Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

George’s father, Robert a colonist worked as a miner at Burra before going to Wallaroo. He eventually became a mixed farmer in Willowie, for 38 years. George was born there in January 1898, to Robert and his second wife, Mary Ann, being their first child and his father’s thirteenth. George later spending five years in the cadets. However with the advent of WWI and working as a locomotive engine driver, the 18 years old needed his father’s permission to enlist and serve as 9600. He became a driver with the 11th Field Company Engineers, serving time in France.
Post war, George returned home, playing football for Price but dislocated his kneecap and broke a sinew in a leg, precluding him from completing the season. He became a soldier settler, joining the 9/23 (Flinders) Light Horse Regiment, of 530 men and 550 horses. They regularly gathered at Gawler racecourse from an area which stretches from Wilmington to Maitland and Kadina to Paratoo. Perfectly trained, the men and horses wheeled, galloped and fired on the eastern hills of the camp, clearly displaying the affinity between horse and rider that was part of Australian country districts. Prophetically, the Camp Commandant commented on the finely honed skills of the young men who could “ride by the stars and live on the land on which they were reared. They would make natural-born troop leaders in a campaign.”
George became friends with the Masterman family from Wilmington, whose son, George, 2544 enlisted in New Zealand, landed at Gallipoli, coming under heavy fire whist in the trenches. A Turkish sniper was ‘playing havoc’ so crack shot George, went out after him removing that threat after three hours. Unfortunately, on his return the group was under fire from shells and shrapnel, killing Pte. Masterman and fellow soldiers in 1915.
George married Pearl Masterman in March ’21, welcoming the first of nine children, Valmai Pearl in December at the Orroroo Hospital.
While the use of horses in warfare became obsolete, many other skills and experiences George developed were invaluable when WWII erupted. He encouraged younger enlisting farmers to describe themselves as ‘Power farmers’ which was an advantage to becoming Army drivers. Being 41-year-old in 1939 George was too old to join the army as a ‘footslogger’, but needing experience and authority, George was posted to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion as Commander of Headquarters Company, with the rank of Major in August 1940.
He and the new enlistees boarded the Stratheden in November, arriving in the Middle East on the 17th December before beginning intensive training at Dimra.
By March 1941, the 2/48th Battalion, became part of the Siege of Tobruk. Major Bull was highly regarded in B Echelon being known as ‘a big man with a big heart’, who expected from no man any more than he was willing to give himself. ‘Teddy’ Boxer of the 2/48th Battalion, lost his leg in ’41 and was invalided home from Tobruk. George personally wrote expressing his sympathy and praising Teddy’s service. He penned saying he wanted to shake ‘Teddy’s’ hand and “have a few noggins together”.
Under George’s leadership an advanced party moved out of Tobruk on 12th October 41, handing over to a Polish regiment. There he met the remaining troops of the 2/48th that were evacuated from Tobruk, moving to Gaza for 3 months. George returned to Australia in June ’42 to provide experienced men for the Home Forces and senior officers. He was keenly missed by his troops. Fittingly, he was Mentioned in Despatches, for his distinguished service in the Middle East.
In November 1942 George was transferred to command the 9th Australian Motor Regiment. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in January 1944, holding several postings, including Commanding Officer at the Loveday Internment and POW Camp, near Barmera12/10/46 until13/5/47. The Camp, the largest in Australia, was originally set up in ’41 to intern civilians considered a ‘security threat’ because of their Italians, German or Japanese heritage, as well as POWs. The Camp was almost totally self-sufficient, raising poultry and pigs, annual fruit, vegetables and wheat. For Army and medical use, opium was grown for morphine and pyrethrum as an insect repellent. Over George’s time, internees were repatriated to their ‘home’ country. George was discharged from the army on the 17th July 1947, officially recognised with the honorary rank of Colonel in February 1950.
George served at the Mount Breckan Rehabilitation Centre from ’47 to ‘50 as husbandry supervisor and was popular with both staff and patients. As a veteran of both wars, George conducted an Anzac service at Victor Harbor where a plaque in memory of the fallen was unveiled. He continued to be an active member of the Beverley RSL and a regular attendee at Anzac Day services.
Aged 76 George died on 3 August 1974. He is interred at Derrick Memorial Gardens, Centennial Park RSL Wall 107 niche A006 and is honoured in the Garden of Remembrance, Wall 32 Row D. His wife, Pearl, lived to be 94 and died May ’95 Centennial Park Acacia E Path 22 Grave 400A.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.