Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

George Frederick Seagrott was an 18 year old miner from Gilgai, New South Wales when he enlisted in 33 Battalion at Inverell on 10 November 1915. After training he embarked overseas on 4 May 1916, and whilst onboard the transport ship (HMAT A74) , was, on 27 June 1916 court martialled. He was charged  

with “when a soldier acting as a sentinel on active service sleeping at his post”. After hearing glowing tributes from his superiors and various explanations as to why he fell asleep whilst on duty he was sentenced to 29 days detention – probably a light sentence reflecting the fact that it was at sea.

He arrived in Devonport on 9 July 1916 and 2 months later was charged with going AWOL for 24 hours. For this offense he received 14 days Field Punishment and was forfeited 15 days pay. After training he embarked for France on 12 December 1916.

He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for a trench raid in February 1917, the recommendation reads:

“On the night of February 24/25th during a raid on the German trenches Private Seagrott displayed most conspicuous gallantry. While returning to our trenches, he realised that his officer 2/Lieut. W.D.McKenzie, whom he knew to be the last to leave the enemy's trench, was not coming on. Under heavy shell, rifle and Machine Gun fire, he returned alone to the enemy's wire, some distance back, and found 2/Lieut. McKenzie in a dazed condition, and the mangled body of the officer prisoner he was escorting lying beside him. Private Seagrott, who is of slight build, succeeded in bringing 2/Lieut. McKenzie back to our lines after a dangerous and arduous journey across No Man's Land which was in a very heavy condition and under heavy fire from artillery and Machine Guns. The raiding party (drawn from 33rd Battalion, A.I.F.) consisted of four Officers and 78 other ranks and entered the German trenches at Fort Ballot, C.29.c.44.26. on February 24/25th, 1917.

On 23 June 1917 he was wounded in action, sustaining a gunshot wound to the scalp which saw him in hospital for nearly two months before being returned to his battalion. He was wounded again (gassed) on 9 April 1918 and after a further few months in hospital was again returned to his battalion. On 8 August 1918 he received his third and final wounding, a gunshot wound to his left leg. He remained in hospital until January 1919 and was returned to Australia in March of that year for discharge.

His return was widely reported in Gilgai and Inverell, as was his service, his DCM, and his 3 woundings. The Inverell Times published this on 13 May 1919

“The last, but by no means least, of our recently welcomed heroes was Sgt.G. Seagrott, D.C.M. Gilgai is more than proud of her distinguished soldier and has she not a right to be? Sgt.Seagrott had the opportunity of performing a gallant act of personal bravery and he rose to the occasion and carried it through so successfully that he received the D.C.M., and was made a King's Sergeant, which is a life title. He was given the usual welcome of a banquet, and presentation, at which we were pleased to see the guest's grandfather, who, like his grandson, has taken an active part in his country's battles, although of course, at a much earlier date. But to use his own words, Sgt. Seagrott is "a chip off the old block."

Whether he was made a Kings Sergeant or not may be poetic license – given it was a legal position rather than a military one. George Frederick Seagrott DCM died on 12 December 1959 at Balgowlah.

In 1954 a poet, Mrs Gladys Leslie had her poem about George Frederick Seagrott entitled “How he won the DCM” published in the Inverell Times.

George had two sons who served in World War Two, one paying the ultimate price in brutal fighting during the fall of Singapore.

Gordon Bruce Seagrott, was born on 17 August 1921 at Fairfield, New South Wales. He enlisted into the Army on 4 August 1941 at Paddington, Sydney and was assigned the service number NX41824. Serving with the 2/19th Infantry Battalion, he was killed in action on 9 February 1942 during the battle of Singapore.

The AWM states” Only 271 members of the 2/19th were mustered at Yong Peng and withdrawn to Johore Bahru. There, on 26 January the battalion received 650 reinforcements, and reorganisation and training commenced. It crossed onto Singapore Island on 31 January and took up defensive positions on the left of the 22nd Brigade's sector on the island's west coast. The wide frontage it was required to cover, however, meant its platoons and sections had to be widely dispersed. When the Japanese launched their invasion on the night of 8 February the 2/19th's position was readily infiltrated and the battle degenerated into vicious scattered engagements in the dark. Like most Australian units involved, it fell into a desperate retreat that ended with surrender on the outskirts of Singapore city on the night of 15 February”

It is clear from his file that he was one of the reinforcements referred to. On 6 February he received non urgent medical treatment and was discharged to his unit on the 8th. He was reported missing on the 15th of February with a presumed date of death of 9 February 1942 during the Japanese attack on Singapore.

With no known grave, he is commemorated at Singapore Memorial, Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore.

George and Jessamine’s younger son Mervyn Veness Seagrott, greengrocer's assistant, was born 8 May 1924 at Inverell, New South Wales . Enlisting into the Army on 6 May 1942 at Manly , giving his mother as his next of kin, he was assigned the service number N234236.

Initially serving with the 56th Infantry Battalion, he transferred to the 9th Infantry battalion on 5 July 1944. A photograph held in the AWM taken on 25 November 1944 in Bougainville shows Private Seagrott as a member ‘A’ Company 9. Transferring to the 8th Battalion in November 1945, he returned to Australia on 27 April 1946 and was discharged from the Army on 12 June 1946.