S4330
BIRCH, George Thomas
| Service Number: | 40 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 43rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Fifth Creek, South Australia, February 1896 |
| Home Town: | Ashton, Adelaide Hills, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Gardener |
| Died: | Adelaide, South Australia, 2 February 1980, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Enfield Memorial Park, South Australia AM, 142 |
| Memorials: | Cherryville WW1 Pictorial Honour Roll |
World War 2 Service
| 6 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 40 |
|---|
World War 1 Service
| 9 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 40, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 40, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Adelaide | |
| 24 Feb 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 40, George Thomas Birch was discharged because of his injury in the scalp | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 40, 43rd Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by St Ignatius' College
Life Before the War
George Thomas Birch was born in approximately February 1896 and enlisted on the 6th of January 1916 when he was the age of 19 years and 11 months. He was 5 feet and 5 inches (166cm) with brown hair and brown eyes. At the beginning of the war, the minimum height requirement was 5 feet 6 inches, which was later reviewed and lowered to 5 feet 2 inches, making him eligible to enlist two years after the war commenced. Before he enlisted for the war, he was a gardener that lived with his stepmother, Elizabeth Birch. He and his stepmother lived in the area of Ashton, South Australia. Birch was single up to this point of his life and followed the Church of England. Birch also had previous military service where he was a part of the 23rd ALH.
Life During the War
George Thomas Birch was in the 43rd Infantry Battalion, which formed part of the 11th Brigade, alongside the 41st, 42nd and 44th Battalions. On the 9th of June 1916, Birch embarked with his unit aboard the HMAT Afric A19, from Adelaide, South Australia to Britain for further training, with a quick stop-over in Egypt. The Battalion arrived on the Western Front in late December of that year. The 43rd Battalion spent 1917 in trench warfare.
A few days before the Battle of Messines, on 4th June 1917, George Thomas Birch was wounded in the scalp. The wound was severe and he was evacuated to England. He remained in Edmonton Military Hospital in London from the 22nd of June until the 17th of September, where it was noted that he was progressing favourably. During this time, letters were sent to Birch’s stepmother, Elizabeth Birch, informing her of Birch’s injury and successful progress in hospital. On the 24th of February 1918, Birch was discharged due to his injury.
Life After the War
For his service in the war, George Thomas Birch received two war medals. These were the British War Medal, honouring all those who fought in the war for the British and Imperial forces, and the Victory Medal, recognising the victory of the British forces. There are no records of any post-war army involvements that Birch was a part of, and he continued to live in Adelaide, South Australia. George Thomas Birch passed away on the 2nd of February 1980 at the age of 83, and today is buried at Enfield Memorial Park in Row AM, site number 142.
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