George Waterall was the son of Leonard Saxton Waterall and Margaret Sybil Waterall, of Maidenhead, Berkshire. He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet at BRNC Dartmouth and later, as a Midshipman, he served in the battleship HMS VALIANT before volunteering for submarines and joining HMS TRIUMPH.

His Captain in VALIANT wrote to his parents: “I shall always remember your lad joining [VALIANT] because it was at once evident to everyone that he was going to become one of our best midshipmen and his keenness and enthusiasm were apparent from the moment he joined. He was so terribly thrilled about going [on patrol in TRIUMPH] because he realised what a wonderful experience it would be for him. They [the TRIUMPH crew] were all such a splendid lot too and had a tremendous record and reputation out here.”

He died when TRIUMPH was lost with all hands in the Aegean Sea having apparently hit a mine. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 62, Column 1.