Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

George was born in the mid-north rural town of Balaklava on the 30th October 1904 to Sarah Elizabeth and Samuel Pym.
He attended the Alberton School, post WWI at a time when the school was particularly proud of their past students and teachers who had served in the War to End All Wars. Memorial trees were planted and an honour board erected in their memory. Much was also made of the Headmaster’s son, Lieutenant Frank Hardy who was awarded the Military Cross in 1919. Similarly, a past teacher, Captain Kayser, killed in action, was honoured with a memorial of white marble.
Popular at the time was the sport of pigeon racing, with owners of the birds carefully breeding and training different varieties. George’s specialty was ‘tumblers’, renowned for their ability to roll over (tumble) backward when in flight, a characteristic thought to be a survival mechanism for the birds against predators. These pigeons were highly prized and valued at £2 each. As a 22-year-old, George had secured his birds in their shed for the night but early the next morning found four missing. Quick work by the Queenstown constabulary apprehended the light-fingered youths who were charged in court. Their fathers each paid a bond of £5. In a closing summary, The Magistrate told the boys they had brought shame on their parents, and advised the mothers, who were present in Court, to see that they were punished.
Post-school, George (also known as Jim), worked as a storeman and packer and was part of the Militia in the 43rd Battalion. However, life brought challenges for his family. George was 19 years old when his older brother, Alfred John died in May ’23. His 69-year-old father, Samuel died when George was 33 in March ’37.
George married Mavis Alberta, but by the outbreak of WWII, was separated and boarding with Mrs Beatrice Cousins at Kilkenny. Aged 35, George was one of the early enlistees on the 24th June ’40 giving Beatrice’s details as his next of kin. He was allocated the number SX6861 and placed in the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. Training at Woodside and pre-embarkation leave followed. Jim then boarded the Stratheden on the 17th November, arriving in the Middle East on the 7th December. He was to become one of the highly regarded rats of Tobruk, a term designed to destroy morale, but which had the opposite effect and came to be an unofficial and highly regarded title.
In Tobruk George soon contracted Chronic Gastritis and spent a week in hospital recovering before he was able to re-join his 2/48th Battalion. War and distance brought personal challenges for George, including the death of his 73-year-old widowed mother, Sarah, who died on the 20th August ’41. In a further cruel blow, George learned of the death on November 2nd ’41, of his baby daughter, Brenda Jean who was just a year and nine months old . She was buried in the Cheltenham Cemetery.
By January the following year, Jim was caught breaking out of barracks, forfeiting four days' pay and also being confined to barracks for four days. Within months he was classified as being fit for duty other than active service, eventually being transferred to the Depot Battalion in November ‘42. This coincided with a tribute to Brenda which was placed in the Advertiser. PYM.—In loving memory of our daughter and sister, Brenda, died November 2. 1941. In God’s care.—Remembered by her mother, father, brothers, Auntie Alva,
Finally, George was able to return home at the start of February ’43, disembarking in Melbourne. He added his wife, Mavis Alberto as his next of kin.
Training in Queensland followed as the troops prepared to face a very different enemy in the tropical conditions of New Guinea. George’s mental health continued to decline with an official diagnosis of ‘anxiety state with depression’ resulting in his return to South Australia in January ’45 in preparation for his discharge. A combination of his mental health and back problems were recognised and attempt made to treat both before he was finally discharged on the 3rd June ’45.
War, the loss of his baby daughter and other issues culminated in George being granted an uncontested divorce from Mavis in May ’46. The following year in June, aged 42, George married Irish born Catherine Christina Wild (Kitty), an older widow, in a quiet ceremony in a private residence in Kent Town.
63-year-old George died on the 17th February ’68 at Daw Park. He now rests in the Cheltenham Cemetery where his baby daughter was buried. He is in Section T, Drive D, Path 14, Site Number 52A (Catherine lived to be 90). A poignant, engraved tribute reads ‘Rest After Weariness’.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.