George William Thomas WATERTON

WATERTON, George William Thomas

Service Numbers: 481, 249
Enlisted: 10 January 1916, Brisbane, Qld.
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 12th Machine Gun Company
Born: Middlesex, England, 31 March 1878
Home Town: Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Queensland, 29 March 1933, aged 54 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Balmoral Cemetery, Qld
Plot 18-201
Memorials: Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Morningside District Honour Roll, Woody Point Honour Roll
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Boer War Service

1 Oct 1899: Involvement Private, 481, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen

World War 1 Service

10 Jan 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 249, 12th Machine Gun Company, Brisbane, Qld.
2 May 1916: Involvement Private, 249, 12th Machine Gun Company, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '21' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: ''
2 May 1916: Embarked Private, 249, 12th Machine Gun Company, HMAT Hororata, Sydney
31 Oct 1917: Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 249, 12th Machine Gun Company, National Archives Australia- Service Records, note he fell ill with Bronchitis and Asthma while serving in France as was invalided back to Australia aboard Nestor arriving Melbourne 24 Sept 1917, discharged 31 Oct 1917.

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Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey

George William Thomas Waterton served in twice in the South African War (Boer War) and also in WW1. His initial service was as a Private (S.N. 29 Private) in the 2nd Queensland Mounted Infantry invalided back to Australia and discharged 25 Aug 1900.

He then re-enlisted for the South African War serving with the 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen (S.N. 481 Private) where Murray p. 503 notes he was severely wounded at Onverwacht 04/01/1902 (AWM Boer War Nominal Roll). There is not dossier held by NAA for this enlistment. 

At 38 years of age he enlisted in WW1 serving with the 12th Machine Gun Company (S.N. 249 Private). He served in France and after falling ill (bronchitis & asthma) he was returned to Australia and discharged 31 Oct 1917. His attestation papers note his previous service in the two Qld Contingents in the South African War. At the time of this enlistment he was still resident in the eastern suburbs of Brisbane at Morningside and was married to Emily.

George arrived in Queensland with his parents Walter Thomas Waterton and Emma Hine in 1882. He married Emily Pratt in 1903 and enlisted in January 1916 at age 44. George was living at Woody Point in 1919 and carried the flag in the peace day celebrations at Redcliffe in July 1919

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