FOCKEN, George Frederick
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 8 June 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | Australian Flying Corps (AFC) |
| Born: | Hong Kong, 27 February 1896 |
| Home Town: | Middle Park, Port Phillip, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Wesley College Melbourne Victoria |
| Occupation: | Soldier |
| Died: | 1984, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Melbourne Wesley Collegians Honour Roll, South Melbourne Great War Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 8 Jun 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 58th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Dec 1916: | Involvement Lieutenant, 58th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '20' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: '' | |
| 16 Dec 1916: | Embarked Lieutenant, 58th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Medic, Melbourne | |
| 4 Jan 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Australian Flying Corps (AFC) |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
George Focken entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon with the fourth intake in March 1914 and graduated on 21 June 1916. He arrived in France in April 1917 as a reinforcement for the 58th Battalion and joined his unit in the front line in May 1917. The 58th Battalion were part of the Second Battle of Bullecourt, attempting to break through the German's strong point on the Hindenburg Line. Focken was shot in the right arm and wrist during the battle on 12 May 1917 and was evacuated to England for treatment. After recovering he was detached to the Australian Flying Corps and marched in for pilot training on 4 January 1918. He graduated as a Flying Officer on 2 June 1918 but, on a training flight at about 8.50am that day, his plane stalled during a turn at 800 feet, went into a spin and crashed. He was seriously injured, suffering lacerated wounds on the face, arms, hands and legs, concussion and a fractured leg. Focken was found to be blameless for the accident but returned to Australia with concussion, mental instability and a fractured tibia and fibula. He died on 23 January 1984 at Centennial House in Melbourne.
His brother Leslie Charles Focken was killed in action with the Royal Flying Corps on 26 October 1916.
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