Trooper Sidney George

Ancestor Details

Ancestor's Name: Sidney Albert George
Ancestor's date of birth: 01/09/1883
Ancestor's date of death: 23/05/1953
Cause of Death: Age related
Service and Life Before the Boer War: Born in Melbourne who went to South Africa towards the end of the war to join up. Possibly he had been rejected in Australia.
Service Number: 2676
Colony or State of enlistment: Not Australia Place of Enlistment: South Africa
Unit: Johannesburg Mounted Rifles
Rank attained in Boer War: TPR, Date Effective: 01/10/1901
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): PTE, Date Effective: 19/08/1914
Murray Page: Not applicable, did not serve in an Australian unit
Contingent: Not applicable
Ship: Travelled privately to South Africa
Memorial details: Detail not provided
Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Clasps Transvaal, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902. 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal. WW2 Aust Service Medal, War Medal 1939-45.
Personal Characteristics: Height 168 cm, weight 65 kg (1915).
Reasons to go and fight: Detail not provided
Details of service in war: He enlisted in the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles in late 1901 and was discharged 30 June 1902 when the unit was disbanded. He was wounded in the knee during operations. Towards the close of 1901 and during the first quarter of 1902 the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles were chiefly employed in the Ermelo district of the Transvaal. In May 1902 they crossed the Vaal and had some skirmishes in the Frankfort district of the Orange River Colony. Down to the close of the campaign they did service which proved them a most useful and well-led body. On 17 June, after peace had been declared, the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles, Imperial Light Horse, Kitchener's Fighting Scouts, and the Scottish Horse had the honour of marching past and being inspected by the Commander-in-Chief in Johannesburg. Lord Kitchener referred to the fine service of these splendid irregular regiments, and indicated that there was a prospect of permanent volunteer regiments being formed which would be successors to the work, traditions, and organisation of each of them.
Service and life after the Boer War: Worked as a painter, married Mary. In World War One he enlisted in the ANMEF on 19 August 1914 as a private no 1011 in D coy of the force and was later detached temporarily as a escort to POWs on the SS Moresby. He was discharged on completion of service on 4 March 1915. It is possible that he had continued in the Militia pre war. He enlisted in the AIF as Private no 4446 in 1 Bn AIF on 26 August 1915 and later was transferred to 45 Bn. He returned to Australia and was discharged medically unfit 24 October 1916 due to diabetes. In World War 2 he put his age down and enlisted 12 April 1940 as a sapper in the AIF Railway Unit. He did not serve overseas and was discharged 2 October 1940.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Denis George, Broken Hill NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Grand Son
Name of Descendant: Michael George Northmead NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Grandson
Name of Descendant: Connie Fish, Tanilba bay NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Daughter
Name of Descendant: Phillis McCann, Carlton NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Daughter

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