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George Kelly was a very early enlistment during August 1914. He served at the Landing on Gallipoli and remained there until wounded in the hand by a bomb during the August fighting. He was taken to Malta, and a week later was shipped out to a military hospital in Bethnall Green in England. He died there from a liver abscess almost 8 months later.

His younger brother 5041 Pte Thomas Arthur Kelly 22nd Battalion AIF, was killed in action in Belgium 4 October 1917.

Another brother, 506 Charles Samuel Kelly 1st Machine Gun Battalion AIF, returned to Australia during 1918.

The following article appeared in the Tungamah and Lake Rowan Express 20 July 1916, under the heading THE LATE PRIVATE KELLY, FUNERAL IN ENGLAND.

It will be remembered that some little time ago the death was reported in England of Private W. Kelly, son of Mrs. W. Kelly, of Boweya. Mrs. Kelly has just received from Miss Theodora Roscoe, of Horn Hills Court, Bucks, a letter and a clipping from "The Times," giving an account of the funeral. The article is headed “The Village Funeral of a Fallen Anzac," and is a striking example of the good opinion held of our boys in England.

“Two long lines of blue figures moved with slow tread behind the hearse, showing that free- swinging movement peculiar to the Australian troops. But some were on crutches, and some moved with a cruel limp, yet marching bravely, nevertheless — a relic of the first splendid fighting force who had gone from Australia and landed a year ago on that rocky peninsula.

Behind the row of wounded came the staff of the hospital in khaki, and bringing up the rear hurried the village of Harefield — shaky perambulators being whisked along, cyclists, old women bobbing as they went, mill girls in gay hats, and last of all some lumbering farm carts. To which, if either stopped to think, must this spectacle have seemed the more strange — to the villagers, or those tall heroes of Australia, seemingly at home in their typical English village? Or to these men, this funeral in English surroundings amidst English village people? But the war has brought stranger things to pass than this spectacle. Nothing seems impossible now, and even an Australian soldier's death in a quiet English village is accepted as natural.

Through the village the cortege moved, headed by a military band; past the Elizabethan almshouses, looking out so cosily to the western sun. It passed on down to the old church, which lies in a hollow between green meadows and tall elm trees now touched with a film of grayish green. Such a glorious April afternoon as it was! The fruit blossom in a neighboring field smiled in the sunshine after the last heavy shower. There was a feeling of spring warmth — spring loveliness over everything.

As the procession moved on through the green meadow up to the old church it looked like some cleverly- arranged pageant — some historical drama re-acted. The priest, his white surplice blown in the wind, coming forward to receive the coffin, borne on the shoulders of four stalwart Australians — his return to the church at the head of the pro-cession; the blending of the khaki figures against the khaki shade of plaster on the church tower; the blue of the wounded men, and the red and grey of the sisters — all seemed unreal.

Then the quiet words inside the church, and the moment of anxiety when the coffin was again lifted a little waveringly out of the dim interior into the laughing sunshine without. Even when the coffin was lain in the earth, and the rifles rang out once — twice — thrice — it was difficult to realise what it all meant. Then the bugle sounded the Last Post. The notes rose clear, hopeful, on the still air. They struck a chord between the scene here in this English churchyard and the country over the seas. One felt that these notes, dying away on the spring air, would re- echo far off, over there in Australia. They answered the question why these men standing round with bare heads were here, in this English churchyard, and not in distant Australia. They explained why this young soldier was being laid to rest in the brown soil miles away from the land which had given him birth. These men were here because of an ideal; and for it they had given up their homes, their health, their lives.

For these men had heard that England, the country few of them had seen, yet for which all had an instinctive love, was in danger. And so, they had come from the other end of the world, and this man was being laid to rest on this fair April afternoon in a quiet English churchyard, in the very soil, and among the very things for which he had died.”

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

George Abner Kelly was born at Boweya, near Lake Rowan, Victoria on 8th October, 1883 to parents William Beaty Kelly & Lucinda Jane Kelly (nee Crawford).

He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 20th August, 1914 as a 31 year old, single, Farmer from Boweya, via Glenrowan, Victoria.

On 20th August, 1914 Private Kelly was posted to 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Brigade. A.I.F. for recruit training. He was admonished on 22nd (?) September, 1914 for breaking Camp & forfeited 3 days pay.

Private George Abner Kelly, Service number 185, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on HMAT Suffolk (A23) on 18th October, 1914 with the 2nd Infantry Battalion “B” Company & disembarked at Egypt on 8th December, 1914.

He embarked from Alexandria on 5th April, 1915 on Derfflinger to join M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) – Gallipoli campaign.

Private George Abner Kelly was reported wounded at Gallipoli Peninsula on 8th August, 1915 with a bomb wound to hand. He was admitted to 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station at Gallipoli Peninsula on 8th August, 1915 & was transferred to Base. Private Kelly was admitted to Hospital Carrier Ionian at Lemnos on 17th August, 1915 then transferred to Hospital Ship Dongola at Malta on 22nd August, 1915.

On 29th August, 1915 Private Kelly was admitted to Military Hospital at Bethnal Green, London, England. The Hospital Admissions form recorded that Private Kelly was admitted to Bethnal Green Military Hospital, Cambridge Heath, N.E., on 29th August, 1915 with G.S.W. to Right Hand. He was discharged on 3rd January, 1916 & admitted to Woodcote Park Convalescent Hospital, Epsom. Private Kelly was sent on Furlough from 20th February, 1916.

Base Records advised Mrs L. Kelly, Bowega, via Glen Rowan, Victoria on 15th September, 1915 that her son Private G. A. Kelly had been wounded & was in Hospital in London, England. Mrs Kelly was advised on 26th November, 1915 that her son Private G. A. Kelly, 2nd Battalion, had been admitted to Military Hospital, Bethnal Green, London, on 29th August, 1915 suffering from Gunshot wound to right Hand.

Private George Abner Kelly died on 17th April, 1916 at 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield Park, Harefield, Middlesex, England from an Abscess on Liver. [Listed on the “Report of Death of a Soldier” Army form B. 2090 “Primary– Amoebic Dysentery with Liver Abscess.  Secondary- Rupture of Abscess into Lung & Pneumothorax”.]

He was buried in St. Mary the Virgin Churchyard, Harefield, Middlesex, England – Plot number: Aust. 3 and has a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone.

**Note: Originally the name on the CWGC headstone was listed as George Arthur Kelly. Sometime prior to November, 2018 the middle name was changed & his correct name was shown on the headstone – Private George Abner Kelly.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)

https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/h---k.html