Memorials & Monuments
on the Isle of Wight
- People -
- Newchurch - George William Squibb -

The oldest member of this Parish to lay down his life in World War II was GEORGE WILLIAM SQUIBB of 'Grove House', Ventnor Road, Apse Heath, who was 62 years old when he was killed by enemy action at Shanklin on 17th February 1943. Although he was, and had been since the formation of a local unit during the early months of the War, a member of the Auxiliary Fire Service, he was engaged in his employment as a building worker when he met his death.

George Squibb was born at Alverstone on 31st May 1881, the year of the great snow and his schooldays were spent attending Brading School. On leaving school he took employment on the Alverstone Estate and soon rose to the position of Lord Alverstone's gamekeeper, keeping watch over Borthwood and Youngwoods and a position of some responsibility bearing in mind the shooting parties organised by the then Lord Chief Justice for his friends in the legal world. George married Alice Barton, member of a local family, and lived at the house later known as La Bassee at Queenbower. He and his wife attended the Bible Christian Chapel at Borthwood where for some years he acted as sidesman. Mr and Mrs Squibb had one son.

In World War I George Squibb joined the 2/7th Batallion of the Hampshire Regiment and he saw active service in India and Mesopotamia. After the War, on the death of Lord Alverstone and the subsequent split-up of the Alverstone Estate, he took casual work round and about the area and he moved to Grove House at Apse Heath. For some years he was employed by the Apse Heath Brickyard digging sand at the Apse sandpit but after sustaining injuries in a fall of sand he took employment in the building trade.

Mr and Mrs Squibb were solid and much respected members of the little community at Apse Heath and both took an active part in the life of the village. They were both staunch members of the Methodist Chapel and George was for some years treasurer of the Apse Heath Football Club. He was a kindly man and many of his neighbours had reason to be grateful for little acts of kindness by him in times of sorrow and distress.

During World War II he was employed by Brading & Blundell, Builders of Shanklin, and in 1940 he was badly injured in an accident involving the lorry on which he was travelling to work and in which accident a number of his fellow workers were killed.

On the 17th February 1943 George William Squibb was working at Landguard House on the corner of Landguard Road and Carter Road at Shanklin when enemy fighter-bombers carried out a lightning raid on the town. Several bombs were dropped on Shanklin, one landing on and partly demolishing Landguard House as a result of which George was killed instantly by the falling debris. By a sad twist of fate he was killed on the day his young next-door neighbour Leonard Taylor, whose name is in this Book of Remembrance was being laid to rest at Newchurch Cemetery.