GILBERT, George Raymond
| Service Numbers: | 1082, 1383 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 November 1914, An original of G Company |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 15th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Cambridge, Tasmania, Australia, 25 March 1893 |
| Home Town: | Cambridge, Clarence, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Cambridge Primary School, Tasmania, Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Accidental (Injuries), France, 21 February 1917, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Becourt Military Cemetery Plot I, Row Z, Grave No. 22. TO LIVE IN HEARTS WE LEAVE BEHIND IS NOT TO DIE |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Cambridge Primary School Roll of Honour, Cambridge Uniting Church Honour Roll, Clarence Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Nov 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1082, 15th Infantry Battalion, An original of G Company | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1914: | Involvement Private, 1082, 17th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Dec 1914: | Embarked Private, 1082, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Melbourne | |
| 21 Feb 1917: | Involvement Sergeant, 1383, 15th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1383 awm_unit: 15th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1917-02-21 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
George Gilbert was an original member of the 15th Battalion and took part in the Anzac landing on 25 April 1915. He was wounded by shrapnel in the foot during July 1915 and evacuated to Malta and then on to England during October 1915.
He was returned to Egypt during early 1916 and promoted to Corporal before the unit was sent to the Western Front. Shortly after being promoted to Sergeant, he was severely wounded during bomb throwing practice exercise in France on 21 February 1917. He died of wounds the same day.
His younger brother, 1643 Private Roy Erwin Gilbert 40th Battalion had been killed in action only three weeks previous and their mother Selina received the news of the double loss in Tasmania almost simultaneously.
She wrote to the AIF shortly after, “re 1643 Pte. R.E. Gilbert 40th Battalion, I would like to know if he was killed instantly or did he live anytime after or is there a message that he left for me also my other son 1082 Sergeant G.R. Gilbert 15th Battalion, I would like to know how he was wounded and how long he lived after he was wounded and if he left any message for me, his mother, and will all their things that they had with them, that belongs to them, will they be sent to me….”
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