Sgt George Herbert Saddington, 240289, 2/5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, died in the 44th Casualty Clearing Station in Flanders on September 28th, 1917, two days after being admitted with a gunshot wound in the neck.

George Saddington, from Coalville, had joined the Leicesters on the outbreak of hostilities and came to Luton for training as part of the North Midland Division. While billeted here he met and married newly widowed Annie Galton (nee Northwood), a mother of three children. Annie had been the wife of master grocer Henry James Galton, whom she married in 1908, and lived at 58 Castle Street, Luton. Henry died in August 1914, and Annie and George married in Luton the following year. She married again in 1921.

George had been sent to Ireland with the rest of his battalion at the outbreak of the Sinn Fein rising there. He was later transferred to France, where he sustained his fatal bullet wound, remaining conscious to the end.

During his time in the front line trenches, Sgt Saddington was slightly wounded twice previously, once in the hand and later in the leg. He had recently been home on ten days leave, and returned to France four days before his death.