Born: 28 Dec 1912
Died: 27 Dec 1990
Age at death: 77 years, 11 months, and 29 days

About: Lieutenant Colonel Lea
58116 Lieutenant Colonel George Simcox Harris Lea was born on 28^th December 1912 in Franche, Kidderminster, Worcestershire to a prominent family in the local carpet and weaving trade.

Rupert Hague-Holmes talks about George Lea's name:
"Although the family name Simcox is recorded as part of his birth name on his birth certificate, Lea never in fact used it and was always known, throughout his life, as George Harris Lea. He had been named after his grandfather-a custom common in those days where boys were often given their fathers and/or grandfather's names on birth".^[1]
This naming practice was common in Lea's extended family, with one of his cousins being given the family name Futvoye as a middle name and her own surname being a combination of 2 other family names that had been previously joined. Furthermore, her own twin sons' middle names also followed this naming convention.^[2]

Lea became Commanding Officer of the 11th Parachute Battalion, replacing Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas in 1944.

We are currently preparing a more detailed soldier's story of George Harris Lea, which will be published on this website in the near future.