George Ezra Bunney

George Ezra Bunney

Cropped photograph of Mr George Bunney at the Roleystone Progress Association picnic in 1921. Birtwistle LSL PH214
Personal Information
Date of Birth	c1884
Place of Birth	Leicestershire, England
Death	23 Jan 1942
Place of Death	Kelmscott, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	32 years old
Description	5' 6" (1.68m) tall ; 143 lbs 64.864 kg ; dark complexion ; brown eyes ; dark brown hair
Occupation	Farmer
Religion	Church of England
Address	Kelmscott, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Annie Bunney
Military Information
Reg Number	3050
Date of Enlistment	17 Apr 1916
Rank	Lance Corporal
Unit/Formation	10th Light Horse Regiment, 23rd Reinforcement transferred to 3rd Machine Gun Squadron / 3rd Light Horse Brigade, ANZAC Mounted Div.
Date of Embarkation	22 Jan 1917 ‒ 16 Feb 1917
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A45 Bulla Fremantle to Suez
Date of Return	17 Jul 1919 ‒ 17 Aug 1919
Ship Returned On	HMHS Dunluce Castle Suez to Fremantle
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Kelmscott War Memorial (West panel)
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Prior to emigrating to Australia, George was a member of Prince Albert's Own Yeomanry for 4 years. He was also a painter. His nephew Sid Bunney said in an oral history interview in 2000: "Uncle George, from what I can gather, he was a painter and decorator ... When he came out here he tried to have this business going, and I can remember he used to mix all the paints by hand. In those days you couldn’t go and just buy a packet of Dulux or whatever ... Evidently, he’d get the contract or whatever to paint a house or something like that. But at that stage I don’t think he made much of a profit out of it so he probably turned himself around and started to get into the motoring business".

War Service

Enlisted in Katanning, and was initially allocated to the Engineers for training (two months) before transferring, first to the 22nd reinforcement draft for the 10th Light Horse Regiment on 15 Aug 1916, and then the 23rd draft on 6 Nov 1916. George travelled overseas as part of the 23rd reinforcements to the 10th Light Horse Regiment.

On arrival in Egypt the 23rd reinforcements were sent to an isolation camp in Moascar for two weeks before being taken on strength. On 3 Apr 1917 George was detached to the School of Instruction at Zietim for 2 weeks and on returning to his unit he was transferred to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Machine Gun Squadron.

On 16 Aug 1917 he was promoted to Driver after enjoying a break at a rest camp in Shellal until 1 Jun 1917. On 15 Jan 1918 George reported to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Field Ambulance with haemorrhoids before being transferred to the 74th Casualty Clearing Station, and then via Ambulance Train to the 45th Stationary Hospital in El-Arish. Later on 6 Feb 1918 he was transferred to the Katana Base Hospital and then on 12 Feb 1918 to the 14th Australian General Hospital in Port Said before being discharged on 12 Mar 1918 to spend time in a rest camp.

Recovered on 27 Mar 1918 he was sent to Moascar and the School of Instruction before joining his unit again on 23 May 1918. Back with them, he was deemed to be surplus and moved to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Headquarters.

On 12 Oct 1918 he reported to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Field Ambulance for treatment from 12 - 19 Oct 1918 for Malaria. Appointed Lance Corporal on 18 Jan 1919 before returning to hospital on 10 Feb 1919 with influenza. He returned to duty on 13 Feb 1919. George was appointed Acting Sergeant on 17 Feb 1919 and held the rank until 20 May 1919 when he began the processing for return to Australia. He was discharged by the 5th Military District on 13 Nov 1919.

Post War

Returning from the war, George returned to Albany Road in Kelmscott, and initially worked as a contractor (electoral roll 1925) and operated his own trucking and transport business. He was president of the Kelmscott Agricultural Society for eleven years, from 1924 to 1934. He served on the Armadale-Kelmscott Road Board from 1925-1930, then moved to Victoria Park at the beginning of the 1930s for work as a salesman. By 1936 he was again living in Kelmscott.

Kelmscott delegate to Annual State RSL Congress.

In the Armadale report, mention is made of his passing.

Advertisement showing George Bunney's trucks, from Sunday Times 24 March 1929 (TROVE)

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Memorial

George Ezra Bunney

Headstone Information
Date of Birth	c1882
Age at Death	59 years
Additional Names	Annie Bunney
Transcription	In Loving Memory of our uncle George Ezra Bunney. Died 23 January 1942. Aged 59 years. Also our aunt Annie Bunney. Died 27 October 1976. Aged 96 years.

Early Life

George Ezra Bunney was born in c1882 and his birth was registered at Barrow Upon Soar, Leicestershire. His father was Ezra Bunney and his mother was Elizabeth Bunney (nee Wilson).

Marriage

George married Annie Bunney (nee Yates) at Barrow Upon Soar, Leicestershire in 1906.

Electoral Rolls

According to the electoral roll from 1954 until 1968 George and Annie lived on Albany Road, Kelmscott, next to the Kelmscott Hotel. George was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1926.

Vehicles

During 1926 and 1928 George drove the following vehicles: Bean Wagon registration 3764: an Oakland registration 10290; a Chrysler registration 12649; in 1924 and 1925 he drove a General Motors Company Truck registration A/K 49.

Emigration

George departed England on 134 December 1908 on board the ship "Orotava". His wife, Annie Bunney, followed in 1909 on board the ship "Orontes".

Death

George died at the age of 59 years on 23 January 1942.

Other Notes

A photograph of George and Annie taken outside their house on Albany Road, Kelmscott is held at Birtwistle Local Studies Library.