Private George Beaver is one of 14 men from Dean Street in Oakham to die during the First World War. He was born at Oakham on 16 May 1889, the son of William and Jane Beaver of 20, Dean Street. He was a platelayer on the Midland Railway before joining up on 10 December 1915. He first enlisted in the Leicestershire Regiment and later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps, serving with 70th Company. He went out to France in July 1916, and within days was involved in the Battle of the Somme. His Company fought around Albert, Fricourt and Contalmaison with some losses on most days. On the 29th and 30th September the Company pushed on to Martinpuich, and we believe it was here that George was one of nine men injured and killed. George died from his wounds on 1 October on the 19th Ambulance Train. Two days earlier his mother had received a "cheerful" letter from him. He is buried at St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen, grave B.22.10, and also remembered on the war memorial at All Saint's Church in Oakham.

See where all our Rutland soldiers died during the Battle of the Somme on our interactive map.