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Gilchrist G A L Cpl 416

Page history last edited by Lenore Frost 6 years ago

Volunteers of Essendon and Flemington, 1914-1918

Gilchrist G A L Cpl 416 George Arthur 7 Inf Bn 19 Clerk Single Pres

Address: Ascot Vale, St Leonards Rd, 42

Next of Kin: Gilchrist, J P, 42 St Leonards Rd, Ascot Vale

Enlisted: 15 Aug 1914

Embarked: A20 Hororata 19 Oct 1914

Prior Service: 1 year junior cadets, 2 years senior cadets, 15 months 58 Inf Bn.

Mentioned in correspondence:

Elliott H E Lieut Col Essendon Gazette 2 Sep 1915

The members of the Victorian Lacrosse Association who have enlisted in the Australian Expeditionary Forces are as follows:-

Maribyrnong Club.--Geo. Gilchrist, Chas. Levens, Wm. Love, Harold Lyttle, Alex. M'Arthur, A. J. Pratt.

NOTES. (1915, May 1). Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 20 Edition: WEEKLY. Retrieved May 29, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91367372

Essendon Boys Eulogised
An officer at the front in a letter received this week by Cr J F

Henderson, of Moonee Ponds, makes the following references

to the good work done by lads from the Essendon district at

Gallipoli.

Lieutenant Kenneth Walker repeatedly distinguished himself

under fire, particularly by rescuing men buried in the trenches

by the Turkish shell fire, and by leading a party of bomb
throwers to eject Turks who had seized one of our trenches. It was
while rescuing some of the men of the 6th Battalion that he was

wounded. Another man, Sergeant George Gardner (sic) exhibited great

courage and calmness which won the admiration of the Brigade.

"An Essendon boy who has done excellent work In the fighting lines, is
Lance-Corporal R K Ransom. He is always cool and ready to volunteer
for any job, however dangerous. Sergeants Charlie Cowan and G A
Gilchrist are doing very well. Had they been a little older they would
have received commissions before this. Lance-Corporal P Hoare has just
been slightly wounded.

ESSENDON BOYS EULOGISED (1915, September 4). The Herald

(Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 8. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242416292

Essendon Gazette 14 Oct 1915

Sergeant George A. Gilchrist writes to his parents at Moonee Ponds from "Rabbit Hole Villa," Gallipoli, describing the landing of the Australians at Gallipoli. Out of 35 in his boat only 15 got ashore. They rushed across the beach, and took cover, and connecting with another battalion rushed a small hill and took possession. They remained in the discarded trenches for a while, until they started off to regain the firing line which was well inland. Unable to do this, they retired. They rejoined the battalion later on. Alick MacArthur was one of those killed on the boat. He was rowing, and was shot through the thigh; but kept on pulling till he dropped from loss of blood. In a later epistle, Sergt. Gilchrist tells of the trip to Cape Hellas with a party of New Zealanders. Here they spent a couple of days in the reserve trenches. It was very cold, and they went to bed looking like Esquimaux. On 5th May, they moved into trenches about 1000 yards from the enemy, and about 500 yards from a trench held by British troops. When word came, they jumped out of the trenches and went for the enemy. No. 5 platoon, under Lieut. Swift, was the first to move, and just as the Australians got to the top of the gully, the Turks poured shrapnel into them. Lieut. Swift was hit here and slightly wounded. (His brother, Alick, has since been killed in action.-Editor.) They- reached the trench held by the British, and advanced. The enemy had the range to a nicety, and their firing was very accurate. The boys got within 35 yds. of the Turks, and owing to the firing line having been thinned, they lay down and scratched up a bit of cover, without entrenching tools. They dug all night, and by morning were safe from anything but high explosive shells. Sgt. Gilchrist had several narrow escapes. A shrapnel pellet landed in his pack, and while digging he had four other close shaves. At time of writing, he was all right; but complained of the heat, and flies, especial ly the latter.

OUR SOLDIERS. (1915, October 14). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 4 Edition: Morning.. Retrieved January 16, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74590395

One Thousand Days with the AIF