HANDFIELD, George Edward Carey
| Service Number: | 2825 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 June 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Petersham, New South Wales, Australia, 1 January 1892 |
| Home Town: | Bondi, Waverley, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Customs clerk |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 21 May 1918, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ebblinghem Military Cemetery Plot II, Row C, Grave No. 4. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 28 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2825, 2nd Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Sep 1915: | Involvement Private, 2825, 2nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: '' | |
| 30 Sep 1915: | Embarked Private, 2825, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Argyllshire, Sydney | |
| 21 May 1918: | Involvement Sergeant, 2825, 2nd Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2825 awm_unit: 2 Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1918-05-21 |
Help us honour George Edward Carey Handfield's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
George was the son of Charles Arthur Stuart Handfield and Margaret Ellen Handfield, of Bondi, New South Wales.
He was one of five brothers who enlisted in the AIF during WW1.
His older brother, 3265 Pte. Cleeve Egerton Paulet Handfield, 45th Battalion was killed in action at Messines on 7 June 1917, aged 28.
George must have spent some time in England before he enlisted in Sydney during June 1915, as his address was referred to in the papers as ‘England’.
George Edward Carey Handfield landed in Egypt with the 2nd Division during early 1916. He was reported as wounded in action (shell shock) during the capture of Pozieres on 22 July 1916. He was evacuated to England within a few days.
He spent some time recovering and spent most of 1917 doing training courses and in instructing. George was married in England during March 1917, to a 19-year-old Mary Winifred Kennan. He was promoted to Sergeant during August 1917.
He was eventually sent back to France to reinforce the 2nd Battalion during January 1918 and was badly wounded on 19 May 1918. He died two days later in a Casualty Clearing Station from severe shrapnel wounds to both legs.
His nearest of kin was changed from his father to his new wife. She stated on his roll of honour form “he was undergoing a course for the Officers Training Corps at the time of his death.”
Another brother, 2826 Walter Hopetoun Handfield, who had enlisted with George in the 2nd Battalion, was returned to Australia during December 1918.
Another brother, 56985 Sapper Charles Stuart Fitzgerald Handfield enlisted in 1918 and was sent to Egypt but due to the end of the war he did not see any action and returned home in 1919.
Another brother, Francis Arnold Handfield, enlisted in 1915 but was discharged medically unfit a fortnight later.