Sir George Peter Vernon Wills
Memorial: South Gloucestershire war dead not on a local memorial
Regiment: Coldstream Guards
Medals: 1939–45 Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Lieutenant
Parents: Sir George Vernon Proctor Wills, 2nd Bt., and of Lady Wills, A.R.R.C., J.P.,
Home address: Coombe Lodge, Blagdon, Bristol
Pre-war occupation: Managed his estates in Somerset
Date of birth: 08/01/1922
Date of death: 19/04/1945
Buried/Commemorated at: Buried at Argenta Gap War Cemetery, Ravenna, Italy. Commemorated National Trust Horton Court and Holy Trinity Church Burrington
Age: 23
Further information:
George was the eldest of 3 children with a younger sister and a younger brother. He was a member of the wealthy Bristol Wills tobacco family. His father died when he was 9 years old and he became 3rd Baronet of Blagdon and a millionaire. The title went to his younger brother on his death.
George was educated at Eton and Trinity College Cambridge and in 1942 he was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards to the rank of lieutenant at just 20 years of age.
George was killed during the 2nd week of Operation Grapeshot which was the Spring (and the final) allied offensive that ended on the 2nd May with the surrender of the entire German Army in Italy.
As a memorial to George, his Aunt Hilda Wills, transferred Horton Court and 150 acres to the National Trust, on her death in 1946.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/