George had reversed his Christian names, and was really Harold George Anstey He was born in 1904 at Lurgashall, West Sussex, the son of John George and Louise Anstey.

The 1911 census records the family living and farming at Mill Farm Lurgashall. John, aged 40, was born at Filleigh, Devon and was an employer. Louise, aged 28, was born at Chittlehampton, also in Devon. The couple had been married for eight years and had produced four children, all born at Lurgashall, and all still alive. Harold, aged 7, Stanley W, aged 5, Marjorie, aged 3 and John Leslie, aged 1.

George married Elsie Carver at Petworth in September 1928. Sometime before the Second World War, the couple had moved to Salehurst and were farming at Poppinghole Farm.

On the 27th of June 1944, at 20.36, a flying bomb was shot down by a fighter. George was working on a tractor when the bomb came down killing him and an Italian POW (Soldato T/87719 G M Valentino of the Italian Army) and slightly injuring one other. The farm buildings and the tractor were damaged and the bodies of the two victims were taken to Battle mortuary.

His probate records his estate of £4,725-10-11d going to Elsie and farmer John George Anstey (his father).

Notes:

1) Flying bombs in East Sussex:  At 04.24 on the 13th of June 1944, the first flying bomb came down in East Sussex by a railway viaduct at Whitemans Farm, Cuckfield. This was the first of 775 flying bombs to come down in East Sussex, of which 374 fell in the Battle Rural District. At first, they were reported as "Pilotless aircraft" (PAC), until the 20th of June, at 12.10 when the Cabinet decided that in future they should be reported as "Flying Bombs".

2. Soldato T/87719 G M Valentino of the Italian Army; was exhumed on the 16th of July 1957 and his remains taken to Brookwood Cemetery for reburial.