George Augustus LaMontRemembered by Tony LaMont (son) and written by Theresa Kilbride
George and Joan © LaMont family
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My father George LaMont was born on 27th May 1924 in Jobabo, Cuba. His parents had travelled over two hundred miles from Jamaica to Cuba for work.
In the 1940s many West Indian young men and women were asked to volunteer to join Britain to help in World War Two. Dad decided to help the 'Mother Country' and joined the Royal Air Force on 18th September 1944 from Kingston, Jamaica. On 12th November 1944 after arriving in England, Dad was posted to RAF Hunmanby Moor in Filey, Yorkshire to do his six weeks training. On 18th January 1945, as Dad was detailed as ACH/Works Hand, he was posted to West Drayton, Hillingdon (London). This was to work on the construction of an airfield. The RAF members who worked on the construction were known as the 5004 Airfield Construction Squadron. After serving nearly two years in England, Dad was sent by the Repatriation Office in London to Podington RAF Base. From there, on 10th April 1946, he sailed from Southampton on the Aquitania ship, to Halifax in Canada, and then onto Kingston, Jamaica where he was discharged on 29th June 1946. Whilst Dad was at RAF Podington, he met my mother, Joan Ball, who lived nearby in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. They married in 1948 and had three children (Tony, Beverley and Georgina). Dad became a well known character in Wellingborough because after converting a van into a shop, he travelled around the area selling Caribbean food, fish and groceries to the local people. After my parents divorced, Dad then met his new partner, a fellow Jamaican, Martha. They went on to have three children and in 1969, Dad and Martha retuned to Jamaica with their young family. Dad had different jobs on his return which included being a bus driver, a water meter reader and many other trades. They lived in a beautiful house opposite the sea in a town 10 miles from Montego Bay but this was eventually sold and knocked down to make way for a garage. Later one of Dad's sons built a three storey house on the hillside overlooking the sea and this became a place to host other members of the family visiting from England. Although Dad and Martha later parted, they remained friends and Dad was to move across the island and live in Porus after inheriting some land from his step-grandfather. In 1991, much to the delight of Joan and his family in England, Dad came back for his grand daughter's wedding and ended up staying for a year taking up casual employment and considering his future. He did decide to return to Jamaica until 2010, when in his mid-eighties he retuned to England due to his failing health. He was cared for by my sister Georgina and her husband Royston. After five years Dad sadly needed 24-hour care and went to live in Dale House Care Home, Wellingborough. Dad passed away 2 years later on 29th November 2017 having lived a full life, leaving behind 5 of his 6 children, 20 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren and 2 great, great grandchildren. George's service number was 715102. |