George Robert Austin

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Mon, 28/09/2015 - 14:23

First Name:

George

Middle Name:

Robert

Last Name:

Austin

Mother's Name:

Eliza Austin (nee Blake)

Father's Name:

Thomas Austin

Date Enlisted:

Thursday, September 30, 1915

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Private

Unit:

54th Battalion

Company:

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Tuesday, May 15, 1917

Place of Death:

Bullecourt, France

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Details:

George Austin (Service No 4252) was born around 1895 in Sydney, N.S.W. He enlisted when he was 20 years old, a few months after his father, Thomas Austin (Service No 2232), enlisted. George was single, lived in Wollongong, N.S.W. and worked as a hairdresser. He had served 18 months with the Cadets.

George embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A60 Aeneas with 13th Reinforcements, 2nd Battalion on 20th December 1915. The troops arrived in Egypt on 16th February 1916, and on 21st February George was transferred to C Company, 54th battalion.

He arrived in France on 29th June 1916 and survived the slaughter of Fromelle. The Battalions were so depleted by Fromelle they were sent to England for rest and training for some months. George did not return to France until 23rd January 1917.

On 15th May 1917 he was fighting at Bullecourt when he was killed in action.

There is no known grave for George; he is commemorated on the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneaux. His father was injured at Gallipoli and returned to Australia for further treatment. He was discharged (medically unfit) in May, 1916.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, AUSTIN G R