DAVIES, George Francis
| Service Number: | 5372 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 29 January 1916, Place of enlistment - Brisbane, Queensland |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 12th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bromley, England, 1896 |
| Home Town: | Gayndah, North Burnett, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 15 April 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Lagnicourt Hedge Cemetery Plot I, Row C, Grave 9, Lagnicourt Hedge Cemetery, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Brisbane Albert Street Uniting Church Honour Roll, Gayndah District Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 29 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5372, Place of enlistment - Brisbane, Queensland | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Apr 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5372, Embarked on SS Hawkes Bay from Sydney on 20th April 1916. | |
| 21 Aug 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5372, Proceeded to France on 21st August 1916. | |
| 6 Oct 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
| 6 Nov 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 5372, 12th Infantry Battalion, Admitted to 1st Anzac M.D. Station with severe gun shot wound to right thigh. Transferred to 6th Australian General Hospital Rouen then to England on HS Carisbrook Castle on 16th November 1916. Admitted to Royal Victoria Hospital Netleyand then transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital | |
| 25 Feb 1917: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5372, Having been served in No 1 Command Depot Perham Downs, No 4 Command Depot Wareham and Infantry Draft Depot proceeded to France on SS Golden Eagle from Folkestone 25th February 1917. | |
| 15 Apr 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 5372, 12th Infantry Battalion, Killed in action. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Michael Ganey
Pte George Francis DAVIES
12th Battalion
Service No. 5372
Lagnicourt Hedge Cemetery
GPS Latitude: 50.15429, Longitude: 2.9532
George Davies was one of four children born to Oliver and Julia Davies in Beckingham England in 1895. His father died in 1906 and his mother Julia later made the decision to move to Australia and they arrived in Queensland in 1909.
George was a labourer when he enlisted in Brisbane on the 29th of January 1916 and was assigned to the 12th Battalion and joined the battalion in France on the 6th of October 1916. A month later he was wounded in the thigh, which was severe enough for him to be sent to England for treatment and to recover. George finally returned to his unit in France on the 4th March 1917.
On the 15th of April 1917 his unit attacked and held ground near Lagnicourt. In a desperate German counter-attack by 16,000 Germans against 4000 Australians, George was killed in action. His body was later taken back to the dressing station behind Lagnicourt .
Private George Davies lies in the Lagnicourt Hedge Cemetery. He is the only known Australian soldier in this cemetery.
Of the 44 members of the 12th Battalion who died on this day, only 10 have a known grave.
George was the only Australian soldier buried at Lagnicourt, however, in December 1969, another Australian was reinterred there. He was 2nd Lieutenant Eric Francis Hayter who was killed near Lagnicourt in March 1918 while serving in the British Army, Royal Field Artillery and he was buried by the Germans nearby.
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