness. I don't recall him ever talking about any military engagements over there.
He was discharged in Feb 1919. I was born when he was 52 but only heard some of this in the last years of his life. By the time he passed away in 1968 he had no possessions related to the War and apparently some occasional recurrent malarial fever. His War and Victory medals were gone.
I would have loved to know if he could ride a camel and what he actually did with the machine gun. We never think to ask our older relatives the questions we find more interesting as we ourselves age.
I only have one photograph of him in his 60's. I sometimes reflect that I would not exist if he had gone to the Western Front.
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