George Alexander Elliott (1873 - 1937)

Born 18 Feb 1873 in Waratah, New South Wales, Australia

Died 14 Feb 1937 at age 63 in Canterbury, New South Wales, Australia

Biography

George was born in 1873 in Waratah, NSW. He was the son of Irvine and Susannah Clara Elliott.

George served a 4 & 1/2 year apprenticeship as a tin and iron worker with J Anderson of Wallsend, NSW. He then worked in Sydney for Yollines & Co on irrigation piping and for the Sydney Gas Company.

George served in the Boer War in South Africa with the NSW Imperial Bushmen as a Private (No. 534) for 15 months.

He worked in Western Australia for various mining companies on the Golden Mile.

George probably married Gertrude OGrady in Subiaco, Western Australia in 1914. There were at least 5 children by 1917, so it seems likely they had been together for some time.

On 09 Oct 1915 George enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force as a Private at Holdsworthy, NSW. At the time he was a plumber and was living in Bondi Junction, NSW. He was 5 ft 9 in tall with fair complexion, brown eyes and black hair.

He was allocated to the 6th Squadron 2 Remounts (No. 1595) as a Trooper. He embarked at Sydney on the HMAT A67 "Orsova" on 10 Nov 1915.

He returned to Australia from Suez, Egypt on the "Seeang Bee" on 29 Apr 1916 and was discharged in Sydney, NSW on 17 Jun 1916 following his unit having been disbanded.

George then worked for the NSW Government Railway as a metal worker.

On 18 Sep 1917 George applied to become an Australian Munitions Worker under a joint Australian Government/ British Government scheme to supply skilled workers for the War effort in Britain. At that time he was living in Newcastle, NSW.

His agreement was signed on 05 Oct 1917 and he was allocated Australian Munitions Worker Badge No. 3444. He embarked on the "Demostenes" from Sydney on 10 Oct 1917, disembarking in Glasgow, Scotland on 31 Dec 1917.

He commenced work at Cammell Laird Co. Ltd. at Birkenhead as a sheet metal worker on 05 Jan 1918. In May 1918 he requested a transfer to an aircraft works as the conditions were very bad with sulphur and coke fumes. By Jul 1918 he was very discontented and his health was suffering. He was drinking heavily and admitted he could not stop.

George commenced work at the National Aircraft Factory at Aintree on 08 Aug 1918. On 04 Oct 1918 he was transferred to the Aircraft Manufacturing Co at Hendon as a sheet metal worker.

Following the end of hostilities work was temporarily suspended and he was told to report as unemployed.

George departed England on 31 Jan 1919 and disembarked in Sydney from the "City of Cairo" on 02 Apr 1919 when his agreement was terminated due to ill health. He received medical attention in hospital in Sydney until 24 Apr 1919.

He died in Canterbury, NSW in 1937. At the time he had been living at Belmore.

Sources

• Birth - NSW BDM Birth index - ELLIOTT GEORGE ALEXANDER; 15422/1873; IRVINE; SUSANNA CLARA; NEWCASTLE

• Boer War Service - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1447930

• Marriage (probably) - Western Australia BDM Marriage index - Elliott George; Male; Ogrady Gertrude; Female; Subiaco; 39; 1914

• WW1 Australian Army Service - National Archives of Australia - Elliott George Alexander : SERN 1595 : POB Waratah NSW : POE Holsworthy NSW : NOK W Elliott Gertrude - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=3538833

• WW1 Australian Munitions Worker Service File - National Archives of Australia - ELLIOTT George Alexander - Munitions Worker Number 3444 - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6419813

• Death - NSW BDM Death index - ELLIOTT GEORGE ALEXANDER; 1612/1937; IRWINE; SUSANNA CLARA; CANTERBURY

• Funeral Notice - Family Notices (1937, February 15). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 7. Retrieved April 15, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17298383