George Henry Holroyd

George Henry Holroyd

Courtesy Pickering Brook Heritage group
Personal Information
Date of Birth	24 Aug 1899
Place of Birth	Greetland near Halifax, Yorkshire, England
Death	8 Sep 1979, aged 80
Place of Death	Pickering Brook, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	18 years (actual age 17)
Description	5'4½" (1.64m) tall ; 128lbs 58.06 kg ; fresh complexion ; brown eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Blacksmith
Religion	Methodist
Address	Greetland House, Gosnells, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr James Edward Holroyd
Military Information
Reg Number	6329
Date of Enlistment	4 Sep 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, 18th Reinforcement
Date of Embarkation	29 Dec 1916 ‒ 3 Mar 1917
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A34 Persic
Date of Return	12 Dec 1918 ‒ 18 Jan 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A71 Nestor
Fate	WIA 3 Oct 1918 Beaurevoir Line Returned to Australia
Monument	Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll Gosnells Primary School Honour Roll Gosnells Ward Honour Roll
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

George arrived in Australia on 23 Nov 1912 from England with brother Ernest (17) and sister Annie (20). On arrival they moved to live with relatives at Greetland House, Gosnells.

War Service

After 10 days basic training at Blackboy Hill camp, George was allocated to the 18th reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion. He was briefly earmarked to move to the 7th draft for the 5th Pioneers, but a week later he was back with the 28th Battalion group. On 29 Dec 1916 he and his group sailed from Fremantle aboard the HMAT A34 Persic for England where he disembarked at Devonport on 3 Mar 1917. On arrival in England he was sent to the 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone where on 12 Mar 1917 he was admitted to the Fargo Military Hospital with pneumonia until 2 May 1917. On 17 May 1917 he was charged with having been AWOL from midnight 15 May until 9:00pm on 16 May 1917. Awarded 1 day confined to camp and the loss of three day's wages.

George proceeded overseas to France through Southampton on 25 Sep 1917. On 6 Nov 1917 George was temporarily detached to the 2nd Mobile Veterinary Section, returning to the 28th Battalion on 17 Nov 1917. George was granted leave to the UK from 7 - 25 Sep 1918.

During fighting around the St Quentin Canal, and near the Masnieres - Beaurevoir Line on 3 Oct 1918, Ernest was wounded with a shrapnel wound to his left arm. The battalion's losses for the day were 1 killed, and 70 wounded.

Seen by the 7th Field Ambulance, he was passed on the same day to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station before being admitted the next day (4 Oct 1918) to the 1st Australian General Hospital in Rouen. Evacuated to England on 5 Oct 1918 he was admitted to the Town Hall Hospital in Torquay on 6 Oct 1918. Discharged on 9 Nov 1918 and granted furlough he reported to the No.1 Command Depot in Sutton Veny on 25 Nov 1918. A Month later, on 12 Dec 1918 he was on his way home to Australia aboard HMAT A71 Nestor where he was disembarked at Fremantle on 18 Jan 1919, and was discharged by the 5th Military District on 21 Feb 1919.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries : 1924 - 1968 Pickering Brook road, Pickering Brook, quarryman. With his brother Ernest, George purchased land in Pickering Brook under the "Returned Soldier Settlement Scheme" in 1924. Their house is now heritage listed on the Kalamunda heritage Inventory. The brothers never married and lived at the house with colleagues from the Boya Quarry who had nowhere else to live.

Notes

George increased his age from 17 to 18 on enlistment.