ASTALL, George Francis
| Service Numbers: | 10495, V5701 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 September 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 1st Divisional Ammunition Column |
| Born: | Murtoa, Victoria, Australia, 1 March 1893 |
| Home Town: | Hamilton, Southern Grampians, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Groom |
| Died: | Illness, Victoria, Australia, 22 December 1943, aged 50 years |
| Cemetery: |
Springvale War Cemetery, Melbourne, Victoria Springvale War Cemetery, Springvale, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Gunner, 10495, 1st Divisional Ammunition Column | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Jan 1916: | Embarked Gunner, 10495, 1st Divisional Ammunition Column, HMAT Afric, Melbourne | |
| 5 Jan 1916: | Involvement Gunner, 10495, 1st Divisional Ammunition Column, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 14 Jul 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Driver, 1st Divisional Ammunition Column | |
| 3 Sep 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Driver, 10495, 1st Divisional Ammunition Column, 3rd MD |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Lance Sergeant, V5701 | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Aug 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Lance Sergeant, V5701 |
Help us honour George Francis Astall's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Robert Kearney
From How We Served
The final resting place for; - 10495 & V5701 Lance Sergeant George Francis Astall of Hamilton and West Geelong, Victoria who prior to his enlistment for War Service on the 18th of September 1915 had been employed as a groom.
George was allocated to reinforcements for the 1st Divisional Ammunition Column 1st AIF, and was embarked for Egypt and further training on the 5th of January 1916.
Following his arrival George was formally taken on strength with his Unit on the 10th of March and was mustered as a Driver. With his Unit, George was embarked for France on the 26th of March, and arrived safely on the 2nd of April.
George’s service in the field would be continuous, aside being evacuated sick with influenza on the 11th of November, and having recovered, he was returned to his Unit.
On the 16th of July 1917, George was granted Leave to England, and after this brief respite, returned to the trenches at the start of August. On the 19th of February 1918, George was again evacuated sick, suffering from tonsillitis, and again was returned to his Unit, having recovered, on the 25th of February.
His service, again, was continuous until he was granted Leave to England on the 20th of August, and following his return, he re-joined his Unit on the 9th of September. Within days of his return from England, George was again evacuated sick, and by the 15th of September he was admitted into the 39th General Hospital at Le Havre.
George was deemed fit enough to return to his Unit, re-joining them on the 19th of November. With the War now over, George began his repatriation home, returning to England from France on the 3rd of April 1919, and then embarking for his return to Australia on the 31st of May 1919.
Having arrived back in Australia, George received his official discharge from the 1st AIF for his re-entry into civilian life on the 3rd of September 1919.
With the outbreak of a Second World War, George again presented himself for service with the Australian Military Forces on the 27th of August 1940. George was accepted for full time duty, and was allocated to the Australian Army Service Corps.
Promoted to the rank of Lance Sergeant, George was serving with the Australian Army Service Corps Training School when he was evacuated due to illness, and whilst being still being hospitalized when he succumbed to sickness on the 22nd of December 1943. George was aged 50 at the time of his premature death.
Having served throughout the First World War, and then choosing to serve Australia during a Second War, ‘Great War’ veteran Lance Sergeant George Astall was formally laid to rest within Springvale War Cemetery, Victoria.
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