War Memorial
Victor George Ready was born around 1895 in Pimlico, then part of Middlesex. By the time of the 1901 census he was recorded as Victor G. Everest and was living in Charcott, in the household of George and Mercy Mary Ready, to whom he was a nephew. The different surname followed him into official records: the Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists him as Victor G. Everest.
When war came, he enlisted and served as a Private with the 8th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), holding the service number G/24345. Earlier in his army career he had served with the East Surrey Regiment as Private 19559. His service was recognised with a campaign medal and the Military Medal.
On 21 March 1918, at about 23 years of age, he was killed. He was one of 47 men of his battalion to lose their lives that day. His name is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial in Somme, France, and closer to home on the war memorial at Leigh and on the memorial at Chiddingstone Causeway.
This profile was compiled by the village's local history society and was last updated on 5 November 2007.