Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

 Soul Mates

Earle George Colbert (George) was born in the coastal town of Streaky Bay in the first week of January 1924 to Raymond and Gwendoline. His birth happened just after his parents moved from Mount Hope to Karcultaby – a long trip, especially for his mother in the heat of Summer. George was the second of six children including Raymond, Brian, Denis. Gwen and Cecil.

George and his older brother, Ray attended school at Karcultaby, with both riding together, perched on the back of their horse. This mode of travel was not uncommon for many country children as the choice was this or walk the long distance or have little schooling at all. 

George’s musical talents were obvious even as a youngster in Primary School when combined schools from Karcultaby, Kaldoonera and Poochera held a concert with the themes to reflect on the close ties to the Mother Land of England and the respect held for the Australians who had served in the ‘Great War’, in which George’s father was involved. Items included the National Anthem and an action song called Airmen in which all schools were involved. In the presentation of a poem called Other Lands, seven year old George and his brother Ray were amongst the youngsters who dressed in the costumes of their nominated country, walked on stage, pointed out the location of their specific country; namely the West Indies (George) and Japan (Ray) on a world map, before reciting a poem about their particular country.

As a youngster, George was a useful cricketer and footballer. However, his childhood was not without accident when, as a thirteen-year-old he sustained the inevitable fall from his push-bike, riding downhill at Condada when the front forks of his wheel broke. This required hospitalisation at Streaky Bay for concussion and skin abrasions.

Once he left school, George initially worked for his father at home, as well as for other farmers in the district. But his love was music. By the time he turned seventeen, George was already part of a musical duo performing in public for events including the Karcultaby Bachelors’ evening in aid of the School’s Patriotic Funds. Card playing, games, community singing and supper were all well supported by the wide-spread local community. Later, George’s children would also inherit this love of music.

Ray Colbert, George’s father, was considered very hard on his son throughout his young life. (With hindsight, access to records and understanding of the effects of warfare on soldiers, it is possible to put Ray’s behaviour into context.) Consequently, as a teenager, George escaped the harsh, relentless demands of the family farm, travelling to Western Australia to work as a farm-hand. George’s young sister, Gwen, idolised her brothers as in letters to the newspaper children’s club, she mentioned George’s interests in joining the Airforce while George was still a seventeen-year-old. Within six months she was again writing in to the paper about George going into camp. When war broke out, George had enlisted with the CMF at Kojarena in Western Australia, aged 18 years and 2 months on the 26th of March 1942. His initial number was S50820. The official minimum age for the AIF was 21 so this was a sound introduction to military life. George consequently became a gunner with the 104 Australian Attack Tank Regiment, 13th Battalion. As was so typical in country towns, a farewell social was organised for the young gunner in July 1942, including a presentation and good wishes extended to George. His father, Ray returning thanks on George’s behalf before George then ably responded.

Unfortunately, Private George Colbert contracted measles in September of ‘42, resulting in a stint of almost three months in Perth Hospital before having some home leave, granted as 41 days of seasonal leave to assist on the family farm. George then travelled to Victoria remaining there until 27th September 1943 where he was officially discharged from the CMF and formally enlisted with the AIF the following day, his Service Number then becoming SX32184 and he was allocated to the 2/32rd Infantry Battalion. He then re-joined his unit in WA on the 22nd October.

Having been involved in the conflict in New Guinea for 12 months, George sustained a gunshot wound to his stomach while fighting on the notorious Kokoda Track. In being transported to Borneo for treatment, George contracted TB (as did other Australian troops at the time). At home, while his local community and family were publicly stoic, it was evident that George’s health was severely compromised. By October of 1945, George was medically discharged as his illness worsened. His young sister Gwen and parents visited him in November at the Heidelberg General Hospital, a TB sanitorium in Victoria where he underwent a serious operation. Over the next six weeks George endured three more major operations, where the prognosis was a cautious ‘much improved’ but with significant hospital stays ahead of him, including into 1947. His parents and Gwen had a further seven-week visit, reflecting the seriousness of his health.

By August of that year, George was transferred to the Daws Road Repatriation Hospital in Adelaide. Regular trips on the country Birdseye bus were made by George’s family and sister. The local paper also encouraged that he would be “Pleased to see any of his old friends”. Attempting to be positive, the paper also reported that George would not be home for Christmas but that he was hoping to return in the new year of 1948. By this time, George was in the Kalyra Sanitorium in the foothills of SA where he met dedicated nursing sister, Audrey Doreen Ray. Audrey was a talented singer who had initially begun her nursing training at Peterborough Hospital, before completing another two years at the Royal Adelaide Hospital gaining a credit in her final exams. She later nursed at the Repat Hospital where she met George, the love of her life.

George’s rehabilitation was, in retrospect, aided by the very caring ministrations of this wonderful nurse. Inevitably, the two fell in love, resulting in their engagement on the 7th July 1948 and marriage ‘Quietly solemnised in Adelaide’ at the Flinders Street Registry Office on the 29th November 1948. George clearly was still seriously unwell. Finally, after almost three years of hospitalisation George was discharged to return to Talia in March. Here the newly-weds lived in a little cottage on the grounds of the Talia General Store which was run by George’s parents.

Of course, being country people, the newlyweds also experienced a traditional ‘tin kettling’ where the friends of the young couple were greeted by a cacophony of many and varied tins and bells before all participants adjoined to the local hall for an evening of dancing, games and supper. The young couple were escorted to the middle of the hall and presented with monetary gifts on behalf of all present.

The young couple later moved to a War Service Home on Scottish Avenue in the newly developed Adelaide suburb of South Road Park.

George and Audrey knew they faced many challenges but they were blessed with two beautiful children, Wendy Rae born in September of 1950 and Bradley George in February of 1953. Both inherited their parent’s love of music. Not long after Brad was born, it was discovered that Audrey likewise had TB, and she was hospitalised at Kalyra in Belair for 9 months. The young family was held in such high regard, that the then Matron of Kalyra asked a fellow nurse, Shirley Arthur, who was on leave, to help look after George and young Wendy until George’s mother arrived. The two new grandmothers of the young children took over the role of caring until Audrey was about to be discharged. George’s condition worsened. Knowing this, he wrote a beautiful, poignant letter to Audrey. On his last evening, George, as usual, read Wendy a bedtime story and young Bradley was also taken in to see his Dad – much to the joy of both. George passed away in their home at 5am on the 16th September 1953, aged just 29. Shirley, despite mourning, felt honoured to have been called at 4:00am for George’s last minutes and to then prepare his body. In a letter to Wendy many years later she recalled that it “Was hard, very hard. If any two people were soulmates it was Audrey and George.”

Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), Thursday 17 September 1953, page 22

COLBERT.— On September 16 at his residence, 41 Scottish avenue South Road Park. Earle George the beloved husband of Audrey Colbert, and loving father of Wendy and Bradley. Aged 29 years. COLBERT.— On September 16, at his residence 41 Scottish avenue. South Road Park. Earle George, beloved second son of R. and G. Colbert, of Talia, West Coast, and loving brother of Ray, Brian, Denis. Gwen and Cecil. Aged 29 years

George’s service to Australia is honoured at both Streaky Bay and the Minnipa Institute Hall.

With the support of her own mother and aunt, Audrey raised her two talented children. For many school holidays from the age of seven, Wendy would travel from Adelaide alone on the ship Minnipa, then the Troubridge to spend time with George’s family. His parents, Gwen and Ray would meet her at the dock in their ancient two-seater truck and take her back to the farm. Treasured memories of time spent where her father had grown up were created as Gwen lavished kindness and affection on her precious grandchildren. Typical Australian summers there are remembered for their intense heat, and of course, burning to a crisp most days. As was usual the grandchildren bathed maybe once a week in well water in a copper in the back yard, which Nana Gwen would heat using a little wood fire underneath.

Initially George was buried at Centennial Park but 50 years later when that lease expired, his children moved his headstone to the Mount Hope Cemetery at Cummins where there are several generations of the Colbert family (including George’s parents) remembered. When Audrey died on November 22nd, 2008, the two soul mates were again, ultimately re-united.

Tribute provided by Kaye Lee with information from George’s daughter, Wendy Duthy (nee Colbert). Both George and Bryan Holmes (Kaye’s father SX8133) are listed on the Minnipa Memorial.