Photo Gallery
George WILSON
| Rank | Reg/Ser No | DOB | Enlisted | Discharge/Death | Board |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lance Cpl | 5097 | 22y | 25 Jan 1916 | 20 Aug 1919 | 3 |
Private George Wilson (1894 - 1981)
William Alexander and Annie Wilson née Durward lived at Vernor near Lowood when two of their sons, George and John, enlisted to serve in the Australian Imperial Force.
George's enlistment and service
George Wilson was born on 11 July 1894. A farmer, single, aged 22 years, he enlisted in Brisbane to serve overseas with the AIF on 25 January 1916.
Private George Wilson, service number 5097, left Brisbane with 25th Infantry Battalion on HMAT Seang Choon on 4 May 1916. His unit sailed to France late in September. At Étaples in France George Wilson was attached to the Divisional Base Depot.
For a short period in early October he was appointed Acting Sergeant then reverted to the rank of Private. On 15 October Private Wilson was taken on strength in the 31st Battalion which at that time was not engaged in any offensive role on the Western Front, though it still spent periods of time in the muddy trenches of the front line.
In November he was sick in hospital at Étaples and in December he was transported to Hurdcott in England, suffering from Trench Foot2 and Influenza. Here he remained till March 1917 when he was discharged on furlough reporting periodically to Perham Down Depot on the Salisbury Plain. After rehabilitation at a Command Depot in Southern England he joined the 15th Battalion at Divisional Base Depot in France in June 1917.
From September to December 1917 Private George Wilson was ill again in the Boscombe Military Hospital in England with Trench Fever and Diarrhoea.
He had rejoined his battalion in France at the beginning of 1918 but he spent another long period in hospital in April and May. On 22 October he was appointed Lance Corporal.
Post war
After the war he was granted extended leave in France and England but it was not till 12 May 1919 that he embarked for Australia on board Port Napier, arriving in Melbourne on 2 July. He was transhipped to HT Nestor for the voyage to Brisbane and was discharged there on 20 August 1919. He had served in three battalions and spent many long months on sick beds in France and England.
Nothing could be found of George’s life after the war. He died in Brisbane on 18 March 1981 aged 86 years and is buried in the Mt Gravatt Cemetery.
Compiled by Noel E. Adsett, Brisbane, May 2015 ©
SLQ Historypin – Linking our digital stories to the world.
The Lives, Links and Legacy Stories are being shared through the State Library of Queenland's QANZAC 100: Memories for a New Generation Historypin Hub. Visit this site:
Know anything about this person or want to contribute more information?
Please contact Miriam at staheritage@gmail.com
