Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

George Tostee signed up for World War 1 on 19th of August 1914 at Morphettville SA - only 15 days after Australia announced that they were joining the war. George was 23 years old and previously worked as a cook before joining, and had two brothers, Fernand Tostee and Gaston Joseph Tostee and was a Roman Catholic. He was born in San Julias, Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean, near Madagascar where his brothers lived at the time. However, in Australia, he lived on 135 Hindley Street in Adelaide and when he joining the war had no wife or children.

After signing up, he was sent to train at the Morphettville racecourse, there is where he was given the rank of Private, in the tenth battalion with the regimental number 347(a).

Training in Morphettville from August to October, the exercises revolved around physical training and pushing the body and mind to its limits while also pushing for strict routines and discipline by participating in patrols, walking several kilometres to shower and doing checks on their tents every morning on the dot of 7:30. On the 20th of October 2014, people from around Morphettville camp held a large goodbye party, waving handkerchiefs and flags before then leaving for the Port via Morphettville Railway Station.

George then boarded the “Ascanius” ship and left Australia. Ascanius was one of the first ships carrying troops to leave and went to Egypt via Colombo. The ship arrived on the 5th December 1914.

Being in the 10th Battalion, George participated in the devastating Gallipoli campaign in Turkey. He became sick on the 23 August 1915 with rheumatism/debility and diarrhoea. He was sent to No 1 Field Ambulance and then to 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station in Mudros then to Lemnos and was transferred to the 1st Australian General Hospital in Cairo before being dischaged to Light Duties at Zeitoun. 

In June 1916 George set of on the HMT Franconia from Alexandria and disembarked at Plymouth in England before being transferred to the 32nd Infantry Battalion on 30th September 1916 in France.

George possibly fought in the winter offensive which was planned by a 4th army HQ general wanting to be more on the offensive and had miserable wet conditions that contained lots of mud and sludge as noted by other soldiers’ diaries. During the battle, George was promoted to temporary Lance Corporal on 20th OCtober 1916. Unfortunately, his temporary promotion didn’t last long, as he was then evacuated on the 26th of January 1917 by the 15th field ambulance due to getting a fever of unknown origin (P.U.O).

On the 2nd of March 1917, he rejoined his unit and was then promoted on the 22nd February 1917 via temporary Sergeant Dundas. On the 19th of July, George detached to the 8th battalion and marched in from France to Hurdcott, England and was appointed to the permanent cadre (a small group of people specially trained for a particular purpose or profession) of the 8th battalion. He was attached to the infantry battalion for 3 days before being moved to England to the school of musketry. The School of Musketry, on Hayling Island, was a school for re-educating English and ANZAC troops with the newest battle tactics and new equipment. George did well, he arrived around 7 August 1917 and completed the classes and left on 30th August, qualifying first class. On 28 October 1917, while still in England, George was appointed a Sergeant

George didn’t stay long with the 8th battalion as he was later attached to the 15th battalion on the 21st of November 1917 to help with Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) depots in the U.K, Codford. Around a month later on 9th December, George was set on command at another school of musketry, however at Tidworth (UK) this time for a refresher rifle course from the 6th to the 10th of December.

In January 1918 on the 10th George reverted to the rank of Corporal before the next day marching into Le Havre from England and rejoining the 32nd battalion from the supernumerary list before attending another school. This time it was the 10th Corps Gas School, then joining the unit again on the 28th for the German spring offensive.

During the German spring offensive, AIF and New Zealand soldiers were told to plug gaps and cover for British front lines. The 32nd battalion was said to have a “quiet time” during the German spring offensive due to the 5th division being kept in reserve. However, while the rest of the 32nd had a quiet time George did not, as he was severely injured in battle. He was admitted to hospital due to a bullet wound in the left thigh. He was transferred to England to be treated but had to suffer with the gunshot wound for around 3 days while being transferred to the Kings Health Sec. This was quite painful due to the lack of effective health care back then and the lack of pain killers. And, in the end, resulted in the severing of his left thigh on the 29 April 1918.

On the 5th June, George marched in from London to Sutton Veny (village in England), then marched out on the 24 June to Long Deverill (another village in England) - most likely being moved to a location to recover, as he could no longer participate in the war due to his leg. However, on 14th July, George committed an offence of being away without leave and had a scheduled punishment from 8:15 on 8 July to the next day at 8 am.

Finally, on sometime between 18-27th July, George rejoined his unit in England and then on the 28th was given permission to leave to go back home to Australia, before actually leaving on the 8th October 1918. He served totally for 4 years and 166 days and was discharged on 31st January 1919.

George died on the 7 November 1967 in Adelaide. 

Bibliography

Reference list

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scheme =AGLSTERMS. AglsAgent; corporateName=Commonwealth of Australia, D. of D. address=Russell O. (n.d.). Anzac Commemorative Medallion | ADF Members & Families | Defence. [online] www.defence.gov.au. Available at: https://www.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families/honours-awards/medals/imperial-awards/world-war-one/anzac-commemorative-medallion#:~:text=It%20was%20awarded%20to%20surviving.

Vwma.org.au. (2024). Australian Soldiers, Memorials and Military History. [online] Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/projects/147503/edit?wizard-page-index=0.

vwma.org.au. (n.d.). Virtual War Memorial. [online] Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/campaigns/57.

www.awm.gov.au. (n.d.). | The Australian War Memorial. [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51472.