Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

George and Gladys also welcomed a daughter, Elizabeth Anne on 4th October 1948.

George was the third generation of Johncocks to be born at Murdock’s Hill, Balhannah in the Adelaide foothills. His grandparents arrived from England in the 1850’s, producing eight children with George’s father, William George, being the second of eight sons. Born on the 13th June 1908, George was the fifth child of William George and Elizabeth Ann and had eight siblings, including an older sister Margaret Olive, and six brothers Leonard Percy, Eric James, Clifford Cecil AIF, George, Frank, Ron and Harry. His father, William was also active in standing in the local council elections in the Narridy Ward and had also presented the land on which the Methodist Church was built in the early 1930’s.
With the outbreak of WWII recruitment drives were held in country areas to attract fit, single young men to enlist. Kangaroo Island was one of the regions visited and where George worked with the then 32-year-old enlisting in Adelaide on the 1st July ’40. He gave his occupation as pastoral pursuits, initially listing his father as his next of kin. He was given the number SX7400 and was allocated to the 2/48th Battalion. His early days were spent at Wayville, now the site of the Adelaide Showgrounds, before training in Woodside followed before the men had brief pre-embarkation leave. They finally headed to the Middle East in February, arriving on the 23rd March ’41 where their battalion marched to a Staging Camp. During those early days, besides regular army duties was the need to quickly adapt to the locals.
Within months, the 2/48th Battalion was involved in intense conflicts where their reputation for being the most highly decorated but decimated battalion was earned. George was to become one of the respected and famed Rats of Tobruk. He was briefly graded as a Group II carpenter, then became a Sapper, involved in engineering skills, including the building of fortifications, repair of essential fighting equipment, mine warfare and in other specialised role areas.
His older brother, Clifford Cecil, also later enlisted as SX23302 on the 7th July ’42 In Victoria, being allocated to the 2/1 Port Operating Company.
Tragically, George’s mother died at home in January ’43 while he was serving overseas. She was buried in the Balaklava cemetery. By February that year, George left the Middle East, returning to Australia via Melbourne, then home on leave in South Australia. He headed to Kingscote Kangaroo Island in March ‘43, with several others from his battalion including David Stark SX6891 and Perce Weatherspoon SX8249. At the time, he stayed with the Cook family. For young couples at the time, attempts to plan a wedding were reliant on the army requirements and the enormous support of family and locals.
Nine months after his mother’s death, George married Gladys Catherine Cook on the 15th October ’43 at the Kingscote Methodist church. (Gladys was KI born, but her parents, Vincent and Elizabeth were pre-deceased, Elizabeth in ’20 and Vincent in September ‘40.) The wedding had been planned for the following day, Saturday, but alterations were made to enable Glady’s sister to return to the mainland. Both of Glady’s brothers were involved in the ceremony, with her older brother, Herbert accompanied her down the aisle, and Lionel was best man.
Training in Queensland followed before George left Cairns for Lae, arriving in May ’44, then Bougainville in November. George was finally discharged on the 10th January, 45 and his older brother Clifford in January ’46. Their father lived to see both sons return safely home. William later died on the 19th June 1953 in the mid-north town of Blyth.
George and Gladys welcomed their son, Neil Vincent in November ’45. Tragically, aged just 11 months, he died in the Children’s Hospital in November the following year and was buried back home in Kingscote with his grandparents.
Both Gladys and George lived into their 90’s. Gladys died three months after her 90th birthday on the 30th December ’94. She was buried in the Victor Harbor Cemetery. George lived to be 93 and died on the 24th January 2002. He was buried in the Kingscote Cemetery on Kangaroo Island, Plot 214 5E with Glady’s mother, who died in March 1920.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.