Number Private 6515

Battalion 7th Battalion

Place of Birth Scotsburn

Next of Kin His wife May Victoria Howard of Leongatha

Date and place of enlistment Leongatha 30/3/1916

Physical details on enlistment Age 41 years 8 months, 5' 5:
12 stone 2 pounds, blue eyes and light brown hair

Religion Presbyterian

Occupation Driver

Date and place of death

Drowned in a creek at Leongatha on 15/9/1919 after he returned from the war.

Location of grave or memorial

He was buried in the Leongatha Cemetery on 18/9/1919

Relationship to Woorayl Shire

He and his family lived in Leongatha

Military History

30/3/16 He enlisted Leongatha
2/10/16 He embarked Melbourne on HMAT Nestor
18/11/16 He disembarked Plymouth
10/4/17 Proceeded overseas from Folkstone
19/4/17 He was with his unit
21/5/17 He was in hospital in France
29/5/17 He joined his Battalion
2/6/17 He went to duty
19/2/18 He was transferred to the 1st Australian Division Salvage corps
15/3/18 He went on leave to England
1/1/18 He returned from leave
24/4/19 He went to England from Le Harve
25/4/19 He disembarked South Hampton
5/9/19 Arrived home on the Prinz Ludwig
15/9/19 He was found drowned in a Leongatha creek.
18/9/19 He was buried in Leongatha
16/9/1921 His wife May received the scroll. plaque
11/2/1923 She received his plaque
5/4/1923 She received his Victory Medal
He has an invalid report
George did not meet the initial recruitment criteria set in 1914 in that he was too old and did not meet the minimum height of 5�6? (he was only 5�5? tall). By the time he enlisted in 1916, however, the recruitment criteria had been relaxed and the Army apparently turned a blind eye to his adjusted age.
Many descendants of his brother Jim Howard live in the area