WILSON, George Raymond
| Service Numbers: | 175, 114 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Staff Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Field Ambulance |
| Born: | Glasgow, Scotland, 1886 |
| Home Town: | Kent Town, Norwood Payneham St Peters, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Cabinet Maker |
| Died: | 6 June 1940, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Melbourne Plot: Pittosporum, Wall 2AA, Niche 639 Memorial ID: 239979665 |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Grand Masonic Lodge WW1 Honour Board (1) |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 175, 3rd Field Ambulance, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 175, 3rd Field Ambulance, HMAT Medic, Adelaide | |
| 21 Jan 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Staff Sergeant, 3rd Field Ambulance, Promoted from Private to Staff Sergeant. | |
| 14 Mar 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Staff Sergeant, 114, 3rd Field Ambulance, Discharged in Adelaide. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Adelaide Botanic High School
George Raymond Wilson was born in Helensburgh, Scotland, in 1886. Although the exact date is unknown, he moved to Australia, where his hometown was Kent Town, South Australia. His parents were not recorded in his service record, but he had a brother named Harold Wilson, whom George listed as his next of kin. He was single and worked as a cabinetmaker.
At 28, he enlisted in the war on the 28th of August, 1914, at Morphettville, South Australia. His certificate of examination states he was 5’4.75” tall, weighed 61 kg, had a dark complexion, brown eyes and hair, and distinctive marks: ‘5 left arm, scar below right knee in front.’ His records stated his religious denomination as Baptist
Before enlisting, George Wilson had served for four years in the Regiment Corps, Medical Corps, and one and a half years in the army, Medical Corps. Hence, he was assigned to the 3rd Field Ambulance, B Squadron for dental, with a regimental number of 175 as a private.
On the 20th of October 1914, he embarked with his unit from Adelaide on HMAT Medic A7 to Alexandria, Egypt. He embarked from Alexandria five months later to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in Gallipoli on the 2nd of March 1915.
On the 6th of September, he was admitted to the 3rd Field Ambulance with dysentery. Four days later, he was discharged to duty. He was once again hospitalised a month later for dysentery, experiencing diarrhoea. He was transferred on the 15th of November to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital in Heliopolis, Egypt. His health did not improve, so he was transferred to the A&NZ Convalescent Camp just a day later. Finally, he recovered and was discharged on the 23rd of December for light duties.
From a private, George was promoted to Staff Sergeant (Dental) on the 21st of January 1916. His regimental number was also changed to 114.
He worked in the base medical stores in Heliopolis from July 8, 2017, until he embarked from Alexandria to the United Kingdom on July 26. He soon disembarked at Liverpool on the 12th of August.
George travelled to the Southampton Docks on the 19th of January. He worked in medical and dental sheds to treat injured and sick soldiers. Three months later, he married Doris M. Wilson in Southampton, who was born in Woodville, South Australia, but had lived in England. In December, George altered his next-of-kin and address information to hers.
On the 28th of February, 1918, he was deployed for duty at the base depot dental stores. It was in London at the AIF administrative headquarters. After eight months, he was put in command of the AIF depots in the UK. A week later, he rejoined the base depot dental stores to help.
George Wilson finally boarded the ship Balmoral Castle, along with other Australian and American soldiers, on the 16th of November, 1918, to return home. He transferred at his own expense from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Canada to board the SS Niagara. The ship was well known for its service of travelling between Australia, New Zealand and Canada. He reached Sydney on the 11th of January, 1919, and continued his way home to Adelaide. On the 14th of March, he was discharged.
He died 6th of June, 1940. His grave is located at the Springvale Botanical Cemetery in Victoria, Australia.