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George Leslie Spicer - Information

George Leslie Spicer was a member of a large long standing Campbelltown family. He was born in Campbelltown in 1888, and grew up in the area with his sisters Elsie, Olive, Mary Ann and Marion. He later married Margaret Mary Fanning in Newtown in 1916. George and Margaret made a home on Queen St in Campbelltown, while George worked as an accountant. Shortly after they were married, George enlisted in the AIF at Moore Park, Sydney on the 26th of September 1916, when he was 27. He commenced his training at the Royal Showground Camp, where he was posted to the 5th Reinforcements, 39th Battalion as a Private. He was then sent to Kiama before being transported overseas for war service. George departed Sydney on the 9th of November 1916 onboard the HMAT Benalla. While he was off to war, Margaret moved to number 10 at The Avenue in Newtown in Sydney.

After a long voyage, George disembarked at Devonport in early January 1917, and was marched into the 10th Training Battalion at Larkhill. By April, he was stationed to France, leaving the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot to join the 39th Battalion in the field. George was then wounded in action on the 7th of June 1917, during the Battle of Messines. He received a gun shot wound to his left thigh, and was taken from the Casualty Clearing Station to England, admitted to the 2nd General Hospital in Bristol. George required extensive treatment and convalescence, the bullet savagely damaging his leg. In May 1918, he left Folkestone to go back to the Western Front to his unit. He continued to serve with them throughout the continuous battles which led to cessations of hostilities in November. These included Proyart, and St Quentin Canal on the Hindenburg Line. In February 1919, George was transported back to England and was sent home to Australia in May. He was discharged from military service in July, returning to his loving wife, Margaret.