George Neil Gow Armstrong

George Neil Gow Armstrong

Personal Information
Date of Birth	22 Jul 1893
Place of Birth	Canning Mills, Western Australia
Death	9 Aug 1979, aged 86
Place of Death	Armadale, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	48 years, 8 months
Description	5'6¾" (1.70m) tall ; ; brown eyes ; dark hair
Address	Kelmscott, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Enid Erica Armstrong
Military Information
Reg Number	W67672
Date of Enlistment	22 Mar 1942
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	2nd (Fremantle) VDC Battalion
Post War Details
Fate	Remained in Australia

Pre War

George Neil Gow Armstrong was the son of George Armstrong Sr and his first wife Louisa Armstrong (nee Vincent). He was born at Canning Mills in 1893. The greater Armstrong family owned property in Wongong. During 1932 George married Enid Erica Maitland (1905 - 1977). Enid died on 23 Nov 1977, aged 72 in Kelmscott. In 1938 George had lost the index finger on his left hand. Electoral Roll entries state that George Neil resided from 1917 - 1943 at Kelmscott, as a farmer.

War Service

Enlisted in Armadale on 22 Mar 1942 and allocated to the 2nd (Fremantle) VDC Battalion. On 21 May 1944 while on duty he was accidentally injured with a wound to the right hand. Deemed on investigation to have not involved any negligence.

W67672 Pte Armstrong GNG is a duly attested member of "D" Coy of the 2nd Bn VDC, on 21 May 44 was returning from S/L Training at No. 14 Searchlight to Armadale, Pte Armstrong was ordered by his Platoon Commander, Lieut Lyster, to debus when the military truck was crossing a bridge on the Banjup road, in doing so he caught his hand on a screw that was protruding from the tailboard of the truck. He was attended to by the Coy S/B on the spot, and then taken to Dr Streich of Kelmscott for further treatment as his hand was cut rather badly. As the wound became infected he paid seven visits to Dr Streich. Pte Armstrong is a married man, wife but no children. He is employed by Mr J. Flinn, orchardist of Kelmscott, and his average weekly earnings are £4/2/6d per week. He was only able to undertake ligh part-time work for his employer for an hour or two a day from 21 May 44 to 12 June 44 receiving 4/6d per day as wages.

George received £2.12.6 to cover medical expenses and £8.13.3 for lost wages. On 1 May 1945 he was placed on reserve and on 15 Oct 1945 he was officially struck of the VDC's strength.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries state that from 1949 to 1977 he lived at 2995 Albany Highway, Kelmscott as a farmer. George at one stage worked as the caretaker for the Kelmscott Hall.

A 1980 electoral roll entry lists George at 16 Deerness way, Armadale, retired - although George had died in 1979, the electoral commission's information did not reflect that.

George Neil Gow Armstrong

Plaque Information
Date of Birth	22 Jul 1893
Age at Death	86 years
Transcription	In Loving Memory of George Neil Armstrong Born 1893 Died 09/08/1979 Aged 86 Years

Armstrong family history notes

George Neil Gow Armstrong's grandfather Christopher Armstrong arrived in the Swan River Colony in 1829 with his five other siblings and their widowed father Adam Armstrong (great grandfather of George Neil). After George Neil's father, George Armstrong Snr, lost his first wife Louisa in 1900, he then married Alice Elizabeth Spencer in 1901. George Snr later died at Kelmscott as the result of an accident, reportedly having been crushed by a chaff cutter that fell off the spring cart he had just used to pick up the chaff cutter from Kelmscott Railway Station.

Other notes

In relation to George's accident in the Army, it shows that No. 14 Searchlight was located on the Peel Estate.