Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of George and Annabella GRANT, Kent Road, Wooloowin, Brisbane, Queensland

Private George Ferguson Pearman Grant, Australian Army Medical Corps, born on 20 July 1894 at Turriff, Aberdeenshire, was the son of George Grant, and Annabella Grant (nee Ferguson), of Park Road, Eagle Junction, Brisbane, Queensland.

In 1901 George was living with his parents at 165 Great George Street, Govan, Glasgow, Lanarkshire. His father was employed as a Grocer’s Assistant. The family emigrated on ss Wyandra which departed from London and arrived at the port of Townsville, Queensland, Australia on 24 November 1902.

George gained a scholarship to Townsville Grammar School, which he attended from 1908 to 1913 as a District Scholar then as a Continuation Scholar, and where he was a prefect for 2 years. Awarded a Queensland Open University Scholarship, he attended Queensland University for two years, matriculating on 18 March 1914 in Science. He transferred to Melbourne University where he was admitted to 2nd Year Medicine, having completed two year’s Science at the University of Queensland.

On 10 October 1917 George enlisted at Melbourne with the Army Medical Corps, General Reinforcements of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). He was 24 years old and a 3rd Year Medical Student. George stated on his Attestation Papers that he had served for one year with Senior Cadets in Townsville and Citizen Forces, and with Melbourne University Rifles for four years.

He was posted to the Recruiting Depot at Broadmeadows, Victoria on 22 October 1917, transferred to the Army Medical Corp at Broadmeadows on 13 November 1917, posted to No. 5 Australian General Hospital on 5 February 1918, and transferred to Clearing Hospital, Broadmeadows on 9 July 1918. On 22 July 1918, he was posted to “SS Invalids 3rd MD” the posted to Clearing Hospital Broadmeadows on 29 July 1918. On 6 August 1918, George embarked from Adelaide on SS Gaika and disembarked at
London on 13 October 1918. During the voyage, he had been admitted to the ship’s hospital on 4 October 1918 and discharged on 6 October 1918. George was reported as being Absent without Leave on 30 October 1918, but this was an error as he had been admitted to hospital while on leave and later sent to Weymouth awaiting embarkation to Australia. On 12 November 1918 he was classified as fit for overseas training camp in two to three weeks (as he was convalescing from influenza).

George was sent to hospital at Weymouth on 20 February 1919, later admitted to Military Hospital with influenza, and was reported to be dangerously ill with influenza on 22 February 1919.

He died from pneumonia on 25 February 1919, age 24, at Burdon Military Hospital, Weymouth, Dorset, and was buried on 1 March 1919 in Turriff Cemetery, Aberdeenshire. He is commemorated on the Roll of Honour, located in the Hall of Memory Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia, and on the Townsville Grammar School WW1 Honour Board located in reception area of Maurie Blank Administration Building, Paxton and Burke Street, North Ward, Townsville, Queensland.

The burial report stated:

The deceased soldier was accorded a Military funeral, Band, Bugler and Pallbearers being in attendance, supplied by the 5th Gordons Regiment. He was interred in a private family grave in Turriff Cemetery, by his Uncle residing in Scotland. The “Last Post” was sounded at the graveside, and Reverend H Douglas Swan of Turriff officiated. Many beautiful wreaths were sent from his Uncles -  William & Charles Grant, his Cousins - Corporal Grant and Charles Black, Private Drie and the hospital staff and nurses.

AIF London were represented at the funeral.

Names of relatives and friends present at the Funeral -  Uncles – William and Charles Grant, Cousins -  Corporal Grant and Charles Black, Private Drie of the AIF, Captain Richie and many Imperial soldiers.

George requested in his Will, dated 29 July 1918, that “in the event of my death I give the whole of my property and effects to my mother Annabella Grant, of Park Road, Eagle Junction, Brisbane, Queensland.”

In November 1919, Annabella Grant wrote to Base Records to find the whereabouts of George’s violin which he took away with him. A violin in a case had been shipped to Eagle Junction, Brisbane, but no date was recorded. Base Records advised Mrs Grant on 11 June 1920 that the violin and case had been shortlanded at Melbourne and efforts were being made through the Shipping Company to trace its whereabouts. They then wrote to Mrs Grant on 9 July 1920 advising that the violin and case had been located.

The funeral was reported in the Aberdeen Press and Journal on 3 March 1919, and in The Daily Mail, Brisbane on 1 April 1919.

http://www.scotlandswar.co.uk/grant_gfp.html

"GRANT:– Died at Burdon Hospital, Weymouth (of influence and pneumonia), George F. Grant, Australian A.M.C., only son of George Grant, Brisbane, late of Turriff." - from the Aberdeen Weekly Journal, Friday 07 March 1919, p 6