WILLS, George
| Service Number: | 983 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 7th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, 1894 |
| Home Town: | Bendigo, Greater Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Bottler |
| Memorials: | Bendigo Great War Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 983, 7th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 983, 7th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 983, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Melbourne | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 983, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 8 May 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 983, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, 2nd Krithia. GSW to left thigh. | |
| 25 Jul 1916: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 983, 7th Infantry Battalion, Medically unfit (left leg) |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Larna Malone
George Wills was born in Bendigo. He was employed at the Bendigo Co-operative Brewery as a Bottler, and named his mother, Mrs. L. Wills, of Footscray, as his Next-of-Kin. He was 20 years of age when he enlisted, and had no previous military service. He Enlisted on 22/8/14 and arrived at Broadmeadows Camp on 24/8/14. He was allotted Service no. 983 and appointed to ‘H’ Company, 7th Battalion.
Prior to embarkation he was presented with a silver-mounted pipe and an enlarged photograph of himself, from the employes of the Bendigo Co-operative Brewery.
The 7th Battalion left Broadmeadows Camp on 18 October, 1914, and embarked for service overseas on board HMAT ‘Hororata’. Arriving in Egypt the battalion moved into camp at Mena, at the foot of the pyramids. (6/12/14)
In January, 1915, the Australian force was re-organized. In the 7th Battalion ‘G’ and ‘H’ Companies joined to form the new ‘D’ Company. This meant that all the men from Northern Victoria were together in one Company.
The 7th Battalion was part of the force which landed at Anzac Cove on 25th April, 1915.
In May, Lieut.-General Sir W.R. Birdwood, in command of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, was asked to provide part of the Australian force to assist in a British offensive at Cape Helles. The 2nd Australian Brigade, which included the 7th Battalion, was one of two brigades provided. The 7th Battalion left Anzac and disembarked at ‘V’ Beach, Cape Helles, on May 6th. The battalion moved forward on May 8th in what was later known as the “2nd Battle of Krithia” (8-11 May). This battle achieved minimal gain and casualties were extremely high.
George Wills was Wounded on 8/5/15, sustaining a Bullet wound to his left thigh. He RTA MU 8/10/15
“The First Lot. 7th Battalion. The first men of the Bendigo district to volunteer for service in the First World War.”: Larna Malone