George was born in Newcastle, NSW to Henry and Harriett Witt. In 1915 George married Bertha Olive Wellard at Stroud and in 1916 were at Cedar Grove, Gloucester. In 1916 Bertha gave birth to their daughter Kathleen at Kurri Kurri.
The 36th Battalion was raised at Broadmeadow Camp, in Newcastle, NSW, in February 1916. Working as a labourer at Gloucester George enlisted at Newcastle on the 15th of May 1916 to ‘B’ Company, Newcastle Depot Battalion, where he remained until the 26th of July. He was then transferred to ‘C’ Company, 4th Reinforcements, 36th Battalion at Rutherford. He was transferred again, this time to ‘A’ Company on the 20th of September before embarking aboard the ‘HMAT A30 Borda’ at Sydney on the 17th of October. After a brief stopover at Exmouth the 4th Reinforcements disembarked at Plymouth on the 9th of January 1917 and marched into 9th Training Battalion, Durrington Camp on the 20th. They proceeded overseas from Folkestone on the 5th of April, arriving at the 3rd ADBD, Etaples the next day. On the 23rd of April, George left Etaples and proceeded to join the 36th Battalion where he was taken on strength on the 28th of April
Having arrived in France from the UK in December 1916, over the course of the first six months on the front, the 36th Battalion was mainly involved in only minor defensive actions, and it was not until 7 June 1917 the battalion fought in its first major battle, at Messines. On the 9th of June, George was ‘Wounded in Action’ and taken to 8th Australian Field Ambulance suffering a gunshot wound to the left hand and fingers. The next day he was transferred to the 10th Australian Field Ambulance until he returned to duty on the 16th of June.
After Messines, the battalion participated in the attack on Passchendaele on the 12th of October. During this battle, the battalion managed to secure its objective, however, as other units had not been able to do so, the battalion had had to withdraw as its flanks were exposed to German counterattacks and there was a lack of effective artillery support. For the next five months the 36th Battalion alternated between periods of duty manning the line and training or labouring in the rear areas in Belgium, before it was moved south to the Somme to help blunt the German advance during their last-ditch effort to win the war as part of the Spring Offensive of 1918. During this time they were deployed around Villers-Bretonneux in order to defend the approaches to the strategically important town of Amiens.
On the 16th of January to the 1st of February 1918, George had the opportunity to take leave in England. He was then detached to Corps school on the 24th of February until the 12th of April, George rejoined his unit on the 29th of April. Meanwhile, while away from his unit, the 36th Battalion took part in a counterattack at Hangard Wood in late March before beating off a concerted German attack on Villers-Bretonneux on the 4th of April, where the battalion suffered greatly when the Germans attacked with gas.
George arrived back at the 36th Battalion on the 29th of April and due to the continued attrition of Australian forces, on the 30th of April, the 36th was merged with the 33rd Battalion. On 1st of May 1918, he reported to the 11th Australian Field Ambulance with boils to the neck and was taken to the 61st Casualty Clearing Station. The next day he was transferred to the 4th General Hospital, Camiers. On the 14th he left for England arriving at the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford again being transferred to to the 1st Birmingham War Hospital, Rednall on the 27th of May. He then spent between the 31st of May until the 29th of June at the 3 C Depot, Hurdcott after which he was transferred to 4 C Depot, Deverill on the 6th of July for waiting to return overseas. Leaving the UK on the 3rd of August, He marched in to AIBD, Rouelles on the 5th. He then departing for the front on the 7th of August.
Meanwhile, a ‘peaceful penetration action’ was fought around Morlancourt by the 9th Brigade in early May 1918. In August, the Allies launched their own offensive – the Hundred Days Offensive – which ultimately brought about an end to the war. The 33rd Battalion was committed to the battle on the 8th of August, tasked with capturing Accroche Wood.
Rejoining his unit on the 13th of August, he was to join in on a series of advances followed the capture as the Allies broke through the German defences along the Hindenburg Line. After attacking around Road Wood in late August, they were withdrawn for three weeks training before taking part in a joint American-Australian attack at Bellecourt in late September. Sadly, George was ‘Wounded In Action’ on the 31st of August and taken to the 1/3 HCFA suffering a bomb wound to the thigh. He was transferred to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station the same day where sadly, he ‘Died from his Wounds’ on the 3rd of September 1918 near Saint Quentin.
His personal effects were listed as: 2 Discs, 2 Wallets, Letters, Photos, Cards, Pipe, 1 Razor, 1 Metal Mirror, 1 Match Box Cover, 1 Religious Book, 1 Notebook which were returned to Bertha.
Tragically, not only had Bertha lose her husband, but she also lost her younger brother Clarence Wellard earlier, when he was ‘Killed in Action’ on the 2nd of May 1917.
