George Victor Parkin

George Victor Parkin

Personal Information
Date of Birth	14 Jul 1918
Place of Birth	Palmyra, Western Australia
Death	28 Sep 2004, aged 85
Place of Death	Maddington, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	21 years, 10 months
Description	5'8" (1.73m) tall ; 132lbs 59.874 kg ; fair complexion ; hazel eyes ; fair hair
Occupation	Orchardist
Religion	Church of England
Address	Holden road, Roleystone, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr. Arthur John Harold Parkin
Military Information
Reg Number	279207 & WX6486
Date of Enlistment	20 May 1940
Rank	Sergeant
Unit/Formation	2/3rd Australian Machine Gun Battalion D Company.
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	16 Apr 1941 ‒ 14 May 1941
Transport Details	SS Île de France Fremantle to Port Tewfik
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	2 Feb 1942 ‒ 24 Mar 1942
Transport Details	SS Penrith Castle Port Tewfik to Adelaide
2nd Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	4 Dec 1944 ‒ 10 Dec 1944
Transport Details	USAT Evangline Cairns to Aitape, New Guinea
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	7 Sep 1945 ‒ 7 Sep 1945
Transport Details	plane Port Moresby to Cairns
Post War Details
Fate	Returned to Australia
Medals	1939-45 Star Africa Star Pacific Star Defence Medal War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

War Service

On 17 Jan 1939 George enlisted in the Australian Military Forces (AMF) at Kelmscott, and was allocated to the 10th Australian Light Horse Regiment ww2. Later, George enlisted in the 2nd AIF at Claremont on 16 Jul 1940, and three days later he was sent to the Naval Base Training Depot. Following basic training, on 23 Sep 1940 he was transferred to the 2/3rd Australian Machine Gun Battalion at Northam, and on 29 Oct 1940 they entrainred for South Australia. Nothing untoward took place during his training there, with the exception of a 1 day visit to the Woodside Camp Hospital on 12 Mar 1941. On 25 Mar 1941 he was granted pre-embarkation leave back in Western Australia.

On 16 Apr 1941 in Fremantle he embarked on SS Île de France , part of Convoy US 10 for the Middle East via Colombo where they were delayed for 10 days before sailing for Port Tewfik. Here they remained at anchor for two days before disembarking on 14 May 1941. During the next 8 months the 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion participated in the Capture of Vichy held Lebanon and Syria, including a period of Garison duty. On 2 Feb 1942 George embarked aboard SS Penrith Castle for Adelaide where he disembarked on 24 Mar 1942.

On 13 Apr 1942 George was charged with having been AWOL from 6:50am on 12 April until 6:50am the next day. He forfeited a days pay and was fined £1. George was promoted Acting Corporal on 10 Jun 1942, with the rank confirmed on 9 Oct 1942. On 12 Jun 1943 George received a Severe Reprimand for having neglected to obey the battalion's Routine Orders. Despite this, on 3 Aug 1943 George was appointed Lance Sergeant, and the same day was sent to the First Australian Army's Weapon Training School, rejoining his battalion on 12 Sep 1043. On 11 Oct 1943 George was promoted Acting Sergeant. On 15 Mar 1944 George was evacuated to the 115th Australian General Hospital in Melbourne with spastic colitis, remaining in hospital until 18 Mar 1944. By 21 March he was back with the battalion (now in Queensland) where on 26 Mar 1944 his promotion to Sergeant was confirmed. On 3 Apr 1944 he was seen by the 104th Casualty Clearing Station, and on the next day he was admitted to the 2/2nd Australian General Hospital. George was transferred to the 2/14th Australian General Hospital on 22 Apr 1944 and then to the 2/4th Australian General Hospital on 24 April before being released to the 102nd Australian General Hospital on 28 Apr 1944. Discharged from hospital on 17 May 1944, George returned to the battalion on 25 May 1944. The diagnosois was that he suffered from a mild anxiety state.

On 4 Dec 1944 the battalion embarked on USAT Evangaline in Cairns for Aitape in New Guinea where they disembarked on 10 Dec 1944. On 25 Mar 1945 George was treated by the 2/7th Australian Field Ambulance for Furunculosis before being passed on to the 3/14th Australian Field Ambulance the next day. On 9 Apr 1945 he was well enough to be released to duty and made his way back to the battalion. Needing medical treament again on 13 Aug 1945 he was evacuated to the 104th Australian Casualty Clearing Station with Ancylostomiasis (Hook worm). Treated he was released to the battalion on 21 Aug 1945. On 7 Sep 1945 George emplaned in Port Moresby, landing in Cairns. On 1 Nov 1945 his time with the Machine Gun Battalion ended by being posted to Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot for discharge proceedings. However, on 5 Dec 1945 George was admitted to the 110th Australian Base Hospital with Malaria.

George spent from 23 Dec 1945 until 7 Jan 1946 and from 9 to 22 Apr 1946 in hospital with Malaria, the rest of the time in the discharge section of Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot. On 27 May 1946 George was posted to the Staff of the Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot remaining with them until 31 Jan 1947 when he was again being processed for discharge which took place on 10 Feb 1947.

Post War

In 1948 married Edna Martin. Electoral Roll entries: 1949 - 1958 at Marmion street, Kelmscott, Millhand; 1968 - 1980 at 37 River avenue, Maddington, attendant.