Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Named after his father, Irvin was a Christmas baby, born on the 26th December 1919 in the farming town of Lameroo in the Murray Mallee. His parents were Irvin Melrose and Eliza Reid Fenwick with an older brother, Tom. An earlier son, John had lived for just a day and died on the 23rd January 1916.
Irvin quickly became known as George, probably to avoid confusion with his father’s name. His father was a driving force in the establishment of the Lameroo Brass band in 1914, being appointed the local bandmaster. This was in an era when so many towns established their own bands, with money to purchase the instruments raised by local donations. Irvin regularly tendered for contract work with the local council and later worked as an agent for Adelaide Milling Company, trucking locally grown grain from Lameroo to Adelaide from ’38. Previously all seasonal wheat had been taken to Victoria.
Tom and George both attended the local regional school, with George also proving to be somewhat of an athlete. As a ten-year-old he enjoyed being involved in the activities offered by the local community. These included the Returned Services Association which coordinated a series of sporting and entertainment events. The day started with the school children parading in fancy dress costumes, but it was in the sporting events that George excelled. He blitzed the challenging ‘rolling a car tyre’ race in his age group in a very composed manner, then followed with a win in the boys’ sprint. He dominated this race in subsequent age groups, also, including the under twelve 50 yard race at an annual January Sports day in ‘30. The event was part of a fund-raising drive for the local Recreation Grounds which attracted participants from surrounding Parilla and Pinaroo and as far down as Peake.
This followed a hugely successful Christmas Festival, with stalls of fresh treats, gifts from Father Christmas, bike races and other events including an orange race and a much vaunted and amusing pillow fight, both of which George won.
George initially found local work as a labourer, before heading to Adelaide where he met Gwendoline May Heaver. By February ’37 George announced his engagement in the Chronicle ‘The engagement is announced of Gwendoleen, only daughter of Mr. J. J. Heaver, of Adelaide, to George, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. I. M. Fenwick, of Lameroo.’ They were married after he enlisted.
Within two months George was still in Adelaide but without fixed abode when he tangled with the Courts. Having run out of money, he had been found with two others, having forced the lock of a house at Hampstead in which to sleep. Fortunately, perhaps aware of the effects of the Depression or of the behaviour of high-spirited youths, a conviction was considered trifling and fortunately no conviction recorded. George still had to find 14/11 witness fee and 7/6 court fees, in default imprisonment for three days.
Having not learnt from that incident, within a fortnight George was again being charged, this time back in Lameroo and in the company of three other youths. Seemingly fuelled by alcohol, they decided to attend the Yappara Hall late in the evening where euchre was being played and an evening dance held. The youths, using indecent language forced their way in, creating a disturbance when attendees tried to evict them. Inevitably, the Pinaroo Police attended and substantial penalties were imposed of £2 with 10/- costs on each charge, in default, seven days’ imprisonment.

21-year-old George and his 23-year-old brother, Thomas, a baker, enlisted together on the 5th July 1940, being allocated successive numbers. Tom was SX8000 and George SX8001. Initially both were allocated to the 2/48th Battalion.

Unfortunately, George’s behaviour when affected by liquor, caused yet another court appearance soon after he enlisted. He was caught fighting in a public place in King William Street, encouraged by a crowd near the Crown and Sceptre Hotel early on a Saturday evening. It appeared that the ruckus started when George’s opponent claimed:--"I'd hit anyone who hit a woman. You were asking for it." The two continued to fight, despite the attendance and request of police. George admitted the offence and was fined £1 10/. with 7/6 costs.
Just days later George was again charged with fighting. The Magistrate concluded "Fenwick was fined in this court on July 22. Had I then heard the evidence which has been brought before me today, it is extremely likely that a heavier fine would have been imposed." He was fined 30/- with 7/6 costs and admitted three previous convictions.

Less than a month after enlisting, Tom was transferred to the D.O.M.F and based in Alice Springs. (Throughout the early months of 1941 he was on leave without pay before being discharged as medically unfit in March.)

Back in Lameroo, the District Council instigated a tree planting ceremony of Arizona Pines to honour the local soldiers who had enlisted. To that stage, in August ’40, over twenty young men had heeded the call. Where possible, a family member had the honour of the planting their son’s tree, with both Tom and George being honoured for the ‘services which the men were giving to their country.’
Over October and November that year, George began rapidly accumulating fines for being Absent Without Leave, forfeiting a total of fourteen days’ pay and subsequently being confined to barracks. Initially designed to leave on the Stratheden, George was confined to the Isolation Hospital for a month to recover from an acquired disease. He added to his record by striking a duty Private at the hospital, further diminishing his pay. This was again exacerbated with being further AWOL in February and March ’41 for nineteen days before finally returning to the 2/48th Battalion from the Wayville detention barracks and immediately embarking for overseas on the 17th April ’41.

George arrived in the Middle East on the 14th May, 41. Almost immediately he again reverted to being AWOL, receiving the inevitable fine. He had a very brief time in the Amiriya Training Camp before joining his battalion. Less than three months later, George was killed in action.

On the 6th October and soon after the arrival of the 3rd Polish Battalion, the 2/48th had moved out to occupy a position at Airente – considered a step in the right direction to be nearer the Tobruk harbour and an unfounded rumour of a return home. John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan described how “At night they lay in the loneliness of their holes and listened to the sound of enemy bombers that circled overhead and searched for a target on which to drop their loads. As the drone of one plane faded the next could be heard coming in, followed by the bark of heavy ack-ack and the crunch of exploding bombs. In the early hours of 6th October one lone plane persistently circled our area. Then suddenly, battalion headquarters was enveloped in noise, blinding flashes, smoke, dust. Twenty anti-personnel bombs had straddled the 2/48th Private George Fenwick was killed – for him there would be no escape from Tobruk -and Sergeants Noel Ditty and George Driver were wounded as was Private Arthur Bland.” He was initially buried in the Bardia Road Military Cemetery.
The October 30th ’issue of the Chronicle officially listed those from the 2/48th who were killed and wounded in the encounter. They included Killed In Action.— Pte. Irvin. G. Fenwick, SX8001, Lameroo. Wounded In Action.— Sgt. George H. Driver, SX7357, Burnside and L/Sgt. Noel F. Ditty, SX7455, Kooringa.
The Pinaroo and Border Times reported on the 23rd October ‘41 that ‘News was received in Lameroo this week by Mr. and Mrs. I. M. Fenwick that their son, Private I. G. Fenwick, had been killed in action. Residents will regret to learn of the loss of the first Lameroo soldier in the present war. Pte Fenwick had spent the greater part of his life in Lameroo and was well known throughout the district. The late Pte Fenwick who was a married man, was 23 years of age. The sympathy of all residents and friends is extended to the bereaved relatives.’

The November issue of the Mail also recorded that ‘Mrs. G. Fenwick, of Leicester street Parkside. has been advised that her husband. Pte. I G. Fenwick, 22. was killed in action at Tobruk on October 6. He was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. I. M. Fenwick. of Lameroo. He enlisted in June. 1940. and sailed for overseas in April. 1941.’ Similarly, the Advertiser reported that ‘Pte. I. George Fenwick, who was killed in action at Tobruk on October 6, was 22. He was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. I. M. Fenwick, of Lameroo. His wife lives in Adelaide. He enlisted in June, 1940, and went abroad last April.’

At a time when Council members knew each constituent, the Lameroo Council at their November meeting announced they would send a letter of sympathy.to George’s parents following the loss of their son, Pte Fenwick.
George now rests in the Tobruk War Cemetery, Plot VI Row M Grave 5 with the family choosing his headstone inscription ‘Until the day break and the Shadows Flee Away’. Five Polish soldiers are nearby and a member of the sister battalion, the 2/43rd SX7321 Private Albert Bugg, who died of his wounds.
Advertiser Saturday 22 November 1941 MRS. Gwen Fenwick wishes to thank all those kind friends for letters and ex pressions of sympathy in the loss of her darling husband, George, killed abroad. Special thanks to Miss Olive O'Brien Miss B. Rowell and Miss Phyl Cairns, of SA. Hotel. Mr and Mrs. I. M. Fenwick and Tom of Lameroo, wish to thank all kind friends and relatives for cards, letters, and expressions of sympathy in the loss of their beloved son and brother, George, killed abroad. Please accept this as a personal expression of gratitude.
Advertiser Tuesday 6 October 1942, FENWICK.—In remembrance of George, killed in action on October 6 1941.—Ever remembered by Norman, Kerry. Keith FENWICK.—In loving memory or our beloved son and brother, George, killed in action at Tobruk October 6, 1941. Ever remembered by his parents and brother, Tom. Lameroo. FENWICK — In proud and loving memory of my darling husband, George killed in action at Tobruk. October 6. 1941.—Ever remembered by his loving wife, Gwen. FENWICK. —In memory of Pte I. G. Fenwick (George), 2nd A.I.F. killed in action at Tobruk October 6, 1941. dear pal of the late Pte. Ivan C. Hanel. Always remembered—inserted by Mrs. C Hanel.

Six years after George’s death, his 72-year-old mother, who had been in ill health, died in the Lameroo District Hospital in January ’48. She was buried in the local Cemetery near baby John.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.