George Badham Milton
From Our Contribution
 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | not known |
| Place of Birth | Ballarat, Victoria |
| Death | 16 Apr 1917 |
| Place of Death | Lagnicourt, France |
| Age at Enlistment | 34 years old |
| Description | 5'3½" (1.61m) tall; weight 125 lbs (56.7kg); sallow complexion, brown eyes, dark brown hair. |
| Occupation | labourer |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Jarrahdale, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Mother Mrs Mary Jane Milton |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 5154 |
| Date of Enlistment | 31 Jan 1916 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit/Formation | 11th Battalion, 16th Reinforcement, posted to C Company / 3rd Brigade, 1st Division |
| Date of Embarkation | 31 Mar 1916 - 24 Apr 1916 |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A9 Shropshire |
| Fate | Killed in Action 16 Apr 1917, Lagnicourt |
| Monument |
Jarrahdale War Memorial Villers-Bretonneux Memorial |
| Medals |
British War Medal Victory Medal |
Contents
Pre War
Electoral Roll entries - 1903 - 1906 at Clieveden road, Victoria Park, labourer with parents
War Service
A fortnight after entering Blackboy Hill camp, George was allocated to the 16th reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion, and travelled with them to Egypt.
On 29 May 1916 he was embarked on HMT Tunisian for Marseilles, arriving on 3 Jun 1916. Ashore, he was sent to the 1st Division's base depot in Étaples until he was required in the battalion.
On 29 Jul 1916 he joined the battalion, and was posted to C Company. On 15 Apr 1917 the 11th Battalion was part of the Australian force holding the front line near Lagnicourt when they were attacked by a German force four times greater than their own. However, they managed under extreme pressure to take back much of the ground lost, despite suffering 1,010 casualties, including 300 taken POW. As George was not able to accounted for, he was posted as missing, with the hope that he would turn up as a POW. However this did not eventuate
Reported missing on 16 Apr 1917 he was declared to have been Killed in Action by a Court of Enquiry held 5 Dec 1917.
"Of C Company, on the 14th April 1917, at Lagnicourt, he was on a machine gun outpost with me. He was killed by concussion from a trench mortar. We were taken Prisoner of War shortly after, his body was left where he fell. Came from Perth, Western Australia." 5351 Pte J.H. Bellew[1]
Notes
George's mother was granted a pension of 40/- per fortnight from 6 Jul 1917.
- ↑ Red Cross File 5154 G.B. Milton, Australian War Memorial