George Wilfred Chisholm Byram
Rank:
Private
Serial No:
Serial No. 5305
Regiment:
17th Battalion
Suburb:
Minto
George Wilfred Chisholm Byram - Information
George Wilfred Chisholm was born in Wollahra to George Frederick and Gertrude Olivia Byram. The Byrams eventually moved to Minto. Sadly in 1910, George Frederick passed away in Campbelltown. Gertrude then remarried William Edgar Day at St Peters Church in 1912 and had a son Cromwell Scott Day in 1913.
George claimed that he was 21 years old and working as a farm labourer when he enlisted on the 17th of March 1916 in Sydney. He was just 16 years old. George trained as a Private with the 4th Reinforcements, 17th Battalion at Cootamundra Camp, before being sent overseas. He landed at Plymouth Harbour on the 13th of October 1916, and was sent to France in December. George joined his unit in the lines, as they were chasing the Germans to the Hindenburg Line in early 1917. They engaged with rear guard units at Lagnicourt, before attacking the new line during the Second Battle of Bullecourt. The Battalion was then moved to Belgium where they fought at Menin Road, during the Third Battle of Ypres. It was here, that George was wounded on the 20th of September 1917 when he encountered a barrage of mustard gas. George was admitted to hospital in Bonville and Havre before returning to his unit in December.
In May 1918, George went AWL for 24 days before being apprehended by the Military Police. While George was under arrest, papers from the Defence Office in Melbourne arose stating that George was actually underage for military service. After an investigation, George was sent home in September for enlisting too young.
After being discharged George returned to Campbelltown. On the 21st of February 1920, George married Gladys Isabella Mitcherson in Campbelltown, and had many children together.