George Edward Binns
From Our Contribution
 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth |
Not known "Not known" contains an extrinsic dash or other characters that are invalid for a date interpretation. |
| Place of Birth | Southowram, Halifax, Yorkshire, England |
| Death | June 1971 |
| Place of Death | Calder, Yorkshire, West Riding, England |
| Age at Enlistment | 22 Years old |
| Description |
5' 2 ½" (1.59m) tall ; 139 lbs 63.049 kg ; fresh complexion ; brown eyes ; fair hair |
| Occupation | Brick maker |
| Religion | Methodist |
| Address | Greetland House, Gosnells, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Father , Mr Wright Binns (in UK) |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 3488 |
| Date of Enlistment | 4 Oct 1915 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit/Formation | 28th Battalion, 8th Reinforcement transferred to 51st Battalion / 13th Brigade, 4th Division |
| Date of Embarkation | 17 Jan 1916 ‒ 9 Feb 1916 |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A30 Borda |
| Date of Return | 27 Feb 1919 ‒ 7 Apr 1919 |
| Ship Returned On | SS Balmoral Castle |
| Fate | Returned to Australia |
| Monument |
Armadale War Memorial (Beenup panel) Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour Gosnells Primary School Honour Roll Name spelt Bennis |
| Medals |
British War Medal Victory Medal |
Pre War
War Service
Six weeks after entering Blackboy Hill camp, George was allocated to the 8th reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion, but in Egypt was transferred to, and trained at Serapeum in the canal zone of Egypt, as a member of the 'new' 51st Battalion. (One of 480 reinforcements who joined with 497 veterans of Gallipoli from the 11th Battalion to form the 51st.)
On May 18th they enter the front line canal defences, and remain there until June 1st when they begin their move to Alexandria to board HMT Ivernia for the journey to Marseilles in southern France.
He reported sick to hospital on 31 Aug 1916 and was sick enough to be evacuated to England aboard HMHS Panama at Le Havre on 7 Sep 1916, before spending four months in the UK (Western General Hospital Cardiff) recovering from trench fever. Granted leave in October, he returned three days late incurring the wrath of the military , earning 7 days punishment and forfeiting 4 days pay.
George married Ivy Garside, a 24 year old packer at a soap works in Huddersfield, Yorkshire on 7 Dec 1916 while again AWOL (4 Dec to 11 Dec) before eventually returning to France aboard SS Princess Henriette, rejoining his unit on 7 Jan 1917.
Hospitalised in France on two other occasions with Trench Fever, and a third time in the UK in the 15th Canadian General Hospital with a temporal abscess (during May 1917 in France; Sep 1917; and Apr 1918). Total time spent in hospital was 13 weeks, the rest was spent largely in base depots. The third occasion required his evacuation to England, after which he did not appear to rejoin his unit.
Following the Armistice he had to wait for return to Australia until a "family" ship was available. Discharged 5th Military District 23 May 1919.
Mentioned in the Feb-Mar 1917 edition of the Drill of the Foot-Hills, but no detail
Post War
The West Australian 24 Mar 1919 reports George as returning with the SS Balmoral Castle, and on the 4th April it reports the ship was due on the 6th but needing to be quarantined for 3 days.
No entry for either George or Ivy in Electoral Records or Post Office Directories. By 1924 neither Repat or Central Army Records have any contact with him, and medals he is entitled to were returned.
It is reasonable to assume that he returned to England. If so his likely death is as shown above. Ivy died aged 83 in March 1976 Halifax, West Yorkshire, England
Notes
Thomas is not listed on the Gosnells RSL Honour Board or on their Honour Roll.