George Veitch Redpath was born in 1886 in Bendigo, where his family had been resident for two generations. He was the son of Thomas Veitch Redpath and his wife Louisa, nee Payne. He was educated at the local Ironbark School and by the age of fifteen he was employed by jeweller, William Bartle. In that year, 1902, he was charged with larceny, having stolen a quantity of jewellery from Mr Bartle and disposed of it to two Chinese men, one the local Chinese interpreter and the other a storekeeper, who were also arrested. By the time he enlisted on 8 March 1915 George was working as a boilermaker with Gray Bros, Williamstown, where he had been for three years. He nominated his father, then living at 1093 Hoddle Street, East Melbourne, as his next of kin. He was 5ft 5ins, with a fair complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. The first joint of the middle finger of his left hand was missing. He was appointed to the 24th Battalion, B Company, and sent to Broadmeadows for training.
George embarked on 10 May 1915 aboard HMAT Euripides bound for Egypt. On 3 September he embarked from Alexandria to join the MEF at Gallipoli and served at Lone Pine. The battalion returned to Alexandria on 9 January 1916. On 17 June 1916 he left Alexandria for Marseilles. At Pozieres he was wounded in action on 20 July 1916 and was admitted to 2nd Casualty Clearing Station with shell shock. He was considered fit after one week and discharged to Base Details. On 12 August 1916 he was transferred to 1st Field Company Engineers as a sapper. On 18 August 1916 his unit was at La Boiselle, near Pozieres, engaged in digging trenches when he was wounded in action for a second time, and again suffered shell shock. This time he was only given four days off before rejoining his unit. He was transferred to the 8th Field Company Engineers on 12 December 1916 to take part in the construction of various huts and shelters. He was detached for duty with Headquarters, 5th Australian Division from 10 February 1917 to 3 September 1917, and was then transferred to 15th Field Company Engineers. He was transferred again to the 1st Army Troop Company Engineers on 11 July 1918 as a driver. He was granted leave in UK in July 1918 and was admitted to hospital in August. He was discharged from hospital on 13 September 1918. He promptly went AWL for a period of eleven days and forfeited 36 days’ pay. He was admitted to hospital again a month later with ulcers on his leg. He was discharged to a command (convalescent) depot at Hurdcott. On 26 December 1918 he was court martialled for AWL over two weeks from 30 November till surrendering on 16 December 1918. He forfeited 40 days’ pay. He left England for Australia on 24 January 1919 arriving 10 March. He was discharged from the AIF on 9 May 1919.
After the war he returned to the family home at East Melbourne. He married Caraline May Clarke in 1919. He remained a man unable to keep out of trouble. The Argus reported on 5 August 1923 that:
Shortly before 11 o’clock on Saturday night a man who gave the name of George Redpath, aged 38 years, of Hoddle street, East Melbourne, was brought into the Homœpathic Hospital. He was suffering from a gunshot wound in the right foot, but would not indicate how he had met with his injury. After treatment he was allowed to return to his home.
He died at Parkville in 1953.