REDDISH, George Valentine
| Service Number: | 4877 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 January 1917, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 14th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Hawthorn, Victoria, 1889 |
| Home Town: | Albert Park, Port Phillip, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Middle Park State School |
| Occupation: | Salesman |
| Died: | Died of wounds, Allonville, France, 31 May 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Longueau British Cemetery, Somme, France I.E. 10, Longueau British Cemetery, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Chinkapook WWI Enlisted Plaque, South Melbourne Great War Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Jan 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4877, 29th Infantry Battalion, Melbourne, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Jun 1917: | Involvement Private, 4877, 29th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: '' | |
| 21 Jun 1917: | Embarked Private, 4877, 29th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Suevic, Melbourne | |
| 31 May 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4877, 14th Infantry Battalion, "Peaceful Penetration - Low-Cost, High-Gain Tactics on the Western Front", --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4877 awm_unit: 14 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-05-31 |
Details shown in the Red Cross Diaries held at the Canberra War Museum
George was killed while sheltering in a barn with hundreds of other soldiers.
The barn (which was more the size of a shearing shed) was hit by a German fired shell, and exploded causing the roof of the barn to collapse. The fact that the German shelling was spot on led to a conclusion that someone must have given them information.
The injuries and deaths caused when the roof fell in were so sudden that probably most of those who died did not know what had happened. War records suggest that this event involved the highest number of deaths in the war from one shell.
The diaries also detail how he was gassed on two occasions prior to his death. The first reported gassings of men by mustard gas were just a few months before George as affected by the gas, so the medical authorise were still trying to work out how to treat it.
Many of those men who were gassed, with George were repatriated back to Australia.
He was gassed in late January before he died, spent two weeks in hospital.
His death occurred on the 31st May 1918.
Submitted 1 May 2015 by Anne Chambers
Biography
George was gassed in France on the 8th February 1918 and sent back to the front line three days later.
He was again wounded on the 3rd May 1918 where both legs were shattered. He died of these wounds.
George left behind a wife and two children.
George was one of twelve children to David & Mary Reddish.
George's sister Margaret Elizabeth was my Grandmother.
Lest We Forget.
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