On the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France is the name of 6/3344 Private George Roger Farnaby serving with the 1st/6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry who died 01/10/1916.

Brenda McMahon has submitted the following:-

George Roger Farnaby the son of John and Elizabeth (nee Clemmet), was born at Melsonby, Yorkshire in 1879. His parents went on to have eleven children including Ann, Thomas, Emma, Jane, William, John E., James Henry and Walter.

In 1881 The family were living at Low Merryberry Cottage. Father, John was a farm labourer.

By 1891 they had been a new addition to the family, a daughter, Evelyn. John had now changed his employment and was working as a coal miner/hewer as was son William. Two other sons, John (15) & James (14) were also working at the pit. They had also changed home and were now living at lived at Old Eldon beside the colliery.

The 1901 census shows John still working at the age of 60 but now back to agricultural labouring. His 3 sons were still working as hewers. There was also a family headed by Thomas Farnaby living next door.

Their mother Elizabeth died in 1904.

George married his sweetheart, Sarah Dodds at Auckland in 1908. They had two children, George who was born and died in 1908 and Elizabeth Annie, born the following year. By 1911 the young family were living at 14 Railway Street, East Howle, Ferryhill.

Father John, now retired was living at Pit Street East Howle with his married daughter Evelyn. John died in 1920.

George and Sarah’s second son named George Edwin was born October 18th 1913.

George and his brother John both worked at Eldon Colliery for Pease and Partners. George is sometimes recorded as Roger Farnaby in the Electoral Registers.

George enlisted at Bishop Auckland and served as a private in the 1st/6th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry which was attached to the 10th Entrenching Battalion. His service number was 3344. His friend from Middridge, Charles Henry Hay enlisted the same day and had the next service number 3345.

He was killed at the age of 36 on the 1st of October 1916 in the latter part of the Battle of the Somme. The battle started on the 1st July 1916 and at the end of September, Thiepval the objective, was finally captured. Attacks north and east continued throughout October and into November in increasingly difficult weather conditions and The Battle of the Somme finally ended on the 18th November with the onset of winter.

His widow, Sarah living at 29, North Side, Middridge, received a pension for herself and their children. However, on April 8th their son George died.

His friend Charles Henry Hay was killed on September 18th 1916 in the same battle.

Medals: British War Medal and Victory Medal

George’s brother John Edward, in 1918 was serving as a Private in the Northumbrian Fusiliers with Service No 16834. He survived the War. Walter another of George’s brothers was killed September 22nd 1917. His nephew Robert Allan Farnaby, son of James Henry 1877-1937, died during WW2.

George Roger Farnaby is remembered at Eldon on E61.02 and E61.04 as R. Farnaby with date of death as 16/10/1917, at Middridge on M51.01 as George R. Farnaby, and in the .D.LI. Book of Remembrance page 269 as G.N. Farnaby.