S59689
BULL, George John
| Service Numbers: | 9600, SX10305 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 February 1916, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Willowie, South Australia, 24 January 1898 |
| Home Town: | Torrensville, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Locomotive Engine Driver |
| Died: | Natural causes, Victor Harbor, South Australia, 3 August 1974, aged 76 years |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia RSL Walls |
| Memorials: | Orroroo Morchard Men Roll of Honor, Orroroo and District Roll of Honour WW2, Willowie Schools and District Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 9600, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 May 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Driver, 9600, 11th Field Company Engineers, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: '' | |
| 31 May 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Driver, 9600, 11th Field Company Engineers, HMAT Suevic, Adelaide | |
| 23 Sep 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Sapper, 9600, 11th Field Company Engineers |
World War 2 Service
| 15 Aug 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Lieutenant Colonel, SX10305, 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Aug 1940: | Enlisted SX10305, Wayville, South Australia | |
| 16 Aug 1940: | Involvement SX10305 | |
| 18 Jul 1947: | Discharged Lieutenant Colonel, SX10305, 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion | |
| 18 Jul 1947: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Lieutenant Colonel, SX10305, 2nd/48th Infantry Battalion | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Di Barrie
George John Bull was born at Willowie on the 24th of January 1898, the 1st child of Robert and Mary Ann (nee Blakeman) Bull. (Robert had previously been married to Eliza Rees, who had died in 1891, and George was in fact the 13th child of Robert) George had previously served in WW1 as a driver with the 11th Field Company Engineers, and had applied to become a soldier settler. At the time of his enlistment in WW2, he was farming section 85, Hundred of Willowie.
In 1924, as politicians decided Australia’s future defense would be best served by a citizen army (militia) and thus George joined the 9th (Flinders) Light Horse Regiment. As a 41 year old in 1939 he was too old to join the army, but events in Europe subsequently forced the AIF to relax the rules, and on the 15th of August 1940, George John Bull enlisted in the AIF for a second time, taking with him his Militia rank of Major.
The 2/48th Battalion was raised at Wayville Showgrounds in August 1940, and on the 29th of October 1940 George was posted to that Battalion with the rank of Major. On the 17th November 1940 he boarded the troopship HMT Stratheden for the Middle East, as part of the 7th Division. Disembarking at El Kantara on the 17th December, and then by train to Dimra, a small Arab village 11 kilometres northeast of Gaza, where training in desert warfare began in earnest.
In March 1941, the 2/48th Battalion was moved to the 9th Division, and boarded trains headed west for Libya in North Africa, replacing the 6th Division which was shipped out to defend Greece and Crete. As they moved eastwards, towards Benghazi, the Afrika Corps led by General Erwin Rommel was moving east towards them. By early April they had withdrawn back to Tobruk – the siege had begun, and the 2/48th helped to hold the "fortress" against Axis forces for the next eight months.
George headed up an advance party which left Tobruk in early October 1941, destined for Alexandria, where he met the remaining troops of the 2/48th that had subsequently been evacuated from Tobruk, moving to Julis, a Palestinian Arab village in Gaza for a period of some 3 months.
In February 1942 George was appointed to command the 26th Australian Infantry Training Battalion but this was subsequently cancelled.
On the 9th of June 1942, George was recalled to Australia, leaving on the 13th of July aboard the S.S Rajula, disembarking in Melbourne on the 13th of August. On the 30th of June 1942, George was Mentioned in Despatches, for distinguished service, and his name published in the London Gazette, page 2857.
In November 1942 he was officially transferred from the 2/48th to command the 9th Australian Motor Regiment until they disbanded, and then in January 1943, to the 15th Motor Regiment, which went to Western Australia as part of 1 Armoured Division. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in January 1944. From December 1944, George held several postings, including Officer in Charge - Loveday Internment and POW Camp, near Barmera, South Australia. He was discharged from the army on the 17th July 1947. He was officially recognised with the honourary rank of Colonel in February 1950.
George died on 3 August 1974 aged 76 years. He is interred at Derrick Memorial Gardens, Centennial Park.
Excerpt taken from "Diggers From the Dust" (2018) Di Barrie and Andrew Barrie.
Click images to start slideshow.