George Edward Binns
From Our Contribution
 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | c1893 |
| 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 England to Fremantle |
| 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
Pre emigration to Australia had served in British Territorial unit for 18 months.
War Service
Entering Blackboy Hill camp, George was allocated to the 31st Depot Company until 16 Oct 1915 when he was transferred to A Coy of the 4th Depot Battalion. On 1 Nov 1915 he was transferred again, this time to the 3rd Depot Battalion and finally on 12 Nov 1915 he was reallocated to the 8th reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion with whom he travelled to Egypt where he was posted to the 7th Training Battalion. On 3 Mar 1916 George was one of those transferred to, the new 51st Battalion. He trained with them at Tel-el-Kebir and then Serapeum in the canal zone of Egypt. (One of 480 reinforcements who joined with 497 veterans of Gallipoli from the 11th Battalion to form the 51st Battalion.)
On 18 May 1916 they entered the front line canal defences, and remained there until 1 Jun 1916 when they began their move to Alexandria to board HMT Ivernia on 5 Jun 1916 for the journey to Marseilles in southern France, disembarking on 12 Jun 1916.
George reported sick to hospital on 31 Aug 1916 and on 1 Sep 1916 he was admitted to the 5th General Hospital in Rouen with an undiagnosed infection. On 7 Sep 1916 he was evacuated to England aboard HMHS Panama from Le Havre, where on arrival he was sent to the 3rd Western General Hospital in Cardiff for treatment for trench fever. Granted leave from 14 - 28 October, he returned late incurring the wrath of the military, earning 7 days punishment and forfeiting 8 days pay for an absence from 3:00pm on 28 Oct 1916 until 7:30pm pm 31 Oct 1916. George was AWOL again from 9:00am on 4 Dec 1916 until 7:00am 11 Dec 1916, resulting in 8 days detention and the forfeiture of 16 days pay. George had married Ivy Garside, a 24 year old packer at a soap works in Huddersfield, Yorkshire on 7 Dec 1916 during this AWOL period.
George returned to France aboard SS Princess Henriette from Folkestone on 14 Dec 1916, rejoining his unit on 7 Jan 1917 via the 4th Division's Base Depot. On 8 May 1917 George was seen by the 13th Field Ambulance for an injury to his left heel, before being transferred to the 12th Field Ambulance on 10 May 1917, and then the 7th Field Ambulance on 19 May 1917. He rejoined the battalion on 6 Jun 1917 near Neuve Eglise the day before they were involved in the attack on Messines Ridge.
On 4 Sep 1917 he presented to the 13th Field Ambulance with influenza and was passed on the same day to the 59th General Hospital at St Omer. On 15 Sep 1917 he was sent to the 7th Convalescent Depot in Boulogne and on 19 Sep 1917 to the 13th Convalescent Depot in Trouville. It wasn't until 2 Nov 1917 that he was released to duty, rejoining the battalion on 27 Nov 1917 via the 4th Division's Base Depot. From 17 - 30 Dec 1917 he enjoyed leave in England, and then on 18 Apr 1918 he was again in need of medical attention.
Admitted to the 11th Field Ambulance with a Temporal Abscess he was immediately transferred to the 20th Casualty Clearing Station, and then on 19 Apr 1918 he was admitted to the 6th General Hospital in Rouen. The next day he boarded HMHS St Patrick for England, where he was admitted to the 15th Canadian General Hospital in Buckinghamshire. Following treatment he was released to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield on 4 May 1918. Granted furlough from 9 - 23 May 1918, he reported to the No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny on 28 May 1918.
In Bristol on 26 Jun 1918 George was charged with being AWOL from midnight 25 Jun until 5:50am on 26 Jun 1918. Awarded 2 days Field Punishment No. 2, and forfeiture of 4 day's pay. From 27 - 30 Sep 1918 he was treated for a septic infection by the Group Clearing Hospital at Sutton Veny.
Following the Armistice he had to wait for return to Australia until a "family" ship was available. George was discharged by the 5th Military District on 23 May 1919.
He was mentioned in the Feb-Mar 1917 edition of the Drill of the Foot-Hills, but no other detail provided.
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.