GEORGE EDWARD MOBERLY
Remembered by Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies with entrance gates, dedicated in May 1958, at Ransomes Sports’ Centre, Sidegate Avenue, Ipswich.
Born: 23rd December 1914, Bombay, Maharashtra, India.
Died: 26th August 1940, age: 25; shot down in combat during the Battle of Britain off the coast outside Dover. His body was later recovered from the sea.
Residence: Lincoln, Lincolnshire.
Family home – ‘The Priory’ Felixstowe, Suffolk.
Occupation: An Engineer with Ruston and Hornsby Ltd., Lincoln, Lincolnshire, from January 1938, joining the firm from the associated companies of Ransomes, Sims and Jeffries of Ipswich, with which he had a family association with his mother.
Commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the Auxiliary Air Force on the 19th July 1938.
George joined 609 Squadron, of the Auxiliary Air Force in the summer of 1938, at Yeadon, West Yorkshire.
He transferred to the newly formed 616 South Yorkshire Fighter Squadron on the 1st November 1938, operating from Kenley, Surrey.
George was called to full-time service on the 24th August 1939.
Rank: Flying Officer/Pilot; Service Number: 90332.
Regiment: Royal Air Force, Auxiliary Air Force, 616 Squadron.
Grave Reference:
Caterham-on-the-Hill,
Surrey.
Relatives Notified & Address: Son of Charles Noel & Kate Charlotte Moberly, of Folkstone, Kent.
Father: Charles Noel Moberly, born December 1880, Clapham, South West London. Charles was educated at Rugby School, before moving on to Yorkshire College, Leeds. In 1898, he became a student of mechanical drawing and assistant estimator. at The Brush Electrical Engineering Co. Ltd., Falcon Works, under Professor John Goodman. In 1903, Charles became Assistant Engineer at the Bombay Electric Supply & Tramways Co. Ltd., Hornsby Road, Bombay.
Mother: Kate Charlotte Moberly (nee Fottrell), born March 1876, Dublin, Ireland. Daughter of John Edward Fottrell, a Whiskey Distiller, & Emily Fottrell (nee Stewart), of Dublin, Ireland.
Paternal Grandmother: Sarah Jane Moberly, born 1855, Ipswich only child of Robert Charles Ransome & Sarah Jane Baker. Robert (born 1830, Carr Street, Ipswich -1886, Belstead Road, Ipswich) was an Agricultural Engineer, and became the first Chairman of Messrs. Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies, Ipswich. Robert being the grandson of Mr. Robert Ransome, by whom the business had been founded in 1789. Robert Charles Ransome was Mayor of Ipswich 1866 – 1867.
Paternal Grandfather: George Ernest Moberly, born 1846, Lythe, Yorkshire, was a Civil Engineer for Messrs. Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies, Orwell Works, Ipswich. Son of William Moberly (born 1793, St. Petersburg, Russia), an Alum Maker employing over 200 persons and a Merchant & Louise Henrietta Moberly (nee Martin, born August 1806, Neufchatel, Switzerland).
George & Sarah Moberly made their family home at ‘Cottesmore’ Tuddenham Road, Ipswich. Cottesmore being the village in Rutland where in 1854, Robert Charles Ransome & Sarah Jane Baker married.
On the 24th April 1915, 4 month old, George arrived at the Port of London with his parents & sisters on board S.S. ‘Arabia’ of the Peninsula & Oriental Steam Navigation Company Ltd. The Moberly family had departed from Bombay, India and sailed First Class, and intended to make England their home:
Charles Noel Moberly, 35, an Engineer.
Kate Charlotte Moberly, 35.
Mildred Josephine Moberly, 4.
Hilda Geraldine Morbely, 2.
1 nurse.
George was educated at Ampleforth School, Yorkshire.
For about three seasons George played rugby-football for Lincoln RFC, his fine physique made him a very fine member of the 1st XV pack. In the season preceding the war he was unable to make so many appearances for Lincoln RFC, owing to his membership of the Auxiliary Air Force.
George was an Engineer, and living at The Priory, Felixstowe, Suffolk, when he gained the Royal Aero Club Aviators’ Certificate – taken on a Miles Magister, Gipsy Major, 120, on the 17th July 1938, at Ipswich Airport.
Probate to Charles Noel Moberly – father.
George is also remembered on the Felixstowe war memorial, at the seafront. In June 2007, Kenley, Surrey created 7 road name plates, named after Kenley’s Battle of Britain fighter pilots. The road name plate ‘Moberly Way’ named after George Edward Moberly, is now listed as a war memorial.
26th August 1940
Aircraft: Supermarine Spitfire I; Serial Number: N3275 Based at Kenley, Surrey, 616 Squadron were the first to be scrambled. George was shot down during the combat by a Bf109, he did not bale out of his aircraft which crashed into the sea off the coast of Dover, Kent. George’s body was recovered.
LINCOLNSHIRE ECHO – 30th August 1940
LINCOLN RUGBY PLAYER DIES ON ACTIVE SERVICE
Flying-Officer G.E. Moberly
Death on active service during August “as a result of air operations” of Flying-Officer G.E. Moberly, Auxiliary Air Force, is announced. Flying-Officer Moberly, only son of Mr. and Mrs. C.N. Moberly, of The Priory, Felixstowe, and late Bombay, was 25 years of age. He formerly worked in Lincoln, and played Rugby football with the Lincoln club. He was on the staff of Rushton and Hornsby Ltd., from January, 1938, joining the firm from the associated company of Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies, of Ipswich, with which he had a family association through his mother.
He was a playing member of the Lincoln R.F.C. for about three seasons, and his fine physique made him a very useful member of the 1st XV pack. In the season immediately preceding the war he was unable to make so many appearances for the club, owing to his membership of an Auxiliary Air Force squadron.
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