GREGERSON, George
| Service Number: | 1048 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Bendemeer & District Memorial Gates |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 1048, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 1048, 1st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Aubrey Bairstow
George Gregerson (also known as Gregersen), was born in Southampton, England in 1890, his family originating from Denmark. He was residing in New South Wales, Australia working as a labourer when he enlisted in the 1st Battalion A.I.F. on 14 September 1914. The battalion was deployed to Egypt landing on 2 December 1914 and went ashore at Gallipoli on the 25th April 1915 in the 2nd and 3rd waves.
He received a slight scalp wound during the landings and re-joined the battalion on the 3rd May. His records show that he was also wounded on 19 May 1915 and on 22 June 1915. During the attack on Lone Pine (6th August) he was recommended for a Mentioned in Despatches for ‘constructing a sandbag barricade across a captured communication trench at a critical period under heavy fire’. Captain Alfred Shout of his Battalion won the Victoria Cross for the same action. The mention seems to have occurred but for whatever reason he was not awarded the corresponding oakleaf.
The battalion proceeded to France on 28 March 1916. He was awarded the Military Medal for his part in the night attack on the 4/5th November 1916.
His Military Medal citation is jointly listed with Sgt D. Allen’s (Bar to MM), L/Cpl A. London and Gregerson’s: ‘For particularly good work bombing near the German Trenches being himself bombed during the 2nd assault. Mention for this NCO’s work in the first assault was made by an officer who was killed in the second’.
He was wounded in action 5 November 1916 with gunshot wound (or grenade splinter) to his mouth and subsequently evacuated to England and Australia for discharge on 6 April 1918. A letter is on his file requesting his address from his brother who was attempting to locate him in 1930 reports that he had a sum of money in a bank in Denmark as part of his inheritance. Various shipping records list his nationality as Danish.
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