The Peebles and Fox Family History:Information about George Charles Howell Wootton
George Charles Howell Wootton (b. 28 July 1892, d. 19 October 1917)
Notes for George Charles Howell Wootton:
George enlisted and was considered fit for active service in the Australian Imperial Force on 11 July 1915, he was 22 years old, 5 feet 5 inches, weight 126lbs, chest measurement 31 inches, dark complexion, grey eyes, black hair and religious denomination is Methodist.On 26 July, 1915 he was accordingly approved and appointed to the 1st Battalion at Liverpool, NSW.On 19 February 1916, George was transferred to the 53rd Battalion.George was killed in action whilst on detachment to the 14th Infantry.In a letter dated 24 October, 1918 from George's father George Snr, he states "in connection with the headquarters intelligence staff in charge of 3 men observing when he was killed at Passchendaele".George was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War and Victory Medals.
His portrait was one of a number displayed on a photo montage Honour Board made for the department store Anthony Hordern and Sons Limited, Sydney, by the returned soldier and sailor employees of the company.It commemorated 46 of the company's 48 employees who died as a result of their service in the First World War.
The 1917 Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of Ypres or simply Third Ypres, was one of the major battles of World War I, fought by the British, ANZAC and Canadian soldiers against the German Army.The battle was fought for control of the village of Passendale, (Belgium-French Passchendaele on maps of that time), near the Belgian town of Ypres in West Flanders.The plan was to drive a hole in the German lines and advance to the Begian coast and capture the German submarine bases there.It would have created a decisive corridor to be opened in a crucial area of the front, and it would also take pressure off the French forces.After the disastrous Nivelle offensive the French Army was suffering from extremely low morale, which resulted in such an increase in cases of mutiny and misconduct as to threaton the field worthiness of entire divisions.
More About George Charles Howell Wootton:
Memorial: Rookwood Cemetery, Lidcombe, NSW.
Occupation: 1915, Salesman.