Jarvis, George

2591 Private George Jarvis - 44th Battalion AIF

George Edward Jarvis was born in Fremantle in 1890 to Sarah Ann and Raglan Jarvis. He was one of seven children born into the family with, Clara (1878), Alfred (1879), Adelaide (1882), Mabel (1885), Lucy (1887) and Jack (1892).

The family lived in High Street Fremantle and George was educated locally. After leaving school he took up a carpentry apprenticeship with AT Wardle in Fremantle. He saw out the full apprenticeship and qualified as a Carpenter. During this time George had also seen three years of service with the 11th Infantry Regiment of the Citizens Miliary Forces. 

On the 10th July 1916 George enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force in Fremantle. He was medically examined and passed as fit for service. The medical examiner recorded George's physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 5 & 1/2 inches;

Weight - 137lbs;

Chest Measurement - 32-26 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Grey,

Hair - Fair.

After his successful enlistment George was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to an infantry training depot. After several weeks he was then transferred into the 5th Reinforcements to the 44th Battalion. He trained with this group for a few more weeks while they waited for their embarkation orders. These finally came through and on the 9th November 1916 George and his group boarded the transport ship HMAT Argyllshire in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for England.

After the long sea voyage they arrived at Devonport England on the 10th January 1917. George was then marched into the 11th Training Battalion on the Salisbury Plains. For the next three months George would undergo more training. While here he was also given periods of leave.

On the 10th April 1917 George left Folkestone Harbour and proceeded across the Channel to France. He then had a few days at the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples. He was then taken on strength of the 44th Battalion on the 13th April 1917.

The 44th Battalion were then situated near Ploegsteert in southern Belgium. In June 1917 George was with the 44th Battalion when they were in action during the Messines assault and they were in this sector till August 1917.

In September 1917 the 3rd Australian Division was sent to Ypres to take part in the large scale Battle that was already underway. On October 4th 1917 the 44th Battalion advanced at Zonnebeke and during this action George was wounded in the shoulder. Fortunately the wound was not sever and he rejoined the 44th Battalion on the 24th October 1917.

The 44th Battalion continued to be in the Ypres and Messines sectors in Belgium through to the end of March 1918.

As a result of the Germans offensive on March 21st 1918 which broke through the British line, the Australians were sent south to the old Somme battlefield area. On March 28th 1918 the 44th Battalion came into contact with the Germans at Sailly Laurette. They helped stem the German advance in this area and for the next few months continued to serve in the Villers-Bretonneux sector.

On July 4th 1918 George took part in the successful capture of Hamel village and the following month on August 8th was involved in the successful advance on the Villers-Bretonneux front. On this day George was wounded by shrapnel through the left hand. He was taken back for medical care and would spend the next few months in hospital in France. He was still out of the line when the Armistice was announced and he didn't rejoin his unit until the 23rd December 1918.

George then went with his unit when they went into what had been German occupied Belgium. He spent the next four months in Belgium and only returned to the UK on the 28th April 1919. He now awaited to be assigned a berth on a troopship to take him back home.

On the 21st June 1919 George boarded the transport ship Kongin Louise which set sail for Australia and he disembarked in Fremantle on the 3rd August 1919.

George was discharged from the AIF on the 10th September 1919.

In 1922 in Fremantle he married Amy Stephenson and they were living at 38 Tuckfield Street Fremantle.

George died in East Fremantle on the 11th October 1973 aged 83 and is buried in Fremantle Cemetery plot Anglican Mon AA 0116.