COTTELL, George Cecil
| Service Number: | 4993 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 January 1916, 13th Reinforcements |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 26th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Brisbane, Queensland, AUSTRALIA, 22 July 1899 |
| Home Town: | Nambour, Sunshine Coast, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Nambour State School |
| Occupation: | Electrical Engineer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 14 November 1916, aged 17 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, First Nambour Boy Scouts Honour Board, Nambour Heroes Walk, Nambour Maroochy Shire War Dead Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 26th Infantry Battalion, 13th Reinforcements | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 4993, 26th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Choon embarkation_ship_number: A49 public_note: '' | |
| 4 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 4993, 26th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Choon, Brisbane | |
| 2 Oct 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, Promotion to Temporary Corporal | |
| 14 Nov 1916: | Involvement Corporal, 4993, 26th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4993 awm_unit: 26th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1916-11-14 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Anne Herlihy
George Cecil Cottell was the first child of George Henry Cottell and Alice Maud Major. His father died in 1908, and his mother remarried. He was a young man of 16 years and 5 months but told the enlistment officer he was 18 years and 5 months when he enlisted for the Great War on 10 January 1916 at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. His occupation was an electrical engineer at the time. He was described as 5 feet 7 ½ inches (171.5cm) tall. He weighed 145 pounds (66kg) and had a fair complexion with blue eyes and brown hair. George noted his religion as Church of England. He was a single man and listed his mother, Mrs. A. M. Bennett, who was living at Tamworth, New South Wales at the time, as his next of kin. Later Alice moved to Nambour, Queensland, and later to New Farm, Brisbane, Queensland.
On 04 May 1916, Private George C. Cottell of 26th Infantry Battalion boarded the HMAT “Seang Choon” at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia to serve his King and country. The “Seang Choon” reached her destination on 15 June 1916. After spending a couple of days in hospital at Tel-el-Kebir, George was discharged to duty at 2 Divisional Base. On 02 August, he embarked for France. In September, George was made Acting Sergeant with pay for a week, before reverting to his rank of Private on joining his battalion. On that same day, George was made Temporary Corporal as Jenkins #3831 had been promoted.
On 14 November 1916, Temporary Corporal George C. Cottell was reported missing. Red Cross made enquiries only to find witnesses had seen him Killed in Action on that day. His body was never recovered.
The Queenslander 13 Jan 1917 listed GC Cottell of Nambour as missing.
My mother Hope Herlihy nee Major was his first cousin. His sister Gladys served as a nurse in WW2.
My information was supplemented from the Adopt a Digger Site.
Click images to start slideshow.