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George Towle - Information

When the war began George was living in Cairns, Queensland with his wife, Alice. George was born in Glenfield, and later moved to Queensland where he worked as a miner. Joining the colours, he enlisted in the AIF in Cairns on the 14th of June 1916, aged 36. He commenced his training, and was posted to the 16th Reinforcements, 25th Battalion as a Private. George then boarded the HMAT Boonah in Brisbane, which left on the 21st of October 1916.

George landed in Plymouth, England in early January 1917, and was marched out to the 7th Training Battalion in Rollestone. However, he soon reported sick. By early March, he was admitted to the Fargo Military Hospital with influenza as well. In late April, he returned to training in Rollestone. Unluckily, a few weeks later, he was taken back to hospital with the mumps. After he recovered, he was shipped to the Western Front in France in mid June, meeting the 25th Battalion in the field the following month. From the 15th of September until the 21st of October, he was attached to 22nd Machine Gun Company. In this unit, George provided essential fire cover for the troops during the Third Battle of Ypres. However, in late December, George reported sick to the 24th Australian General Hospital. He was suffering with trench fever, and was evacuated to England in mid January 1918 to an Auxiliary Hospital. The following month, he was granted a furlough to rest. Due to his poor health, George was sent back to Australia on the 7th of June for a medical discharge.