HOWELL, George Julian
| Service Number: | 2445 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 June 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 1st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Enfield, New South Wales, Australia, 19 November 1893 |
| Home Town: | Enfield (NSW), Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Burwood Superior Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Bricklayer |
| Died: | Natural causes, Hollywood, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, 23 December 1964, aged 71 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Canberra John Hamilton VC Pictorial Honour Roll, Enfield War Memorial, Keith Payne VC Memorial Park, North Bondi War Memorial, Western Australia Garden of Remembrance, Winchelsea WWI Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2445, 1st Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Jul 1915: | Involvement Private, 2445, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Orsova embarkation_ship_number: A67 public_note: '' | |
| 14 Jul 1915: | Embarked Private, 2445, 1st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Orsova, Sydney | |
| 1 Nov 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2445, 1st Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 23 Jul 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2445, 1st Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , GSW back | |
| 10 Dec 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 1st Infantry Battalion | |
| 6 Feb 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 1st Infantry Battalion | |
| 5 May 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Corporal, 2445, 1st Infantry Battalion, Multiple shrapnel wounds (severe) | |
| 26 May 1917: | Honoured Military Medal, German Withdrawal to Hindenburg Line and Outpost Villages, For courage and devotion to duty at Demicourt on 9 April 1917 while leading his rifle bombing section against the enemy. | |
| 27 Jun 1917: | Honoured Victoria Cross, Bullecourt (First), For gallantry, fearlessness and initiative in trench O.G. 1 near Bullecourt on 5 May 1917 after an enemy attack on threatened the right flank, Corporal Howell, without orders, jumped up on the parapet and single-handedly, though subject to heavy bomb and rifle fire, threw bombs at the enemy and advance on them. Having exhausted his supply of bombs he advanced along the top of the parapet attacking the enemy with his bayonet until he fell wounded into the trench. His action inspired others to support him and stemmed the tide of the enemy advance and allowing the organisation of a counter-attack that drove that drove the Germans from the position. | |
| 31 Oct 1917: | Embarked AIF WW1, Corporal, 2445, 1st Infantry Battalion, HT Berrima, England for invaliding to Australia - disembarking Melbourne 30 December 1917, then by train to Sydney arriving 31 December 1917 | |
| 5 Jun 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Corporal, 2445, 1st Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Australian Dictionary of Biography by W. H. Connell
George Julian Howell (1893-1964), soldier, builder and newspaper representative, was born on 19 November 1893 at Enfield, Sydney, fourth son of Francis John Howell, a carpenter from Brighton, England, and his Sydney-born wife Martha, née Sweeny. He was educated at Croydon Park and Burwood public schools, served an apprenticeship in bricklaying and was working as a builder when he enlisted as a private in the Australian Imperial Force on 3 June 1915. He sailed for Egypt on 14 July with the 7th Reinforcements for the 1st Battalion, joined his unit at Gallipoli on 1 November and served there until the evacuation.
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