| Regimental number | 817 |
| Place of birth | Cope Cope, Victoria |
| School | Albert Park State School, Victoria |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Boilermaker's assistant |
| Address | 82 Bridport Street, Albert Park, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 30 |
| Height | 5' 4.75" |
| Weight | 144 lbs |
| Next of kin | Mother, Mrs Louisa Beseler, 82 Bridport Street, Albert Park, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Previous military service | Served as a Stoker on HMS 'Yarra'. |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 31st Battalion, D Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/48/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A62 Wandilla on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 31st Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Fleurbaix, France (Battle of Fromelles) |
| Date of death | |
| Age at death | 37 |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 31 |
| Place of burial | Anzac Cemetery (Plot II, Row F, Grave No. 2), Sailly-Sur-La-Lys, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 118 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: George and Louisa BESELER, 82 Bridport Street, Albert Park, Victoria. Native of Donald, Victoria |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Embarked Melbourne, 9 November 1915; disembarked Suez, 7 December 1915. Found guilty, 9 December 1915, of being absent without leave on 8 and 9 November 1915: awarded 4 days' confined to barracks and forfeited 2 days' pay. Found guilty, 21 January 1916, of neglect of duty, 20 January 1916: awarded 24 hours' extra guards. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Found guilty, 29 June 1916, of being absent from Tattoo Roll Call, 28 June 1916: awarded 2 days' confined to barracks. Found guilty, 7 July 1916, of being absent from Tattoo Roll Call, 6 July 1916: awarded 4 days' confined to barracks. Killed in action, 21 July 1916. Buried Sailly-sur-La-Lys Cemetery by Reverend W. Meredith Holliday, 21 July 1916. Statement, Red Cross File No 360902, 2034 Pte T.W. JONES, D Company, 31st Bn, 21 March 1917: 'He was killed on July 19th. at Fleurbaix. We were going across in the charge when he was wounded. It was a face wound. He said to me :Do you think it bad?" I said "Yes, you had better go back". I did not see him again that day, but I saw his dead body next day in our own trench. It lay there where he had fallen. His head was lying in a water hole. I am sure he was dead. A man called Pte. "Long-un" Phillips, XIV Pl. D. Coy, turned his body over.' Second statement, 990 Corporal R.N.M. SMITH, D Company, 31st Bn (patient, 2nd Auxiliary Hospital, Southall, England), 17 May 1917: 'In the big stunt at Fleurbaix I saw Beseler killed by a shell in "no man's land". I was 30 yards away. I don't know if the body was recovered.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Miscellaneous details | Mother's address subsequently 352 Richardson Street, Middle Park, Victoria (27 October 1921) |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, BESELER George Henry
Red Cross file 360902 |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
