REED, George Frederick
| Service Number: | 1394 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 January 1917 |
| Last Rank: | Second Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 4th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company |
| Born: | Brixton, Surry, England , 2 June 1883 |
| Home Town: | Orange, Orange Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Locomotive Driver |
| Died: | Broncho Pneumonia, France, 7 March 1919, aged 35 years |
| Cemetery: |
Dunkirk Town Cemetery IV F 33 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Orange Cenotaph, Orange WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 15 Jan 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1394, Railway Unit (AIF) | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 May 1917: | Involvement 1394, Railway Unit (AIF), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: '' | |
| 11 May 1917: | Embarked 1394, Railway Unit (AIF), HMAT Shropshire, Melbourne | |
| 1 Jan 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Second Corporal, 4th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company | |
| 1 Jan 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Corporal, 4th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company | |
| 7 Mar 1919: | Involvement 1394, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1394 awm_unit: 4th Australian Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company awm_rank: Second Corporal awm_died_date: 1919-03-07 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Oakes
George Frederick REED (Service Number 1394) was born on 2 June 1883 at Buxton, Surrey, England. His permanent employment with the NSW Government Railways and Tramways began as a cleaner in the Locomotive Depot at Bathurst on 29th June 1906. By 1908 he had progressed to fireman and then in 1913 to driver, still at Bathurst. He relocated in the same role to Orange in February 1916 and a year later, on 16th January 1917, Reed was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces.
He enlisted at the Royal Agricultural Society Showgrounds at Moore Park in Sydney on 9th February 1917, giving his ‘Trade or Calling’ as ‘Locomotive Engine Driver’, and his wife Hilda May as his next of kin. He also cited membership of the Orange Rifle Club.
He was allotted to the ‘Railway Reserve’ and later the 4th Australian Broad-Gauge Railway Operating Company.
Railways were absolutely essential to the supply of men and supplies to the front. In 1917 the British authorities put out a special request to the Dominions to supply more skilled men to operate railways, rather than to fight, as most NSWGR&T men were doing. Age and fitness requirements were relaxed as the intention was not to serve in the front lines.
He embarked HMAT ‘Shropshire’ at Melbourne on 11th May 1917 and reached Plymouth (England) on 19th July. He had had an admission to the ship’s hospital on the journey.
After a few months further training in England he proceeded overseas to France on 4th October and was promoted to Corporal on 1st January 1918, though he reverted to the lesser rank of 2nd Corporal at his own request the same day. He went about the business of driving trains behind the front. In August he had leave in Paris, and after the Armistice in November had leave in England.
On 22nd February 1919 he developed pneumonia and was admitted, dangerously ill, to the 8th Canadian Stationary Hospital Dunkirk where he died on 7th March 1919. He was buried in the Dunkirk Town Cemetery.
George and Hilda Reed had four children, Hilda Irene (born 11th August 1902); George Frederick (born 18th December 1904); Leslie (born 4th August 1906) and Clarence Charles (born 22nd February 1908).
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.