Irving, George Watts

1160 Gunner George Watts Irving - 36th Heavy Artillery Group

George Watts Irving was born in 1896 in Caulfield Victoria to Harry and Ellen Irving and he had three siblings, Harriet 1891, Harry 1899 and William 1902. 

The family had moved to WA after George's birth and took up residence in Fremantle. Sadly in 1903 his younger brother William died just 1 years old.

Pre Great War the family were living at 169 Duke Street East Fremantle. (later renumbered to 77 Duke Street). George had completed his education in East Fremantle and after leaving school he found employment as a clerk. During his early years he spent 2 years with the 86A Cadets and then began service with the 11th Australian Garrison Artillery of the Citizens Military Forces.

The 11th Garrison Artillery assisted the men of the Australian Permanent Forces who belonged to the Garrison Artillery, to man Fort Forrest in North Fremantle and the Arthur Head Fort. They had their HQ at the Fremantle Artillery Barracks.

In 1915 the Permanent Gunners enlisted en masse and helped form the 36th Heavy Artillery Group which would serve in France from early 1916. When the permanent Gunners departed Australia, their place was taken at the forts by the Gunners of the Citizens Military Forces such as George.

In Fremantle the men of the 11th AGA took over the roles of manning Fort Forrest and Arthur Head from June 1915. This meant that these men were not able to enlist as they were on home service. However the Australian Siege Batteries were in action in France from February 1916 onwards and due to casualties and sickness, they would soon need reinforcements and from 1916 onwards the Gunners such as George were able to enlist for service overseas.

On the 15th August 1917 George enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording George's physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 9 inches tall;

Weight - 156lbs;

Chest Measurement - 35-37 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Brown.

After his successful enlistment George was sent to New South Wales to complete his training with other reinforcement Gunners. He trained there for the next few months and on the 2nd February 1918 departed from Sydney Harbour aboard the transport ship HMAT Wiltshire. The ship then set sail for England, arriving at Southampton on the 20th April 1918.

When he was disembarked George was sent to the Heavy Artillery Training School depot camp at Devonport. He trained here for the next month and on the 29th May 1918 departed for France. On arrival George was sent to the Artillery Base Depot at Le Havre France. He spent a week here and was then sent to his unit, being taken on strength of the 2nd Siege battery on the 8th June 1918.

The Australian Siege Batteries were then situated in Northern France supporting the Australian and British in their defence against the Germans. While the 1st Australian Division infantry departed for the Somme in late July 1918, the Australian Siege Battery remained in the northern sector and supported the British and New Zealand infantry in their breakout attacks against the Germans in August, September and October 1918.

When the armistice was signed in November 1918, many of the gun crew had been put onto tasks such as repairing bridges. George served with the 2nd Siege Battery through to the 9th March 1919. He was then given his first period of leave, returning to his unit on the 24th March 1919.

George then had another two months with his unit in France and remained with them till the unit was finally demobilised. On the 26th May 1919 George returned to England and was sent to No.2 Group Camp at Sutton Veny. he would remain here while waiting to be assigned a berth on a troopship home, but he did not have long to wait as on the 12th July 1919 he went aboard the troopship City of Exeter and set sail for home, arriving at Fremantle on the 16th August 1919.

After being disembarked he was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital for a medical checkup but as he had not been wounded or ill during the war it was a quick visit. George was discharged from the AIF on the 9th September 1919.

It seems that after his discharged George continued to serve for a time at the Fremantle Artillery Barracks with the 11th Garrison Artillery. He also resumed his employment as a clerk and returned to live in Duke Street East Fremantle. He remained here through the 1920's and 30's.

In 1938 in Perth George married Gladys May Hall and they soon moved to Cottesloe where they took up residence at Marine Parade.

His Mother died in East Fremantle on the 26th January 1942, and his Father died 28th May 1947 in Fremantle.

George and Gladys lived in Cottesloe till the 1960's when they moved to Wembley.

George died on the 13th August 1969 aged 73. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.