FAWCETT, George Henry

George Fawcett was English by birth, born in Lewisham, England, he went to school at Cheltenham College, where he served eighteen months with the Cadets, then went to Charters Towers School of Mines for a year. In 1916, he was working as an accountant with the Falkiner Electrical Company, at 103 William St., Melbourne. 

He first enlisted on 21 September, 1915, describing himself as a  Mining Engineer, single, aged 21, living with his father and next of kin, James Hart Fawcett, at 4 O'Connell St., Sydney. At this stage, George Fawcett was working at Kensington, NSW. He was enlisted as a Sapper with the 4th Tunnelling Company, training at Broadmeadows, then, on his second enlistment in March 1916, was re-allocated to the 5th Tunnelling Company, and later on, in June, 1916, to the 6th. The Tunnelling Companies were not fixed to a particualar Division, but roamed the Front, and were used to provide lighting, ventilation, and pumping equipment to all British Expeditionary Forces. They specifically included a proportion of men with mining expertise for dealing with trenches and tunnels and allowed enlistment up to fifty years of age. About 38% of the men enlisted came from a mining background. 

The No. 4 Tunnelling Company left for Egypt from Sydney on 20 October, 1914, on board HMAT Euripides A 14. During training in Egypt, he recieved an injury to a finger on the right hand, and, after treatment, returned to Australia on board HMAT Ulysses, and was discharged from further service on 2 May, 1915.

George Fawcett re-enlisted on 12 February, 1916, at Melbourne. He was then living in East Melbourne was aged 23 and 2 months' old, and listed his occupation as an Accountant. He trained at Broadmeadows and was given the rank of Sapper, then was promoted to Sergeant on 5 May, 1916, with the No. 5  Tunnelling Company. They left Melbourne on HMAT Warilda A69 on 25 May, 1916, and after further training in England and a 49 day spell in hospital at Bulford with VD, he left for France and the Western Front on 15 October, 1916.  

It is not clear from his record precisely where the No. 5 Tunnelling Company was operating, but 5 January, 1917, he was wounded in action. A gunshot wound had penetrated his right eye. He was sent back to Norfolk Hospital in England on 10 January, 1917, where his medical record noted that he had lost the eye. He remained in hospital until until March, was given furlough, then marched in to the No. 2 Convalescent Depot at Weymouth, before moving on the Perham Downs. On 3 May, he left again for France from the Drafting Depot at Perham Downs and was transferred from the 5th Tunneling Company to  the 1st Anzac Headquarters. On 29 May, he was taken on strength with the 1st Anzac Corps Intelligence Police.

He remained in France until November 28, when he was sent back to Barrington War Hospital in England with necrosis of the metacarpal bone of his right hand, presumably a consequence of the wound he recieved in 1915. The next entry in his record is for 27 April, 1918, when he was posted for duty as a Divisional Intelligence Officer with the 3rd Australian Division.

The 3rd Division, under the command of Major-General John Monash, were in Armentieres at the beginning of 1918, but had then been moved to Ypres. On 24 March, they were back at the Somme, close to Amiens. It is probably at Amiens that George Fawcett was taken on strength. In June, 1918, Major General Monash handed over command to Major John Gellibrand. George Fawcett stayed with the 3rd Division until 27 January, 1919. He was promoted to Lieutenant  on 27 July, 1918 and finished his service in England, where his appointment was terminated. He was sent back to Sydney for discharge.

The only other information about him is from a letter he sent to the Army authorities in 1921, where his address was C% Dodwell and Co., 4 The Bund, Shanghai.