PRATT, George James
| Service Number: | 2176 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 March 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 7th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Toorak, Victoria, Australia, 1891 |
| Home Town: | Toorak, Stonnington, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Toorak State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Butcher |
| Died: | Killed in action, Gallipoli, Turkey, 6 August 1915 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Mar 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2176, 7th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun 1915: | Involvement Private, 2176, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: '' | |
| 17 Jun 1915: | Embarked Private, 2176, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wandilla, Melbourne |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
George Pratt was the son of Charles Thomas and Sarah Pratt, of Toorak, Victoria. He was born and raised in Toorak.
His older brother, 3218 Pte. Charles Ernest Pratt, also 7th Battalion AIF, was killed in action twelve months later at Pozieres on 25 July 1916, aged 33.
George was a member of the 6th reinforcements of the 7th Battalion and only joined his Battalion on Gallipoli a day before he was officially killed in action. He was reported missing and was officially missing until a Court of Enquiry held in June 1916 determined his date of death.
George died during the very heavy fighting at Lone Pine, an action in which his Battalion won four Victoria Crosses. He was seen to be shot in the head during the height of the battle and in the chaos his body was lost as were many others. It is probable that he more likely died on 8 or 9 August, according to the eye witness accounts.
A younger brother, 1511 Pte. Bert Thomas Pratt 24th Battalion AIF, who also served on Gallipoli, was returned to Australia during November 1916, for ‘family reasons’ due to the death of his two brothers. This was after and appeal to Senator Pearce, the Minister of Defence from the father, Charles Thomas Pratt.
The part of his letter relating to George,
“…. No 2176 George James Pratt 7th Battalion who was reported missing after the dreadful battle of Lone Pine on 8th and 9th August last year and from whom no tidings have since been received although we have made all sorts of inquiries both by cable and letter to different institutions in Egypt, Switzerland and London and also repeated inquiries at the Base records here but all have unfortunately been answered in the negative. We have also made inquiries from several returned soldiers and from them we received undisputable evidence that the poor boy was shot on the morning of the 9th August, and although we have submitted this and other evidence to the Department here, he is only reported by them as officially missing leaving us in the position that we are unable to get any evidence to prove that he is dead. You can understand, Sir, the misery and worry that we have gone through during the last twelve months hoping against hope for the news that never came and which unfortunately we fear never will.….”
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