HUTCHISON, George

George Hutchison enlisted on 19 June, 1916. He was a married man, having wed Elizabeth May Lott, known as May, in 1916.  He gave their address on his enlistment form as 131 Powlett St., East Melbourne. Their son, Darken Charles Hutchison was born the following year in 1917, while his father was away at war. Two further children followed in the post-war period, Barbara May, in 1920, and Robert George in 1921.

George Hutchison gave as his occupation 'Engine Expert'. He was put into training, probably at Maribynong or Royal Park and placed with the Australian Auxiliary Mechanical Transport Company on 29 September, 1916. From here, he embarked on HMAT Persic  on 22 December, disembarking at Devonport, England on 3 March, 1917. On 6 March, he was sent for further training at at No. 3 Training Depot, Parkhouse. From Parkhouse, he was sent to France, leaving from Southampton 0n 20 June to join the 2nd Australian Motor Transport Company, No. 2  Each Division of the army had a certain number of motorised transport attached to it, although not directly under its own command. The Divisional Supply companies, which which George Hutchison seems to have served, were responsible for the supply of goods, equipment and ammunition from the rail head to the Refilling Point and, if conditions  allowed, to the dumps and stores of the forward units.  Goerge Hutchison would have been one of the drivers bringing all kinds of supplies to the Front. His unit worked with the No 2 Divisional Supply Column. 

On 3 August, 1918, he was given leave to go back to England, before returning to France. On 3 November, he caught influenza, probably the Spanish flu, and was sent to the No 2 General Hospital at Havre.On 25 November, he left hospital, finally rejoining the 2nd Motor Transport Company on 30 November. By then the war was over. he was given additional leave and went to Paris, from 2-19 April, 1919, before returning to Southampton on 5 August. On 7 September, 1919, he left Britain for Australia, sailing on the Takada and disembarking in Melbourne. The Takada had been used during the war as a Hospital ship, but on this one voyage to Australia, brought home convalescent men, attended by Ambulance Corps personnel.

In the post war years, George and May moved to Sydney, living in the Hunters Hill/ Longueville area. In 1930, they were at 4 Lucretia St, Longueville and George was working as a traveller (travelling salesman). By 1930, they were at 3 Lucretia Avenue, and in 1934, at 59 Arabella St. His wife, May, died in 1947 and after that, George moved into 'Dunrae,' Dunois St., Longueville. He put in an application for repatriation benefits in 1967, where he was living at 11 Margaret St., Woolwich. He was then 82 years old. He died, probably at the Concord Rehabilitation Hospital on 20 November, 1968 and is buried at Ryde Cemetery.