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George was born at Aston Clinton, near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England in 1887. Aston Clinton is an historic village and civil parish in the Vale of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England. The village is at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, 2 miles from Weston Turville, 4 miles  from Aylesbury and is bisected both at the northern end of the parish by the Aylesbury Arm and in the centre of the parish by the Wendover Arm stretch of the Grand Union Canal. The village lies between the market towns of Tring and Wendover.

His parents were George Foskett Rolfe & Alice Rolfe (nee Shurvell).

The 1891 England Census recorded George Rolfe as a 3 year old, living with his family in a 4 roomed dwelling at Cromwell Villas, Aston Clinton, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. The his father was  listed as an Estate Labourer, aged 41, born Aston Clinton, Bucks & Alice Rolfe, aged 34, born Medmenham, Bucks. George was one of seven children listed on this Census, all born at Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire – Harry Rolfe (Scholar, aged 12). Edith A. Rolfe (Scholar, aged 10), Annie Rolfe (Scholar, aged 8), Frederick Rolfe (Scholar, aged 7), Allan Rolfe (Scholar, aged 5) then George & Margaret Rolfe (aged 1).

The 1901 England Census recorded George as a 13 year old House Boy, living with his family at Brook Street, Aston Clinton, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. His father was now a  Gardener.

George was one of five children listed on this Census – Alan Rolfe (Plough Boy, aged 15) then George, Margaret M. Rolfe (aged 11), Alice Rolfe (aged 9, born Aston Clinton) and Elsie M. Rolfe (aged 4, born Aston Clinton).

His mother Alice Rolfe, died aged 56, in the district of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire in 1913.

George  was aged 24 years when he arrived in Australia and at age 28, he is shown as a Cook in Woombye, Queensland.

He enlisted at Brisbane, Queensland on 1st October, 1915 with the Army Medical Corps, Special Reinforcements of the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.). His service number was 13644 & his religion was stated as Church of England. His next of kin was listed as his father – Mr G. Rolfe of Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England.

At the time of enlistment, George was an Agricultural Farmer and was also trained as a Gardener. He had served with 20th Hussars in England for 7 years. He was attached to No. 1 Depot A.M.C. from 1st October, 1915 to 15th March, 1916 and was transferred to A.M.C. Special General Reinforcements on 16th March, 1916. He embarked from Sydney on HMAT Kanowna (A61) on 29th March, 1916. Then he embarked from Alexandria for England on 28th May, 1916 before proceeding overseas to France from A.M.C. Training Depot (Army Medical Corps) on 1st October, 1917 via Folkestone. He  was ‘marched in’ at Rouelles, France on 3rd October, 1917 and  marched out on 6th October, 1917 to 2nd Div. A.M.C. He was ‘TOS’-taken on strength with 6th Australian Field Ambulance in the Field on 8th October, 1917. He  was still with his Unit in France on 17th April, 1918 and was on leave to Paris on 15th July, 1918. While on leave he was sent sick to 3rd Stationary Hospital on 24th July, 1918.

He had an injury to his hand and was admitted to 10th General Hospital at Rouen on 25th July, 1918 and then was marched in at Havre from Rouen on 12th September, 1918 and  medically classified as B2 on 16th September, 1918 due to an injury to his wrist and loss of grip in his hand. He was transferred to England on 22nd September, 1918 to be marched in to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, England on 23rd September, 1918. A Medical Report was completed  on 25th September, 1918 at No. 2 Command Depot, Weymouth relating to his accidental injury of wrist, which had occurred on 23rd July, 1918 in France. The injury occurred when, in order to save himself in a train jolt put his arm through the window and injured the tendon of his arm. The movement of his hand was limited. The Medical Board found that he was temporarily unfit for General Service and temporarily unfit for Home Service – Unfit for all service for 6 months. He was marched out for return to Australia from England on 16th October, 1918 on Transport Duty. He embarked from Devonport, England on Carrier D 27 [H.M.T. Marathon] on 20th October, 1918. He was admitted to H.M.T. Marathon’s Hospital on 28th October, 1918 with influenza and pneumonia and died at 11 pm on 3rd November, 1918 while at sea. Hospital Admissions form states date of death as 2nd November, 1918. Some forms state his death on Marathon was while it was in port and his death was registered at Plymouth, Devon. George was one of six soldiers to die on Marathon from 24th October, 1918 to 24th November, 1918. Four of the deaths were from Influenza, Pneumonia and Heart failure with three of those within 24 hours – George’s being the first. His body was transferred to Plymouth, England on 3rd November, 1918 & taken to the mortuary of York House Military Hospital.

George was buried on 9th November, 1918 in St. Michael’s Churchyard, Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire-his native village.

From the burial report, we learn that the coffin was oak with brass fittings and that he was accorded a full military funeral, with firing party, bugler, and pall bearers. The coffin was draped with the union flag and surmounted by several wreaths sent from his father, George and Minnie, Mr and Mrs Annandale, Mrs Munger and family, Maggie, Alice, Elsie, Grave (Aust), Fred (Salonika), sister Annie, and many others. The “Last Post” was sounded at the graveside and the Rev. Cohn officiated. The grave was turfed and an oak cross erected by the Administrative Headquarters, London. Administrative Headquarters, A.I.F. London were represented at the funeral. Relatives present at the funeral – father, brother, 4 sisters and 5 cousins.

George requested in his will, dated 25th September, 1917, that £100 be bequeathed to Miss Grace Kerslake of Coombe Hill, Woombye, Queensland, Australia. The rest of his money, after settling up his property, he bequeathed to his father. He  was entitled to British War Medal and the Victory Medal-sent to his father along with the Memorial Scroll & Memorial Plaque [Dead Man’s Penny](Scroll & Plaque both sent 24th, November, 1922).

Newspaper Notices

3/11/18 (Illness) (The Brisbane Courier, Qld. – 2 December, 1918)

He is remembered on the Woombye War Memorial located in Memorial Park, Blackall Terrace, Woombye, Queensland.

George and his brother, Sapper Alan Rolfe, aged 29, Service Number 148598, 254th Tunnelling Company- Royal Engineers, who  died of wounds in France on 15th July, 1916 are both remembered on the Aston Clinton War Memorial located in front of the Post Office, opposite the junction with Brook Street, in Aston Clinton. Here he is commemorated as G.H.Rolfe

Alan enlisted in the field – he was formerly with the  Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry under Service Number 3024.

The family home was "Merevale", Brook St., Aston Clinton, Aylesbury, Bucks.

It is likely that they were related to Private Frederick William Rolfe, aged 40, Service Number 5249, of the 7th Battalion, Leinster Regiment who died on 31st July, 1917, as he also hailed from Aston Clinton and may have been their uncle.

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland 

Died on this date – 3rd November…… George Rolfe was born at Aston Clinton, near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England in 1887.

According to information supplied by George Rolfe’s father for the Roll of Honour – his son, George Rolfe, was aged 24 years when he came to Australia.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 1st October, 1915 as a 28 year old Cook from Woombye, Queensland.

Information supplied by George Rolfe’s father for the Roll of Honour states that his son, George Rolfe, had served with 20th Hussars in England for 7 years.

Private George Rolfe, Service number 13644, embarked from Sydney on HMAT Kanowna (A61) on 29th March, 1916 with the Army Medical Corps, Special Reinforcements.

He embarked from Alexandria for England on 28th May, 1916.

On 1st October, 1917 Private Rolfe proceeded overseas to France from A.M.C. (Army Medical Corps) Training Depot. He was marched in at Rouelles, France from England on 3rd October, 1917 & marched out on 6th October, 1917 to 2nd Div. A.M.C. He was taken on strength with 6th Australian Field Ambulance in the Field on 8th October, 1917.

Private George Rolfe was still with his Unit in France on 17th April, 1918.

He was on leave to Paris on 15th July, 1918.
On 23rd July, 1918 Private George Rolfe was written up for an Offence - Drunkenness – Smashing a pane of glass property of Rouen Tramway Company. He was awarded a forfeiture of 15 days’ pay on 6th September, 1918 by order Col. Peyton, Cyclists Base Depot, Rouen.

Private George Rolfe had an injury to his hand & was admitted to 10th General Hospital at Rouen on 25th July, 1918.

He was marched in at Havre from Rouen on 12th September, 1918 & medically classified as B2 on 16th September, 1918 due to an injury to his wrist & loss of grip in his hand. Private Rolfe was transferred to England on 22nd September, 1918.

On 23rd September, 1918 Private George Rolfe was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, England from France.

A Medical Report was completed on Private George Rolfe on 25th September, 1918 at No. 2 Command Depot, Weymouth in regards to his accidental injury of wrist, which occurred on 23rd July, 1918 in France. The injury occurred when Private Rolfe in order to save himself in a train jolt put his arm through the window & injured the tendon of his arm. The movement of his hand was limited. The Medical Board found that Private Rolfe was temporarily unfit for General Service & temporarily unfit for Home Service – Unfit for all service for 6 months.

Private George Rolfe was marched out for return to Australia from England – due to an accidental injury of the wrist on 16th October, 1918 on Transport Duty. He embarked from Devonport, England on Carrier D 27 Marathon on 20th October, 1918.

He was admitted to H.M.T. Marathon’s Hospital on 28th October, 1918 with Influenza & Pneumonia.

Private George Rolfe died at 11 pm on 3rd November, 1918 aboard the Carrier D 27 (H.M.T. Marathon) while at sea from Influenza, Pneumonia & Heart failure. Hospital Admissions form states date of death as 2nd November, 1918. Some forms state that Private Rolfe’s death on Marathon was while it was in Port.(Some Family Trees on Ancestry have that Private George Rolfe died at Sea – Sulawesi Tengah, Indonesia).

His body was transferred to Plymouth, England on 3rd November, 1918 & taken to mortuary of York House Military Hospital. Private Rolfe was buried in St. Michael’s Churchyard, Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, England

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/aston-clinton.html