Second Lieutenant George Highfield was the son of Fred and Maria Highfield of Church Passage, Oakham. He was born in Kimberley, Nottingham and was educated at Nottingham University College where he obtained his degree in 1911. At the outbreak of war he was an assistant master at Coalville Grammar School and volunteered as a Private in the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) in September 1914. He was given a Commission in the York and Lancaster Regiment the following month and went to France on 30 April 1915. He took part in the second Battle of Ypres. On 4 July the trench of which he was in charge near Kemmel was severely shelled by the Germans during the day. He extricated his men and returned at night to carry out repairs. During these operations he was shot and died six hours later. He was buried in Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery, grave L.16, and is remembered on Oakham's war memorial and Coalville's war memorial.