Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

George Karpany

2345

George Karpany was born on the 23rd of February 1893, with black hair and brown eyes. He was raised in Wellington East, South Australia as a Ngarrindjeri Indigenous Australian (coming from the lower Murray River) by mother and father, Sarah Karpany and George Carpany. He grew up in an Anglican family as a child of two, an older brother to Willie Karpany. As George grew up he occupied a job as a labourer.

On the 23/3/1915, age 22 years and 1 month, at the time single, George enrolled for war in Keswick South Australia. After passing final tests, on the 16/4/1915, he was appointed to the Australian Imperial Force, number 2345, and was selected to be one of the few Indigenous men deemed to be good enough to fight for Australia. From there he became a private and was placed into the 3rd Brigade, as a part of the 10th Battalion, as a 7th reinforcement. 

Following a 12-week training camp assumed to be at the Mitcham Training Compound, George and 7th reinforcements left onboard the HMAT A61 Kanowna on the 23rd of June 1915, headed for Suez waterway, Egypt. After landing in Egypt the reinforcements then travelled to Gallipoli to aid the struggling soldiers. George served on Gallipoli from the 17th of September to mid-November. After a few months at Gallipoli, on the 9th November 1915, he was accidently wounded on ANZAC Cove. He was then quickly transported to Cairo, and was admitted to the 2nd Auxiliary Convalescent Depot. George then spent a month here, until the soldiers of Gallipoli evacuated in mid-December 1915 and travelled back to Cairo. He and the 10th Battalion spent a few months here training.

In March 1916, the 10th Battalion sailed for France and the Western Front, probably with George onboard. They travelled to many places including Étaples, where George was documented to be. After some time, his battalion moved to Ypres in Flanders to partake in training in Belgium. It was here on September 9th, 1916, that George was wounded for the second time suffering wounds to both legs, his right eye and left knee. After recovery his battalion moved back to the Somme for winter were it was assumed he went. Then in 1917 George and battalion travelled back to Belgium to take part in the major British offensive of that year- the Third Battle of Ypres. During the second phase of this battle, on the 20th September 1917, at the battle of Polygon Wood (Zonnebeke, Belgium) George was wounded in action, receiving a bomb wound to back. Following this incident in March and April 1918, George took part to stop the German Spring Offensive, when he was wounded at Hollebeke in Belgium. On the 9/3/1918 he was admitted to the Reading War Hospital, England after suffering gunshot wounds to right thigh, left knee, shoulder and right forearm.

George was discharged from war on the 6/7/1919. Post war George acquired a war pension, living in the area of Tailem-Blend. He became a professional shearer and worked for a well-known shearing company, additionally granting a fishing license, in the River Murray close to the pumping station at Tailem Blend. He married Dora Karpany (who lived her life as a leading church figure) and were regarded as ‘very fine people’ (Aboriginal Reports, 1991 [online]). Together they had a son, Keith Edward Karpany. On the 4th of February 1964, approximately 46 years post-WWI, George passed away from natural causes at the age of 70. 

George showed incredible ANZAC spirit, displaying immense bravery in signing up to war when it was illegal for Indigenous Australians. As they were not of European descendance, they were exempt from military service (Aboriginal service during the First World War, AWM, n.d. [online]), it depended greatly on the recruiting officer and medical officer, if they would allow someone of Aboriginal descendance through. George fought for his country, in a time when he was perceived as a lower class citizen. For George the war brought equality between all, being the first time Australia had ever shown equality between white people and Indigenous Australian’s. In a trove article from a digger’s diary, George was described by mates as a “jolly fine fellow” with a “white, clear white inside.”

George is now commemorated by a special mural at Meningie, that features himself, and 17 other Aboriginal servicemen, who fought for Australia when they themselves were not regarded as Australian citizens.