George Ashford Bessant was the eldest son of Frederick Bessant and Eleanor Lavinia Ashford who married in their local church St Mary's, Portskewett on 29 June 1884. Both were 18 years old and George was a labourer.

Initially the couple made their home in Portskewett where Eleanor gave birth to a daughter at the end of the year. George was born in Cardiff in the summer of 1887 and a younger brother Horace in 1890.

When the census was taken in the spring of 1891 Eleanor and her three children were boarding with the Drover family in Portskewett whilst Frederick was boarding with his brother in law in Runcorn. It wasn't long before the rest of the family moved to Runcorn where Eleanor had two more sons Alexander and Hughen.

Sadly George's father died in 1898 aged just 33 and leaving his young widow with five children under working age. it seems that Eleanor remarried and had another daughter in 1900. When the census return was made in 1901 Eleanor was living with all six of her children at 18 Rose Hill Terrace, Rawcliffe (near Goole). George was 13 by this time and was working as a porter in a paper mill; likely the Joseph Turner Paper Mill at Rawcliffe Bridge.

At some point George met Bertha Groocock and the couple married in the summer of 1907. They began their married life at Water Side in Rawcliffe with Bertha's parents and Bertha gave birth to a son and two daughters before the census was taken in 1911. George was still working at the paper mill and their children, Frederick, Constance and Agnes were still too young for school. A third daughter, Bertha was born the following year and a second son Joseph completed the family in December 1915.

Though George's service records haven't survived we know that he enlisted in Goole in December 1915. With a newborn son and another four children under the age of ten Bertha would, no doubt, have been grateful that her extended family lived close by.

George initially joined the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, serving first in 14th (Home Service) Battalion, with service number 2438. This was a newly formed battalion, as the name suggests, serving in the UK. He was later transferred to 9th (Service) Battalion, serving as a sergeant.

At some point George was again transferred, this time to the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, sometimes nicknamed the Mutton Lancers, and issued with new service number G/25684. The prefix G in his service number indicated that George had signed up for the duration of the war rather than the long term contract he would have had if he had enlisted in peace time. George served in the 11th (Service) Battalion.

According to an article in the local newspaper George disembarked in France around November 1917 at which time 11th Battalion West Surrey Regiment had been ordered to Italy where they remained until March 1918.

The war diary of 9th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry does however report that a draft of 156 other ranks arrived at Lancaster Camp near Mont St Eloi on 24 November. It looks very likely then that Sergeant George Bessant was part of this draft.

There is nothing in either war diary to suggest when George might have been transferred to the West Surrey Regiment, but it is possible that he was moved following massive losses during the German Spring Offensive in 1918.

As we can't be sure when exactly George joined the West Surrey Regiment, it is not possible to know in which actions he took part, but he could have been involved in the battles of Bapaume, Arras and the Lys. We can be certain that George took part in the beginning of the Final Advance in Flanders.

In mid September the men were in reserve near Poperinghe, an opportunity for some training and even, on 22 September, the luxury of a bath and battalion games. On 27 September the men rested during the day and at 7.15pm marched out for Dominion Camp, arriving around 9.30pm. Just before midnight orders were received concerning operations for the next day.

At 7.00am on 28 September the men paraded then moved out of their camp to Pulse Farm, then on to Klein Zillebeke where they remained overnight. The Division launched a major attack on the morning of 29 September to capture strategic ridges near Zandvoorde and the Comines Canal, the task of 11th Battalion being to 'make good' the Wervicq-Comines railway.

The men moved off at 5.30am and consolidated their position in support encountering some machine gun fire and shelling but otherwise not much opposition. By the afternoon the leading battalions had to fall back owing to casualties and the support line became the front line. This line was held through the night, but not without loss, three men were killed and several injured.

One of those men killed in action that day was 31 year old Sergeant George Ashford Bessant. His body was recovered and buried close to where he fell. After the war ended and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission undertook the responsibility for the proper remembrance of those lost in the war, his burial place was found identified by a cross and his clothing and he was reburied in the Zantvoorde British Cemetery.

George's widow, Bertha, chose the inscription for his headstone 'Until the morning breaks and the shadows flee away.'

George is also remembered on the Goole Cenotaph, Rawcliffe Bridge Parish Roll of Honour, Rawcliffe Cenotaph and the war memorial at St James Church, Rawcliffe.

For his service to his country George earned the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. His accrued pay and War Gratuity Payment of £16 were paid to his widow then living at 9, Spencer Street, Goole.

His death was reported in the Selby Times in October 1918. 'The sad news reached Mrs Bales, of 92 Olympia Cottages, Selby, this last few days that her eldest son, Sgt George Ashford Bessant, Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, had been killed in action.  The deceased, was 31 years old and was formerly in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, and was transferred on the occasion of a big ‘splash up’.  He joined up in December 1915 in the regulars and had been 11 months in France.  Another son, company Sgt Major Aled Bessant, York and Lancashire Regiment, made the great sacrifice on 15th October last year, at the age of 25 having died of wounds in Rouen hospital.  He joined up in 1914.  Another son, Bombardier Hughen Bessant, Royal Garrison Artillery, has been out with the colours for two years and is 23 years old.  A fourth son, Pte Harry Bessant, who is with the 5th Lancashire Regiment, aged 28, expects going to the front anytime.  We feel sure that Mrs Bales will have the sympathy of her friends in her trial.'

As mentioned in the newspaper article above, George's brother Alexander died of wounds in France on 15 October 1917. His other brothers, Horace (Harry above) and Hughen both survived the war, only for Horace to lose his son whilst serving in the R.A.F. in WW2.

Bertha didn't remarry and was living in Hull when the 1939 Register was taken.