Born in 1887 to Edmund and Barbara (nee Rose) at Gresford in the district of Patterson, New South Wales, George was the eldest of their three children.
Described as a labourer, George enlisted at Victoria Barracks, Sydney with the Light Trench Mortar Battery (LTMB), 5th Reinforcements on the 23rd of October 1916, aged 29 years and 5 months. His attestation papers show his next of kin as father, Edward of Allybrook via Gresford.
The 5th Reinforcements left the RASG Camp to embark aboard ‘HMAT (A67) Orsova’ from Sydney on the 2nd of December. The Orsova docked at Plymouth on the 17th of February 1917 and the 5th Reinforcements marched in to the Australian Details Camps 6 & 7 at Perham Downs the next day. On the 1st of April, George was transferred from LTMB to 16th LTMB and then 1/5th LTMB the next day.
George was admitted to 1st New Zealand Hospital, Brockenhurst on the 29th of April suffering from Bronchitis Catarrh and was discharged on the 5th of May to the 16th LTMB, Peram Downs. On the 15th of May he was transferred to the Trench Mortar School at Lyndhurst.
On the 25th of September George departed Overseas from Southampton, arriving at AGBD, Rouelles the next day. On the 2nd of October he departed AGBD and was taken on strength in the field with the 7th Light Trench Mortar Battery.
The 7th LTMB was under command of the 7th Brigade of the 2nd Division and was usually under the direct command of Brigade Headquarters. They were involved in the battles/campaigns of the Brigade, giving them their own integral fire support. With a crew of 3 they were generally deployed close to the front line so that the enemy was within range.
Trench Mortar Batteries were high priority targets, their activity provoking fierce German responses of counter battery fire, usually by heavy artillery. They were not the most welcome of companions to the infantry in the front line. Many of the casualties sustained by mortar battery personnel were mainly through the artillery counter fire or indeed German infantry raiding parties to their trenches, which were relatively close to the Front Line.
George as ‘Killed in Action’ in Belgium on the 20th of December 1917. Personal effects returned to his father included: Disc, Letters, Cards, Photos, Note case, Note book, Wallet, Stamp Coin, Religious Book.
