MAGGS, George Leslie
| Service Number: | 255 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 2 February 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Pioneer Battalion |
| Born: | Gisborne, Victoria, Australia , 1893 |
| Home Town: | Clifton Hill, Yarra, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Gisborne School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Grocer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 29 May 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Strand Military Cemetery, Ploegsteert, Wallonie, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Gisborne St. Paul's Anglican Church Great War Roll of Honour, Gisborne War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 2 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 255, 3rd Pioneer Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 255, 3rd Pioneer Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: '' | |
| 6 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 255, 3rd Pioneer Battalion, HMAT Wandilla, Melbourne | |
| 29 May 1917: | Involvement Corporal, 255, 3rd Pioneer Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 255 awm_unit: 3 Pioneer Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1917-05-29 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Robert Kearney
Brother Frank Godfrey Maggs also killed in action.
Biography contributed by Ross Martin
George Leslie MAGGS joined the AIF on 2/2/1916, the same day as his brother Frank.
George was married to May Pearl Maggs and lived in Clifton Hill. He worked as a grocer.
He was born in Gisborne, Vic in 1893.
The brothers were split up with George being assigned to the 3rd Pioneer Battalion.
The Victorian contingent of the 3rd Pioneers were formed on in February 1916 and started training at the Melbourne Showgrounds. In the middle of March 1916 the unit moved to Campbellfield where the formations from NSW, Queensland and SA were brought together.
The battalion embarked aboard HMAT Wandilla on 6/6/1916 and sailed via Fremantle and Cape Town, and arriving in the UK on 26/7/1916. The battalion went into camp at Lark Hill and trained until the middle of November 1916 when they shipped to France.
In the Armentieres area the Battalion worked on trench mortar emplacements, drainage and trench work and the construction of a light rail tramway system.
In April 1917 they moved to the Messines area. The battalion built trench morter emplacements and the relevant ammunition dumps, and rebuilt roads being used to the front.
The Germans were constantly shelling the work areas and, on 29/5/1917 George Maggs was killed by shellfire while on a work party.
His body was recovered, and he was buried at the Strand Military Cemetery, Ploegstreert, Belgium.
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