Private George Henry Brooks
Service #: 2728
Summary
BACKGROUND
George Henry Brooks was born in 1893 in Kangaroo Valley, son of Thomas & Elizabeth Brooks. He was one of 11 children, with 6 brothers & 4 sisters.
George travelled to Brisbane on the 10th 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 labourer. His next of kin was his father, Mt T. Brooks, of North Arm, Murwillumbah. 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 Henry Brooks, 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
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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MEDICAL EXAMINATION
George was 32 years 11 months old. He was 5ft 8 ½ inches (1.73m) tall. He weighed 137lbs (62kgs). He had a fresh complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. George had a round scar on his left hip and another on the left side of his left knee. George was Methodist
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 Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 30th 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 a private with the 9th reinforcements, 15th Battalion with service number 2728
As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. By late 1915 the Australian Army was under enormous pressure to produce reinforcements for Gallipoli veterans and for the expanding AIF. The training was therefore intensive rather than lengthy. The recruits would have arrived at Enoggera as civilians from all walks of life—farm labourers, clerks, labourers, tradesmen and station hands—and the Army's first task was to turn them into soldiers.
At Enoggera, the recruit’s day would have begun early, often before sunrise. Reveille would sound, followed by breakfast and a full day of instruction. The first lessons were basic military discipline. Recruits learned how to march, form ranks, salute officers, obey commands instantly and maintain their equipment. Much of their time was spent on the parade ground.
The Army placed enormous importance on drill. To a modern observer it can seem pointless, but drill taught men to move together, follow orders automatically and develop discipline. Officers believed that men who could maintain order on a parade ground were more likely to maintain order under fire.
The men would also have received extensive rifle training. The standard weapon was the .303 calibre Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle.
The recruits learned:
· Rifle handling and safety.
· Loading and unloading.
· Aiming and sight adjustment.
· Rapid-fire techniques.
· Cleaning and maintenance.
· Musketry exercises.
Many recruits came from rural backgrounds and were already familiar with firearms, but military marksmanship was a specialised skill requiring considerable practice.
Physical training was another major component. They would have undertaken route marches carrying increasing amounts of equipment. These marches toughened the men physically and accustomed them to carrying heavy loads over long distances. They also helped identify recruits who were unlikely to withstand the rigours of active service.
Bayonet training was particularly emphasised in 1915. Instructors taught recruits how to attack enemy trenches using thrusts, parries and butt strokes. Much of this training took place against straw-filled dummies. The Army wanted men to develop aggression and confidence before facing combat.
Fieldcraft training was also introduced. The recruits would have learned:
· Digging trenches.
· Constructing defensive positions.
· Use of cover and concealment.
· Sending military messages.
· Guard duties.
· Camp sanitation.
Sanitation was considered critical. Disease had killed more soldiers than bullets in many previous wars, so recruits received instruction in cleanliness, water discipline and camp hygiene.
Because they had enlisted after the Gallipoli campaign, instructors could draw upon real battlefield experience. Many training staff were veterans who had returned from Gallipoli wounded or sick. Their lessons were often practical rather than theoretical, based on what they had actually experienced under fire.
When the recruits embarked, they were not yet a fully trained infantryman by later-war standards. Rather, they had mastered the fundamentals of soldiering. The Army expected much of his advanced training to occur after arrival in Egypt.
In their short time at Enoggera, it was a whirlwind introduction to military life. During that short period, they learned military discipline, rifle handling, drill, bayonet fighting, route marching and fieldcraft. By the time the men boarded their troopship they were already beginning to think and act like a soldier of the AIF, though much of his hardest training still lay ahead in the deserts of Egypt.
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
VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM SYDNEY TO EGYPT
On the 30th August 1915 his unit caught the troop train from Brisbane to Sydney and on the 1st September, they embarked on the HMAT A33 Ayrshire. 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.
EGYPTIAN TRAINING CAMP
The ship arrived in early October 1915. The men boarded the troop train taking them to one of the Egyptian training camps. When the train finally rattled into the siding near the camp, the soldiers found themselves staring at an extraordinary sight — the vast Pyramids looming on the horizon, their ancient stones glowing gold in the late afternoon sun. Rows of khaki tents stretched out across the sand, the dust curling in little eddies around the tent pegs.
This camp provided the final preparation for entrainment to Alexandria and the Western Front. The camps screened soldiers arriving in Egypt, checking for any illnesses such as measles which can break out when people are crowded together for long periods.
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.
JOINED BATTALION JANUARY 1916
After joining the battalion in Egypt on 9 January 1916, George was admitted to hospital shortly afterwards, although the cause is not recorded in the surviving entries. By 11 February he had rejoined his unit and resumed the intensive training that occupied the Australian infantry in Egypt following the Gallipoli evacuation. Training included musketry, bayonet fighting, route marches, trench construction, bombing practice and field exercises in preparation for service on the Western Front
TRANSFERRED TO 47TH BATTALION
On 3 March 1916 George was transferred from the 16th Battalion to the newly formed 47th Battalion. During the following weeks the 47th Battalion was being created as part of the doubling of the AIF. Experienced men from existing battalions formed the nucleus of the new unit while reinforcements arrived from Australia. The battalion trained around Tel-el-Kebir and the Suez Canal zone, undertaking company and battalion exercises while preparing for deployment to France.
PYREXIA APRIL 1916
On 14 April 1916 George was admitted to the 11th Casualty Clearing Station suffering from pyrexia, the medical term for fever. Pyrexia was often used when the exact cause of the illness had not yet been determined. Treatment usually consisted of bed rest, observation, hydration, a light diet and medications to reduce fever and relieve symptoms while doctors attempted to identify the underlying cause. Three days later he was transferred to the 1st Australian Stationary Hospital and by 19 April was fit enough to return to duty.
Following his recovery, the 47th Battalion continued training and preparing for overseas service. The Australian divisions were concentrating and organising for movement to France, conducting final inspections and receiving equipment for European conditions.
TRANSFERRED TO 12TH MACHINE GUN COMPANY MAY 1916
On 28 May 1916 George transferred to the 12th Machine Gun Company. The Australian Army had begun concentrating machine-gun specialists into dedicated companies equipped with Vickers machine guns. Training was highly specialised and included gun drills, indirect fire, range estimation, maintenance, ammunition supply and tactical support of infantry operations.
FRANCE JUNE 1916
On 2 June 1916 the company embarked aboard the Kingstonian at Alexandria and sailed for France, disembarking at Marseilles on 11 June. From there the company travelled north by train through France before moving into the nursery sector of the Western Front. During the following months George and his comrades learned trench warfare under comparatively quiet conditions, carrying out trench maintenance, wiring parties, patrols, machine-gun deployment exercises and defensive duties while gaining experience before entering more active sectors.
WESTERN FRONT & TRENCH WARFARE
The soldiers now found themselves fighting the Germans in trench warfare. On the Western Front in 1914–1918, both sides constructed elaborate trench, underground, and dugout systems opposing each other along a front, protected from assault by barbed wire. The area between opposing trench lines (known as "no man's land") was fully exposed to artillery fire from both sides. Attacks, even if successful, often sustained severe casualties. Trench warfare created a living environment for the men which was harsh, stagnant, and extremely dangerous. Not only were trenches constantly under threat of attack from shells or other weapons, but there were also many health risks that developed into large-scale problems for medical personnel. Apart from the inescapable cold during the winters in France & Belgium, trenches were often completely waterlogged and muddy, and crawling with lice and rats
The time soldiers spent in the trenches varied depending on factors like their army's rotation system and the intensity of the conflict in their sector. On average:
· Front-line trenches: Soldiers typically remained here for about 4–6 days at a time. This was where the fighting was most intense and the conditions were the harshest.
· Support and reserve trenches: After time on the front line, soldiers were rotated to these positions for around 6–12 days. These trenches were set further back and offered slightly better conditions.
· Rest periods: Soldiers were then moved away from the trench system entirely for rest, training, and recovery, often lasting several weeks, depending on operational needs.
The rotation system helped prevent complete physical and mental exhaustion, but the constant dangers of trench life meant there was rarely any true respite.
WOUNDED IN ACTION OCTOBER 1917
On 12 October 1917, during the Third Battle of Ypres, George was wounded in action with a gunshot wound to the face. At the time Australian forces were engaged in the fighting around Passchendaele and Poelcappelle
THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES KNOWN AS BATTLE OF PASSCHENDAELE, (JULY 31–NOVEMBER 6, 1917),
This battle that served as a vivid symbol of the mud, madness, and senseless slaughter of the Western Front. The third and longest battle to take place at the Belgian city of Ypres, Passchendaele was ostensibly an Allied victory, but it was achieved at enormous cost for a piece of ground that would be vacated the following year. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers on opposing sides attacked and counterattacked across sodden, porridgelike mud, in an open gray landscape almost empty of buildings or natural cover, all under the relentless harrowing rain of exploding shells, flying shrapnel, and machine-gun fire. Few gains were made.
The Third Battle of Ypres is remembered for its immense human cost and the resilience of those who fought in it
MEDICAL CHAIN
He was first treated by the 3rd Field Ambulance, where orderlies would have controlled bleeding, applied dressings, stabilised fractures as far as possible and administered pain relief. He was then evacuated to the 17th Casualty Clearing Station, where surgeons performed emergency treatment, cleaned the wound and assessed the extent of facial and jaw injuries before evacuation further to the rear.
By 14 October he had reached the 59th General Hospital at St Omer, one of the major hospitals behind the front. Here surgeons would have undertaken more extensive examination and treatment, particularly as facial wounds were highly prone to infection and often involved damage to bone, teeth and soft tissue.
On 27 October George was evacuated to England aboard the hospital ship Jan Breydel and admitted to the Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich. The notation "fractured superior maxilla" indicates a fracture of the upper jaw. Such injuries required specialist treatment involving wound cleaning, removal of damaged bone or teeth, fixation of jaw fractures, infection control and reconstructive procedures where necessary.
His subsequent transfers show the long process of recovery from a serious facial wound. On 14 November he moved to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford, a convalescent facility where patients recovered after acute treatment while still receiving medical supervision.
On 26 November he was transferred to Queen's Hospital, Sidcup, one of the most famous centres for facial reconstruction during the war. Under the pioneering work of New Zealand surgeon Sir Harold Gillies, Sidcup became the leading hospital for soldiers with severe facial injuries. George may have undergone reconstructive surgery, skin grafting, dental reconstruction or other specialist procedures designed to restore both appearance and function.
By 30 January 1918 he was sufficiently recovered to be transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield, another convalescent hospital where men continued rehabilitation and awaited assessment of their fitness for further service.
FURLOUGH THEN COMMAND DEPOT MARCH 1918
His furlough from 12 to 26 March 1918 indicates that he was well enough to leave hospital temporarily. On returning he was medically inspected and posted to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth on 28 March. Command Depots were administrative and rehabilitation centres for soldiers recovering from wounds or illness. There George underwent medical assessments, light duties and physical rehabilitation while doctors determined whether he could return to active service.
GOING HOME AND DISCHARGED APRIL & JUNE 1918
The verdict was that he would not be fit for further military duty. On 21 April 1918 he embarked aboard the Suevic for Australia, arriving on 7 June. Following final medical examinations, George was discharged on 11 July 1918 as medically unfit, his military career having been ended by the severe facial wound received during the Passchendaele campaign.
Although his record may appear uneventful at first glance, his journey through St Omer, Woolwich, Dartford, Sidcup, Harefield and Weymouth tells the story of a man who underwent many months of treatment and rehabilitation after a devastating wound that would likely have affected him for the rest of his life.
For his
service George was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British
War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the
Dungay Public School WW1 Honor Roll
AFTER THE WAR
George was granted a pension of 60shillings per fortnight from the 12th July 1918
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
Dungay Public School WW1 Honor Roll.
Buried Location
We do not know the burial location of this individual
