Corporal George Eric Dinsey
Service #: 2781
Summary
BACKGROUND
George was born in 1893 in Tumbulgum; son of James & Rosa Dinsey. George’s parents had moved to the area in 1869. His father was widely known and highly respected in all parts of the district and his mother was prominent in the Red Cross. Both parents are listed on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district. George attended Tumbulgum Public School and later Fort Street High School, where he was awarded the honour cap in 1909 for academic and athletic achievement. He was an accomplished cricketer and footballer in his youth. His brothers, Robert Samuel “Herbert” Dinsey & Frederick George Disney also enlisted.
ATTESTATION
George travelled to Warwick Farm from his farm in Condong on the 11th August 1915 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was a single man and gave his occupation as farmer. His next of kin was his father, James, of Condong. He had spent 2 ½ years in the 5th Light Horse. He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia
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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER
On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following; “The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him”
OATH
He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, George Eric Dinsey, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law
SO, HELP ME, GOD.”
MEDICAL EXAMINATION
His medical shows he was 22 years 5 months old, 5ft 7 ¼ inches tall (1.70m) and weighed 149lbs (67kgs). He had a dark complexion, blue eyes and dark hair. His eyesight was good. George was Presbyterian
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CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER
The medical examiner certifies I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -
Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.
He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service
CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER
This is completed during the recruits training. George was in Liverpool training camp when this was completed on the 2nd August 1915. The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him as a private in the 7th Field Company Engineers with service number 2781.
AUSTRALIAN TRAINING
By mid-1915 the AIF training system in New South Wales revolved around the large camps at Liverpool, Warwick Farm and nearby specialist depots. Men joining the engineers were generally given their basic military instruction first and then underwent specialist engineer training before embarkation.
For George, the most likely sequence was:
· Enlistment and medical examination at Warwick Farm.
· Initial recruit training in the Warwick Farm–Liverpool camp area.
· Further instruction with the newly forming 4th Field Company Engineers (which became the 7th Field Company in September 1915).
· Training in engineering duties such as bridge construction, road making, trench construction, demolition work, surveying, field fortifications, use of explosives, and military signalling.
In practical terms, George's training would have been quite different from that of an infantryman. A sapper had to be both a soldier and a tradesman. His days were likely divided between drill, rifle practice, route marches and physical training, while also learning how to construct trenches, erect barbed-wire obstacles, build timber structures, lay duckboards through muddy ground, and calculate simple engineering measurements. The Army placed considerable importance on engineers because infantry battalions could not move, attack or hold positions effectively without their support.
The Warwick Farm camp itself was a busy and often dusty tent city. Hundreds of recruits were arriving every week during the latter half of 1915. George would have spent long hours on parade grounds under the eyes of drill instructors, learning military discipline and becoming accustomed to Army life. Evenings were often spent cleaning equipment, attending lectures, writing letters home, or helping with camp duties. By the time he embarked at the end of November he would have been expected to function as a trained sapper capable of joining an engineer company in the field.
INNOCULATIONS
All recruits were given a range of inoculations while in camp. The most important jab was to protect against smallpox and typhoid – indeed, having this was an essential precondition of enlisting.
THE UNIFORM
The recruits were issued with their uniform- service dress jacket was made of Australian wool and its loose fit gave the wearer more allowance for movement. The four large pockets were very useful. A unique feature designed for comfort was the pleated back, which provided a double thickness of cloth down the back that the pack rubbed against. Breeches were corduroy worn with wool wrap puttees. The famous khaki felt slouch hat or early service cap is probably the most distinctive part of the uniform. turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge.
SOLDIER’S KIT
Australia's World War I soldiers went to war weighed down by almost 30 kilograms of clothes, weapons, tools and kit.
· Breeches: made from khaki woollen cord fabric, with side pockets and button flies. Soldiers were issued with two pairs of breeches, plus a pair of dungarees. The breeches ended above the ankles and the gap was filled with puttees.
· Braces: worn with breeches.
· Puttees: The men wound these strips of woollen cloth, almost three metres long, upwards from the ankle to just below the knee. Soldiers disliked the puttees, probably with good reason: the tight binding restricted circulation and might even have contributed to the high incidence of trench foot. Mounted troops wore leather leggings.
· Shirt: Soldiers were given two grey, collarless, flannel shirt, plus a military shirt.
· Ankle boots: brown and lace-up.
· Socks: Made from wool or cotton. Soldiers were issued with three pairs.
· Greatcoat: the khaki woollen coat (which weighed about 3kg) often doubled as a soldier's bedding and was his chief protection against the cold and wet. The coat came into its own when snow hit Gallipoli in November 1915 and also on the Western Front.
· Jersey
· Singlets: Soldiers were issued with 2 woollen singlets.
· Cotton "drawers" (underpants): Soldiers were issued with two pairs.
· Abdominal belts: a sort of cummerbund that was issued to keep soldiers warm and supposedly ward off disease.
· Backpacks and webbing: The main backpack was a rectangular sack measuring about 15 inches x 13 inches, closed at the top by a folding cover secured by two straps. The webbing included a web belt, cartridge pouches, small haversack, bayonet frog, an entrenching tool holder (plus another holder for its handle), and a water-bottle holder.
· Identity disc: Soldiers were initially issued with one medal "dog tag" on a cord, but later in the war they were given two tags, made of compressed fibre.
· Soldiers were also issued with a "housewife" - a sewing kit containing such items as needles, thimble, thread, wool and button so they could carry out running repairs.
· Also in their kit were a short-magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, a rifle sling, a bayonet and scabbard, and an "entrenching tool" (they were "diggers" after all). This came in two parts, with the helve (handle) separate from the spade part.
· Soldiers were issued with eating equipment (knife, fork, spoon, an enamel mug, water bottle (with two-point capacity), and a mess tin with carrier.
· They also had a clasp knife (with marlin spike, tin-opener and lanyard), razor, shaving kit, soap, comb, two towels, field dressing (carried in the tunic's inside pocket), and a hold-all, in which they could pack their private possessions.
· No item was probably looked after more carefully than their service pay book: privates were paid five shillings a day
The 7th Field Company itself was raised in New South Wales during September 1915, having originally been designated the 4th Field Company before being renumbered. Many of its officers and senior NCOs were already experienced militia engineers, and the unit was brought together around Sydney before sailing for Egypt on HMAT Suffolk on 30 November 1915.
VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM SYDNEY TO EGYPT NOVEMBER 1915
On the 30th November 1915, the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Suffolk. Alongside his comrades, George marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.
SLEEPING & LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.
Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.
DAILY ROUTINE
Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic—drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.
MEALS
Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.
HEALTH & SANITATION
Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.
THE VOYAGE EXPERIENCE
Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. To keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.
The troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection
CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY
The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.
SIGHTS AT SEA
On the way to Egypt the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.
SECURITY
By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes.
APPROACHING EGYPT
After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the sandy training grounds of Egypt, preparing for what lay ahead.
MOASCAR TRAINING CAMP JANUARY TO MARCH 1916
The unit then went to the isolation camp in Moascar. During World War I, this camp provided the final preparation for entrainment to Alexandria and the Western Front. The isolation camps screened soldiers arriving in Egypt as reinforcements for two weeks, checking for any illnesses such as measles which can break out when people are crowded together for long periods. Ismailia is a city in north-eastern Egypt, situated on the west bank of the Suez Canal.
During an interim period, soldiers typically:
· Recovered from the voyage: After long sea travel from Australia, troops needed time to rest and regain strength.
· Underwent medical inspections: To check for illnesses, infections, or conditions like venereal disease that might delay their training.
· Received equipment and uniforms: Egypt's heat made the heavy wool uniforms uncomfortable. As a result, lighter clothing was often issued or obtained locally. Soldiers frequently wore:
ü Khaki cotton shirts without the tunic
ü Lightweight drill uniforms made from cotton
ü Shorts on some occasions, particularly in camp
ü Pith helmets or sun helmets for fatigue duties and work in the sun, although the slouch hat remained the iconic Australian headgear
· Were assigned to training battalions: Administrative processing sorted soldiers into reinforcement drafts for specific front-line battalions.
· Drilled lightly: They performed light drills, parades, and familiarisation routines while waiting for formal training slots to open.
They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in a training camp, the volunteers left their old lives farther behind. They began their training with physical fitness exercises, they were taught individual and unit discipline, how to follow commands, how to march, some basic field skills and how to safely handle his weapons. Later, as soldiers specialised in a particular area (for example, machine gunner or signaller) they would be trained in specific skills and would take part in practice manoeuvres and sham fights. They would spend many hours learning training in the use of bayonets, anti- gas training and guard duty along with lectures on camouflage or trench warfare and much more.
After many months of continuous preparation in France, the men were judged ready for active service. The recruits had been transformed from a newly arrived reinforcement into a fully trained infantryman, accustomed to discipline, hardship, and the mechanics of modern war. When the battalion finally entered into the war, it did so as a cohesive and well-drilled unit, prepared—so far as training could allow—for the brutal realities of the Western Front.
TRANSFER TO 14TH FIELD COMPANY ENGINEERS MARCH 1916
While in the camp George was transferred to the 14th Field Company Engineers on the 6th March 1916
TAKEN ON STRENGTH MARCH 1916
George was officially taken on strength with the 14th on the 13th March 1916. George arrived in Egypt in January 1916 during one of the most significant reorganisations of the AIF. The Gallipoli campaign had just ended and tens of thousands of Australian soldiers were pouring into Egypt from the peninsula. Camps such as Moascar, Tel-el-Kebir, Ismailia and Ferry Post were overflowing with men while the Army completely restructured itself.
Moascar Camp, near Ismailia on the Suez Canal, was far more than a simple holding camp. It was one of the largest military training centres in the Middle East. When George arrived, he would have found thousands of Australians living under canvas, drilling, route marching, attending specialist schools and preparing for the next phase of the war.
The transfer to the 14th Field Company Engineers on 6 March is a very important clue. During February and March 1916, the AIF doubled in size. The experienced units that had served at Gallipoli were split apart to provide trained officers and NCOs for newly formed units. The engineer companies underwent the same expansion. George was therefore not simply sitting in camp waiting for a ship. He was becoming part of a field company that was itself being organised, equipped and trained for service on the Western Front.
As a sapper, George's training would have been far more technical than that of an infantryman. The Western Front required specialist engineering skills that had not been needed to the same extent at Gallipoli. He would have spent weeks learning:
· Construction of deep trench systems.
· Building and repairing dugouts.
· Laying and repairing roads.
· Bridge construction.
· Handling explosives and demolitions.
· Construction of barbed-wire entanglements.
· Water supply and drainage systems.
· Mapping and surveying.
· Working with engineer stores and equipment.
There was also the simple reality that the British Army could not transport every Australian unit to France at once. Shipping space was limited and formations often waited weeks or months for transport. Even after George was officially taken on strength by the 14th Field Company on 13 March, the company still had to complete its organisation, receive equipment, undertake collective training and await transport. Many soldiers later remarked that the Egyptian training period of 1916 was among the hardest they experienced because the desert heat, sandstorms and endless drills were relentless.
FRANCE JUNE 1916
On the 18th June 1916 the troops boarded the troop ship Georgian at Alexandria and sailed across the Mediterranean to Marseilles. George was entering a completely different war from the one anticipated when he enlisted at Warwick Farm. The Somme offensive had begun preparations, and within weeks of his arrival Australian divisions would be fighting at places such as Fromelles and Pozières. The months at Moascar had transformed him from a newly enlisted recruit into a trained combat engineer capable of operating in the highly technical environment of the Western Front.
George & the recruits were leaving behind the heat and open spaces of Egypt for the mud, shellfire and industrialised warfare of the Western Front. The 14th Field Company moved north to join the Australian forces in the Armentières sector. This area was often described as a "nursery sector" because newly arrived troops could gain experience before being committed to major offensives.
For George, however, there was little that was gentle about the introduction. Engineers were constantly employed regardless of whether a sector was considered quiet. Soon after arriving, he would have been helping construct and improve trench systems, repairing parapets damaged by enemy shellfire, erecting barbed-wire obstacles, maintaining communication trenches and building dugouts for infantry units. Much of this work was undertaken at night to avoid German observation.
APPOINTED CORPORAL JUNE 1916
The fact that George was appointed temporary Lance Corporal on the day his company left Egypt suggests that his officers already recognised leadership qualities in him. Promotions in engineer units were not handed out lightly. A Lance Corporal was expected to supervise working parties, ensure tasks were completed correctly and safely, and maintain discipline among the men under his charge.
JULY AND AUGUST 1916
Throughout July and August 1916, the Australian divisions were heavily engaged on the Somme around Pozières and Mouquet Farm. While the 14th Field Company was attached to the 4th Australian Division, which did not fight at Pozières itself, the engineers were still heavily occupied. Roads had to be built and maintained to move troops, guns and supplies. Shell holes had to be filled. Bridges and crossings had to be repaired. Engineer units frequently worked under artillery fire while carrying heavy timber, sandbags and rolls of wire.
The Western Front quickly demonstrated that engineers were among the hardest-worked soldiers in France. Infantry battalions might rotate in and out of the front line, but engineer companies were constantly moving wherever construction or repairs were needed. George and his comrades often worked long hours with pick, shovel and axe before returning to billets exhausted, only to be sent out again after dark.
SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 1916
By September and October 1916, the 4th Australian Division was involved in operations around the Somme battlefield, particularly in the areas of Flers, Gueudecourt and Le Transloy. Conditions deteriorated dramatically as autumn rains turned the ground into a sea of mud. Engineers became indispensable. George's company was responsible for laying duckboard tracks, constructing strongpoints, repairing trenches that collapsed in the wet conditions and keeping vital supply routes open.
RANK CONFIRMED OCTOBER 1916
These months provided ample opportunity for George to demonstrate his reliability and competence. An engineer NCO had to understand construction methods, organise men, account for stores and ensure work was completed under dangerous conditions. His temporary rank was confirmed on 23 October 1916, indicating that he had successfully carried out those responsibilities over several months.
PROMOTED TO CORPORAL NOVEMBER 1916
Only a few weeks later, on 18 November 1916, George was promoted to Corporal. This was a significant achievement. A Corporal in a field company was a respected junior leader who often commanded a section of sappers on important engineering tasks. He might be responsible for directing bridge-building parties, supervising trench construction, organising repair crews after bombardments or leading men forward under fire to complete urgent work.
The timing of the promotion is revealing. By November the Somme campaign was drawing to a close after months of exhausting fighting. Casualties among NCOs had been considerable, and promotions often went to men who had proven themselves during the hardships of the campaign. George's advancement suggests that during his first five months in France he had earned the confidence of both his officers and fellow sappers.
So, while his service record records only a handful of entries between June and November 1916, George's days were almost certainly filled with hard physical labour, long nights in the trenches, exposure to enemy shellfire and the increasing responsibility that came with leadership. During that period, he evolved from a newly arrived sapper into a non-commissioned officer entrusted with directing other men in one of the most technically demanding branches of the Australian Imperial Force. By the time he received his Corporal's stripes, he had already experienced the realities of the Western Front and established himself as a capable engineer and leader.
MAY 1917- FORMATION OF NEW 17TH FIELD COMPANY ENGINEERS
George served with the 14th Field Company Engineers until May 1917, by which time he was an experienced Corporal. On 18 May he was selected as part of the cadre used to form the new 17th Field Company Engineers. That in itself was a vote of confidence, as new units required reliable NCOs who could train and supervise less experienced men.
From May through the latter half of 1917, the 17th Field Company was engaged in the Flanders operations. While infantry histories focus on Messines and Passchendaele, engineer companies carried an enormous burden. George and his men would have built roads across shell-torn ground, laid duckboard tracks through the mud, repaired trenches destroyed by artillery, erected barbed-wire obstacles and constructed strongpoints behind the advancing infantry. Much of this work was undertaken at night under shellfire.
The November entries suggest that George was removed from the field company and posted through engineer depots rather than remaining continuously with the 17th Field Company. Nothing on the page suggests misconduct or punishment. In fact, his rank of Corporal remained intact. Usually when an experienced engineer NCO passed through the Engineer Depot system it was for one of several reasons:
· instructional duties,
· reinforcement administration,
· temporary reorganisation of engineer units,
· transfer between engineer formations,
· or attendance at specialist engineer courses.
The entries mentioning Parkhouse and the Engineer Depot are particularly interesting because Parkhouse on Salisbury Plain was one of the principal Australian training centres in England. Experienced NCOs were frequently employed there helping train reinforcements destined for France.
PAGE 13 RECORDS ILLEGIBLE
Many entries on Page 13 are illegible and I have picked up from the bottom of Page 13.
LEAVE IN UK OCTOBER 1918- HOSPITALISED
George was given leave in the UK on 113th October 1918 but on 22nd October he was hospitalised at Administration Headquarters but no details stated.
MARCHED INTO COMMAND DEPOTS NOVEMBER 1918
George was then marched into Dartford command depot on the 4th November 1918. Here he would convalesce but continue with drilling & training as the technology and techniques were rapidly changing and soldiers had to be up to date when they were ready to rejoin their units. He was then moved to Weymouth, and to Sutton Veney on 16th November.
WAR ENDED 11th NOVEMBER 1918
By this time the armistice that ended the First World War on the Western Front was signed between Germany and the Allies on 11 November 1918. The guns fell silent at 11:00 a.m. that day. Life for the soldiers would now be different indeed
DISCIPLINED DECEMBER 1918
Perhaps it was the fact that the war had ended, perhaps it was because he would be going home, but on the 8th December, 1918, he was disciplined because he went AWL from 2359 on 29th November to 0900 on the 2nd December. He was severely reprimanded by Major and forfeited 3 days’ pay
GOING HOME
Georg embarked the City of Exeter on the 15th January 1919 and arrived in Australia on the 23rd March 1919.
CLOTHING AND NECESSITIES GIVEN TO SOLDIERS FOR SOLDIERS PROCEEDING TO AUSTRALIA FOR DEMOBILISATION
Badges Hat Badges Collar (2) Bags kit universal
Bags kit sea Braces (pair) Brush, shaving
Brush, tooth Breeches M.S (Military service)
Cap comforter (warm cap) Comb, hair
Disc identity with cord Drawers (2 pairs)
Great Coat Hat, Khaki fur Hat, white
Holdall Housewife (compact sewing kit)
Jackets Cardigan Jackets S.D (service dress)
Leggings 1 pair Laces, leather 1 pair
Puggarees, small (a traditional Indian head wrap, worn in warm conditions
Puttees, 1 pair (cloth bandages worn by soldiers, to provide support and protection
for the lower leg)
Razor Shirts, flannel (2) Socks, 3 pairs
Singlets (2)
Strap chin Soap piece Suit, working
Towels, hand (2)
Titles “Australia” (4)- Australian soldiers and non-commissioned officers wore an “Australia” title at the base of their shoulder straps. Each serving soldier also wore unit titles above this which indicated the units to which they belonged
For his service George was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded Tumbulgum First World War Honour Roll. He was discharged in consequence of medical unfitness on 20th April 1919. (There are no further details about his discharge)
AFTER THE WAR
Following his military service, George returned to Tumbulgum, where he engaged in sugar cane farming, an industry in which his father was also involved. His grandfather, also named George Dinsey, was an early settler in the Tweed area. Known for his kindness and generosity, George remained active in the community and was highly respected, especially among fellow veterans.
Geoge married Eva Mary Coghlan in 1922. According to NSWBDM they had a daughter, June, in 195. Eva died in 1934
DEATH AND BURIAL
George passed away on 12th January 1946 in Murwillumbah. His funeral, held at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Murwillumbah, was attended by many returned soldiers who formed a guard of honour. The service included the playing of "The Last Post," a tribute to his service. His coffin was draped with the Union Jack, and the cortege proceeded to Murwillumbah General Cemetery, where he is buried in the Presbyterian Section E24.
He is survived by his widow Eleanor Dinsey, his daughter June Mary Dinsey (from his first marriage to Eva Mary Coghlan, who passed in 1934), and four sisters: Winifred Watkins, Ina Charles, Margaret Savill, and Mary Keeshan.
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
Tumbulgum First World War Honour Roll
Buried Location
Murwillumbah General Cemetery, Presbyterian Section E 24
