George Victor Hammond

Private George Victor Hammond – Royal Army Service Corps

Every member of the armed forces who lost their lives during the war was honoured and commemorated, regardless of the circumstances of their death. One such man was Private George Victor Hammond, who served with the Royal Army Service Corps. He died on 5^th March 1941, aged 25.

Early Life

George was born in 1915, the son of Thomas John Hammond and Mary Ann Munslow, who had married in July 1906 at St. Gabriel’s Church.

1921 Census

By the time of the 1921 Census, the family was living at 62 King Edwards Road, Swansea. George, then listed as Victor George, was six years old. His father, Thomas (41), was working as a confectioner, while his mother, Mary (46), kept the household. George lived with his younger siblings Leslie Charles (8) and Eileen Millicent (3), as well as Phyllis Hammond (20), a niece of the family.

Civilian Life

1939 Register 

By the 1939 Register, George—recorded as George V.—was still living with his parents at 62 King Edwards Road. Like his father, he worked as a confectioner and sugar manufacturer, continuing the family trade.

Military Service and Death

Bradford Observer

Private George Victor Hammond enlisted with the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC), a vital branch of the British Army responsible for keeping frontline forces supplied with food, fuel, ammunition, and equipment. The RASC operated in both combat zones and on the home front, ensuring that Britain’s armed forces could continue to fight effectively. Service with the Corps was demanding and often dangerous, as convoys and supply lines were frequent targets during the war.

George was serving in Yorkshire when he died on 5^th March 1941, aged 25. An inquest was held into the circumstances of his death, and the verdict was reported in the Bradford Observer. Although the precise details were not widely recorded, his passing was recognised as part of his wartime service.

Burial

Private George Victor Hammond was buried in Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea, close to his family home.

Legacy

Though his life was short, George Victor Hammond is remembered alongside thousands of other servicemen of the Royal Army Service Corps who gave their lives in the Second World War. His grave is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, ensuring that his sacrifice, like that of so many others, is never forgotten. Each year, local remembrance services in Swansea honour men such as Hammond, whose stories reflect both the personal loss felt by families and the wider effort of those who sustained Britain’s war effort behind the front lines.