Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Henry and Elizabeth LARCOMBE, 205 Liverpool Road, Ashfield, New South Wales

Ex-Mayor's Soldier Son.
There is widespread sympathy at Lidcombe with ex-Mayor H. J. Larcombe, Mrs. Larcombe and, family over the death of their soldier son. Private George Larcombe, who enlisted the day he turned 21 years of age and left for the front on 4th September last. He wrote from Durban (South Africa) in October, stating that he was on picket duty and was suffering from a bad cold. That was the only, letter received from him. During the festive sea son the parents were rejoicing that the war had ended and their son (the only one left to them) would no doubt be on his way back. Their joy, however, was short lived, as at tho beginning of the present week a letter was received from the commanding officer announcing the boy's death from pneumonic influenza when off the west coast of Africa. The vessel called at Sierra Loone, where the body was conveyed ashore and buried. This is so far the only information received of the sad occurrence. Mr. and Mrs. Larcombe are now anxiously awaiting official confirmation of the news or otherwise. It is said that ten deaths occurred from the scourge on the vessel.

George Henry LARCOMBE (Service number 60478) was born in Lidcombe on 30th May 1897. Originally the town was known as Haslam’s Creek, later Rookwood. The name Lidcombe was proposed in 1913 and adopted from 1st January 1914, its first syllable honouring the current Mayor, Frederick Lidbury, and the second syllable honouring the former Mayor, Henry Larcombe.  Henry Larcombe was a pioneer of the area, an alderman for 28 years and Mayor for eight years. He was George Larcombe’s father.

G H Larcombe joined the NSW Government Railways as a junior clerk in the Traffic Audit office in Sydney in July 1914.  As soon as he could after turning 21, he enlisted in the AIF in Sydney. This was in June 1918. He was embarked with reinforcements from Sydney on 4th September 1918 on HMAT A41 ‘Bakara’.

‘He wrote from Durban (South Africa) in October, stating that he was on picket duty and was suffering from a bad cold.  That was the only letter received from him.  During the festive season the parents were rejoicing that the war had ended and their son (the only one left to them) would no doubt be on his way back. However, a letter was received from the commanding officer announcing the boy’s death from pneumonic Influenza when off the west coast of Africa.  The vessel called at Sierra Leone where George's body was conveyed ashore and buried. 'It is said that ten deaths occurred from the scourge on the vessel.’ (Cumberland Argus & Fruitgrowers Advocate, Parramatta, 4/1/1919)

His military records state that he had been admitted to the ship’s hospital at sea on 22nd October with ‘pneumonia’. He disembarked at Freetown on 25th October and was admitted to the Military Hospital there. He died on 26th October in hospital and was buried in the Kington Military Cemetery.

Having enlisted and left Australia, Larcombe was eligible for the British War Medal, but not for the Victory Medal which required entry into a theatre of war.

- based on the Australian War memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.