Private George Bignell
Service #: 2389
Summary
BACKGROUND
George Bignell was born in Tumbulgum in 1874, son of Samuel & Mary Anne “Polly” (Levey) Bignell. George married Janet Laurie Bell in Tumbulgum in 1898. According to Wikitree the couple had a daughter in 1900 and a son in 1903, both born in Murwillumbah
George travelled to Brisbane on the 22nd April 1916 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 wife, Janet Laurie Bignell of Murwillumbah.
Item number 14 on the attestation states- for married men, widowers with children and soldiers who are the sole support of widowed mother- do you understand that no separation allowance will be issued in respect of your service beyond an amount which together with pay would reach 8 shillings per day- George replied yes.
George also agreed to allot three fifths of the pay payable to him from time to time during his service to the support of his wife. 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 Bignell, 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 43 years 7 months, He was 5ft 8 inches tall (1.72m) and weighed 120 lbs (55 kgs). He had a fair complexion, grey eyes and grey hair. His eyesight was good and he had 2 vaccination marks on his left arm. George was Church of England.
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 26th August 1916. 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 5th reinforcements, 49th Battalion with service number 2389
TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA
As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together
Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the recruits had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave
Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.
This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training could take several months
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 BRISBANE TO ENGLAND SEPTEMBER 1916
His unit embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A49 Seang Choon on 19 September 1916. 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. In an attempt 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, where the ship would refuel & take on supplies, 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. The danger was greatest in the Western Approaches near Britain, where U-boats patrolled choke points like the English Channel and Irish Sea.
EGYPT
After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. They could only wonder at the sights and sounds they could see as they watched the ship being refuelled and goods taken on board
LONG JOURNEY
However, this ship took 81 days to reach England. The length of this specific voyage can be attributed to several factors:
SHIP SPECIFICATIONS & CAPABILITIES
Low Service Speed: Built originally in 1891, the Seang Choon was an older commercial passenger-cargo ship. It possessed a very modest cruising speed of only 12 knots (roughly 22 km/h).
FREQUENT COAL REFUELLING STOPS
Because of its age and smaller capacity compared to massive ocean liners, it had to make multiple intermediate stops across the hemisphere to restock its coal bunkers.
GEOPOLITICAL AND MARITIME FACTORS- THE LONG SEA ROUTE
By late 1916, the Mediterranean was increasingly dangerous due to intense German U-boat activity. To safeguard troops, many transports coming from Australia were routed south around the Cape of Good Hope (Africa) and up through the Atlantic, greatly extending the physical distance.
ZIG-ZAG MANOEUVRING
As a defensive tactic against submarine torpedoes, troopships did not travel in a straight line. They continuously altered course in predefined zig-zag patterns, which added significant mileage and days to the overall journey.
ENGLAND
About a fortnight after reaching Egypt the men finally saw the green shoreline of England. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the training grounds of England, preparing for what lay ahead.
CODFORD TRAINING CAMP DECEMBER 1916
Thus, the ship finally reached Plymouth, England on 9 December 1916. When the recruits arrived in England, they boarded the troop train for one of the training camps on the Salisbury Plains. Herbert and Norman and their comrades were heading for Codford.
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: This included British-issued gear better suited to the Western Front.
· 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.
When the recruits entered the camp, they joined one of the Australian training establishments on the Salisbury Plain in southern England. By this stage of the war, the Australian Imperial Force had developed a highly organised training system designed to ensure that every reinforcement arriving in France possessed the skills needed to survive on the Western Front.
The time they spent at the camp were among the most important of their military career. Rather than being sent directly to the front, they underwent intensive preparation under instructors who were often veterans recently returned from France. These men had firsthand knowledge of trench warfare and passed on lessons learned through hard experience.
Life in the camp followed a demanding routine. Reveille sounded early each morning, followed by physical training designed to build strength and endurance. After breakfast, the men spent long hours on the training grounds learning and practising the skills they would soon need in battle. Rifle shooting remained a fundamental part of instruction, and the men would have spent considerable time on the ranges improving his marksmanship and learning to care for his weapon under all conditions.
Much of the training focused on trench warfare. Practice trench systems had been constructed across Salisbury Plain, allowing recruits to experience conditions similar to those they would encounter in France. They learned how to move through communication trenches, occupy front-line positions, stand sentry duty and maintain defensive works. They practised digging trenches, constructing parapets and revetments, and laying barbed wire obstacles.
SICK TO HOSPITAL DECEMBER 1916
However, George was admitted to the camp hospital on the 22nd December 1916, only 13 days after arriving. Unfortunately, no diagnosis survives, but because he remained there until 5 January 1918, it was probably an illness rather than a minor complaint. Common reasons for admission included influenza, bronchitis, tonsillitis, mumps, colds, digestive complaints and other ailments that regularly swept through the crowded training camps during the English winter.
SUTTON VENEY JANUARY 1918
Following discharge, George was transferred to Sutton Veny Military Hospital on 25 January 1918. Again, no diagnosis survives, suggesting he was either still recovering from the earlier illness or undergoing further observation before being declared fit for overseas service. By this stage the AIF was desperately short of infantry reinforcements after the heavy casualties of 1917, and many men received only abbreviated training before being sent to France.
TAKEN ON STRENGTH FEBRUARY 1918
On 6 February 1918, George was taken on strength of the 13th Training Battalion, the organisation responsible for preparing reinforcements for Australian infantry battalions in France. During the following week he would have completed final musketry practices, trench routines, gas-mask drills and administrative processing before embarking for France.
FRANCE FEBRUARY 1918
George crossed the Channel aboard SS Victoria on 14 February 1918, arriving the following day and joining the 4th Australian Divisional Base Depot. The depot's role was to receive reinforcements, equip them for front-line service and allocate them to units requiring men.
GRANTED LEAVE IN UK FEBRUARY 1918
Interestingly, on 22 February George was granted leave in the United Kingdom until 14 March. Such leave was unusual immediately after arriving in France, but not unheard of. It may have been compassionate leave, previously approved leave that had not been taken in England, or simply an administrative arrangement connected with his earlier illness.
TAKEN ON STRENGTH 32ND BATTALION
Upon returning, he was posted to the 32nd Battalion, being taken on strength on 19 March 1918. This means a soldier was officially assigned to and accounted for in a specific military unit's nominal roll. It meant they were integrated into the unit for daily operations, including food, discipline, equipment, and frontline duties
The 32nd Battalion was primarily a South Australian and Western Australian unit. When it was raised in 1915, the battalion drew its men from South Australia (A and B Companies) & Western Australia (C and D Companies). It formed part of the 8th Brigade, alongside the 29th, 30th and 31st Battalions, within the 5th Australian Division.
By the time George joined in March 1918, however, the battalion no longer reflected its original state composition. After the heavy casualties of 1916–1917 and the failure of the 1918 conscription referendums, the AIF had to reinforce battalions with whatever trained men were available. As a result, men from Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and elsewhere were routinely posted to units outside their home state
This was a particularly dangerous time to join the battalion. Only two days later, on 21 March, the Germans launched their great Spring Offensive (Operation Michael).
SPRING OFFENSIVE SOMME VALLEY 1918
In early 1918 they were moved south to the Somme Valley. Following the collapse of Tsarist Russia in late 1917, the Germans were able to transfer large amounts of equipment and manpower from the Eastern Front to the Western Front and subsequently launched their Spring Offensive in March. Falling on the southern flanks of the sector held by the British Third and Fifth Armies, the offensive initially succeeded in driving the Allies back and in late March, as the Germans closed in on the vital railhead around Amiens, the five Australian divisions, which had been grouped together as part of the Australian Corps, were transferred to the Somme to help blunt the attack.
During the following weeks the 32nd Battalion was heavily engaged in defensive operations as the Allies struggled to halt the German advance. George therefore entered active service at one of the most critical periods of the war.
Although his record contains no entries during the battalion's operations, George would have experienced the exhausting routine of front-line warfare: trench occupation, working parties, carrying ammunition and supplies, repairing defences, enduring artillery bombardments and maintaining constant readiness against attack. By late May the battalion was holding positions in northern France while preparing for future operations.
HOSPITALISED MAY 1918 MEDICAL CHAIN
On 31 May 1918, George was admitted through the 14th Australian Field Ambulance and transferred to No. 5 Casualty Clearing Station suffering from chronic rheumatism. Rheumatism was a broad medical term used at the time for persistent joint and muscular pain. The cold, damp conditions of trench warfare frequently aggravated these complaints. Doctors diagnosed the condition through physical examination and the soldier's symptoms, as no modern imaging or blood tests existed.
By 6 June 1918, his diagnosis had become myalgia, meaning muscular pain. This suggests doctors believed his symptoms were affecting the muscles rather than the joints alone. Treatment generally consisted of rest, warmth, massage, light exercise when tolerated, pain-relieving medicines such as aspirin or salicylates, and removal from the harsh front-line environment.
As his condition was not improving sufficiently, George was evacuated through Rouen and embarked for England aboard the hospital ship Grantully Castle on 6 June 1918. The following day he was admitted to Horton County of London War Hospital at Epsom, where the diagnosis reverted to chronic rheumatism. Horton was one of the major hospitals treating Australian and British soldiers suffering from long-term illnesses and non-battle injuries.
During the month he spent at Horton, doctors would have focused on relieving pain and improving mobility. Typical treatment included heated baths, massage, physiotherapy, graduated exercise, rest periods, improved nutrition and medication for pain and inflammation. The fact that he remained there for nearly a month indicates that his condition was considered serious enough to prevent a return to front-line service.
On 5 July 1918, George was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford, a convalescent facility where recovering soldiers received lighter treatment and rehabilitation. Here he would have gradually increased his physical activity, attended medical inspections and been assessed for future fitness.
By 16 July 1918, he was discharged to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth. Command Depots specialised in evaluating men recovering from illness or wounds and determining whether they were fit for active service, suitable only for light duties, or should be returned to Australia.
GOING HOME AUGUST 1918
The medical boards ultimately concluded that George was unlikely to regain sufficient fitness for front-line duty. Consequently, on 24 August 1918, he embarked for Australia aboard the troopship Medic. During the long voyage home, he remained under medical supervision while the ship transported invalided soldiers back to Australia.
DISCHARGED OCTOBER 1918
George arrived home shortly before the war ended and was formally discharged from the AIF on 30 October 1918. Unlike many members of the 49th Battalion who were wounded in battle, George's military career was cut short largely by illness and chronic physical complaints. Nevertheless, he had served during one of the most dangerous periods of the war, joining the 32nd Battalion in the midst of the German Spring Offensive before ill health forced his return home.
For his service George was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Plaque in New South Wales Garden of Remembrance
DEATH
According to Wikitree George died 4 Apr 1947 at about age 76 in Murwillumbah
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
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