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Captain George Neville MAY
343rd Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery attached to the 87th Siege Battery Date of birth: 7th September 1883 Date of death: 29th May 1918 Died of wounds aged 34 Buried at St Sever Cemetery Rouen Officers Plot B Row 10 Grave 13
George Neville May was born at Brighton in Sussex on the 7th of September 1883 the son of Herbert May OL, a manufacturer, and Sarah Anne (nee Cobbett) May of “The Wilderness”, Ramsdell in Hampshire, later of Surbiton. He was christened at St James’ Church, Weybridge on the 27th of October 1883. He was educated at Lancing College where he was in School House from September 1895 to March 1900. He was married on the 7th of September 1910 at Layburn in Yorkshire to Violet Castilla (nee Matthew) of Thornton Hall, Aysgarth in Yorkshire. They had a daughter, Pamela Castilla born on the 5th of May 1918. They lived at “Wensleydale”, Parkway, Meols in Cheshire where he worked as a consulting electrical and motor engineer. Following the outbreak of war he applied for a commission on the 12th of November 1914 expressing a preference for the Royal Garrison Artillery. He underwent a medical examination at Hounslow on the 5th of December 1914 where it was recorded that he was five feet eleven inches tall and that he weighed 149lbs. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Garrison Artillery on the 19th of January 1915 and served in France from February 1916. He was promoted to Lieutenant in September 1916 and to Captain on the 18th of September 1917. He was wounded near Doullens Farm on the Somme on the 26th of May 1918 and was evacuated to the rear. His wife received the following telegram dated the 28th of May 1918: - "Capt. G.N. May RGA admitted 2 Red Cross Hospital Rouen gunshot wound foot and shell gas poisoning severe." Permission to visit him in hospital was granted in a later telegram: - "You are permitted to visit Captain May R.G.A. dangerously ill at 2nd Red Cross Hospital, Rouen. You must produce this telegram at War Office Officer's Casualties Department for exchange for permit. If you wish to substitute another name for visit your written authority sanctioning substitute must be attached to telegram. If you are unable to bear expense take this telegram to nearest police station. Train Wednesday 2.35pm Waterloo." Violet May was too ill to travel so she asked that his married sister, Winifred Matthews could travel to France in her stead and , although travel permits were drawn up, they were overtaken by events. She received a further telegram dated the 29th of May 1918: - "Deeply regret Capt. G.N. May GRA died of wounds May twenty ninth. The Army Council express sympathy. Permission to visit cancelled." His Commanding Officer wrote:- “He had been in my battery nearly a year and was one of the best officers whom it has been my pleasure to serve with, extremely capable and popular with both officers and men.” He is commemorated on a plaque in the Lady Chapel, St Andrew's Church at Aysgarth in Yorkshire.

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