George EASTHER

Regimental number2860
Place of birthOrrorro, South Australia
SchoolState School
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationClerk
Address183 Gawler Place, Adelaide, South Australia
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation18
Height5' 5.25"
Weight143 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs S. Easther, 183 Gawler Place, Adelaide, South Australia
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date14 June 1915
Place of enlistmentKeswick, South Australia
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name10th Battalion, 9th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/27/3
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A15 Star Of England on 21 September 1915
Rank from Nominal RollCorporal
Unit from Nominal Roll10th Battalion
Recommendations (Medals and Awards)

Military Medal


'Exceptional bravery and oolness throughout whole of operations, also for conspicuously gallant rescue. (East of Ypres)'
Recommendation date: 16 October 1917

Bar to Military Medal


Work near Warneton on 3 January 1918.
Recommendation date: 20 January 1918

Other details from Roll of Honour CircularWas killed 400 yards South of Joncourt.
FateKilled in Action 18 September 1918
Place of death or woundingJoncourt, France
Age at death21.11
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsAustralian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France

Villers-Bretonneux is a village about 15 km east of Amiens. The Memorial stands on the high ground ('Hill 104') behind the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Fouilloy, which is about 2 km north of Villers-Bretonneux on the east side of the road to Fouilloy.

The Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux is approached through the Military Cemetery, at the end of which is an open grass lawn which leads into a three-sided court. The two pavilions on the left and right are linked by the north and south walls to the back (east) wall, from which rises the focal point of the Memorial, a 105 foot tall tower, of fine ashlar. A staircase leads to an observation platform, 64 feet above the ground, from which further staircases lead to an observation room. This room contains a circular stone tablet with bronze pointers indicating the Somme villages whose names have become synonymous with battles of the Great War; other battle fields in France and Belgium in which Australians fought; and far beyond, Gallipoli and Canberra.

On the three walls, which are faced with Portland stone, are the names of 10,885 Australians who were killed in France and who have no known grave. The 'blocking course' above them bears the names of the Australian Battle Honours.

After the war an appeal in Australia raised £22,700, of which £12,500 came from Victorian school children, with the request that the majority of the funds be used to build a new school in Villers-Bretonneux. The boys' school opened in May 1927, and contains an inscription stating that the school was the gift of Victorian schoolchildren, twelve hundred of whose fathers are buried in the Villers-Bretonneux cemetery, with the names of many more recorded on the Memorial. Villers-Bretonneux is now twinned with Robinvale, Victoria, which has in its main square a memorial to the links between the two towns.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
58
Medals

Military Medal

'During operations of Sept. 30th to Oct. 10th, 1917 near ZONNEBEKE east of YPRES L/Cpl. EASTHER displayed exceptional bravery and coolness throughout the whole of the operations. On the morning of the 9th October, after the Battalion had made a raid on the enemy in fron he observed one of our wounded lying out about 50 yards in front. He moved out in daylight under heavy rifle and machine gun fire and after applying first aid proceeded to carry the man in. Despite heavy sniping he managed to get the man to within a few yards of our trench before he himself was wounded. This act was observed by nearly all of his company and his example greatly cheered the men.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 120
Date: 7 August 1918

Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Taken on strength of 10th Bn, Mudros, 25 November 1915.

Disembarked Alexandria, ex-Mudros, 29 December 1915.

Admitted to No 2 Field Ambulance, Tel el Kebir, 14 January 1916, and transferred to Casualty Clearing Station the same day (bronchitis); to No 2 Australian General Hospital, Cairo, 24 January 1916; to No 2 Auxiliary Hospital, Cairo, 25 January 1916; to Overseas Base, Ghezireh, 29 January 1916.

Transferred to Zeitoun, 10 February 1916.

Rejoined unit from Details, Seapuem, 10 March 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 27 March 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 3 April 1916.

Evacuated to hospital, 30 July 1916; rejoined unit, 5 August 1916.

Promoted Lance Corporal, 1 March 1917.

Admitted to No 2 Australian Field Ambulance, 25 August 1917 (appendicitis); transferred to No 53 Casualty Clearing Station, 25 August 1917; to No 15 Ambulance Train, 25 August 1917; to No 53 General Hospital, 30 August 1917 (influenza); to No 1 Convalescent Depot, Boulogne, 3 September 1917; to No 14 Convalescent Depot, Trouville, 6 September 1917; discharged, 25 September 1917, and marched into 1st Australian Divisional Base Depot, Le Havre, the same day.

Proceeded to unit, 28 September 1917; rejoined 10th Bn, 30 September 1917.

Promoted Temporary Corporal, 1 October 1917.

Awarded Military Medal, 20 November 1917.

Detached to School of Instruction, 22 November 1917; rejoined unit, 6 December 1917.

Promoted Corporal, 1 January 1918.

Detached for duty with 2nd Training Bn, 29 January 1918; marched into 2nd Training Bn, England, 2 February 1918.

Attached for duty with Permanent Cadre, 'B' Company, 1st Bn, Overseas Training Bde, 2 February 1918.

Attended 12th Lewis Gun Course, Bhurtpore Barracks, Tidworth, from 4 April 1918, until 18 April 1918.

Proceeded overseas to France, 1 September 1918; marched into Australian Intermediate Base Depot, Le Havre, 2 September 1918.

Proceeded to unit, 6 September 1918; rejoined 10th Bn, 12 September 1918.

Killed in action, 18 September 1918.

Buried by Chaplain Haydon, Sheet 6a.C L.17.a.2.1, Grave No.1759, 19 September 1918.

Medals: Military Medal and bar, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, EASTHER George