(1906 - 1997)

George was born on the 29th July 1906 at the Princess Margaret Louise Hospital for Women in Hampshire while the Seaforth Highlanders, in which his father served, were stationed at the Talavera Barracks at Aldershot. He was the second son of Thomas William and Susannah Line. After the regiment returned to Fort George in Scotland, he was educated at the Garrison school  and also at the public schools at Rosemarkie and Cromarty on the Black isle. He completed his education at the age of 14 after the family had returned to London. The photograph was taken in 1987 on the occasion of his 60th wedding anniversary.

On the 4th August 1920 he was accepted as a probationer for an apprenticeship at South London building company, Courtenay and Fairbairn based at 377 Albany Road, Camberwell under the tutelege of Foreman G F Reid on wages of 15 shillings per week. On 1st February 1921 the company signed his indentures for an apprenticeship of six years. By 1926 he was earning 70 shillings a week. His indentures were endorsed "best lad the firm has ever had". After working for various other builders he joined the Post Office (now  Telecom) at Cornwallis Road in North London on 26th October 1936 where he stayed until his retirement in 1967.

George married Amelia Ann Noon in 1927 following a brief courtship. Amelia, who was always called "Cis" in both families,  was born to Frederick and Mary Noon on 10th August 1906 in Peckham, South East London. She was one of a family of nine, two of whom died in infancy.  In her teens Cis worked as a factory hand before meeting George. For more information on this family, click on the name below:

Noon Family

The wedding took place at 1.30pm on 12th November 1927 at st Saviours Church in Croydon. The service was conducted by the Rev. Gilbert A Finch.  Their first home was at 22 Kingswood Raod at Brixton Hill in South London. On the 4th August 1932, Sheila Ann Line was born at St Thomas`s hospital. Shortly before the outbreak of war the family moved to 63 Gareth Grove on the Downham estate near Bromley, Kent. On 8th August 1946 David George Line was born at Lewisham Hospital.

On the 13th May 1940 George joined No 723 Artisan Works Company of the Royal Engineers having previously volunteered for the Parachute Regiment and being told he was"too old". Training took him around the UK from Mevagissey in Cornwall to Chatham in Kent. His training included explosive demolition, mine laying and mine clearing. While stationed in Kent he was one of a group who mined the Kingsferry Railway bridge connecting Kent to the Isle of Sheppey in advance of an anticipated German invasion. Later he embarked on board a troopship at Glasgow for the dangerous voyage to North Africa via Capetown. He saw action at El Alamein, Sicily and the East Coast of Italy where he was involved in mine clearance and dealing with booby traps. This work was also interspersed  with more mundane duties such as running stores, pipelaying and construction work. Click on:

Letters Home

which gives details of the three years leading to the end of the war. After V.E Day he was involved in a serious road accident and suffered serious facial  and back injuries. He was hospitalised and  did not return to the UK to be demobilised until the 4th October 1945.

George retired from   Post Office Telecommunications in 1967 and moved with Cis to Ella House at Caston in  Norfolk where they lived until 1971. After this they moved house a further nine times.