Remembering Today

[Andrew P]

Remembered today

Featherstone, George Redman

Number: 440

Rank: Private [Pte]

Unit: 24th Coy Australian Machine Gun Corps

Service: Army

Conflict: 1914-1918

Date of Death: 19/10/1917

Place of Death:

Cause of Death: Killed in action

Memorial Panel: 177

Cemetery or Memorial Details: BELGIUM 167 Bedford House Cemetery Enclosure No. 4 Zillebeke

Next Of Kin:

Place Of Enlistment: Miowera, NSW

Native Place:

Notes: FEATHERSTONE, Pte. George Redman, 440. 24th Coy. Australian Machine Gun Corps. Killed in action 19th Oct., 1917. Age 27. Son of William Frederick and Emily Elizabeth Featherstone, of Redmayne, White Horse Rd., Mitcham, Victoria, Australia. Born at Hastings, Sussex, England. XVI. D. 6.

It seems George Featherstone was killed by a high explosive shell.

http://www.awm.gov.au/database/1drl428_dis...ine+Gun+Company

[frev]

Poor George didn't get much of a chance to 'do his bit'. He arrived in France on the 12th October, was taken on strength by his M.G. Coy on the 17th (in Belgium), and KIA on the 19th. Such a waste.

May we never forget the waste.

[Myrtle]

In 1901 George was a 10 year old living with his two younger brothers, Clarence and Edward, two younger sisters, Edith and Freda and his mother and father in the parish of St Mary in the Castle, Hastings Sussex. His father was a domestic cook.

George's second name, Redman was his mother's maiden name. his parents had married in the December Quarter 1893 in Hastings.

[Guest gunnermatter]

One of the subsequent pages of the red Cross files says

"No trace Germany"

This often appears in searches.

Can anyone explain?

[Andrew P]

Yep, I've seen that quite often in looking into Fromelles casualties. It seems the Red Cross had the opportunity to check with Prisoners of War in Germany to see if that person was taken prisoner.

They most likely checked with men who were taken prisoner in a battle where a soldier was reported missing.

If that person was not taken prisoner of war that 'No Trace Germany' would appear on the Red Cross sheet.

[Jenfeathers]

On 19/10/2005 at 17:03, frev said:

Poor George didn't get much of a chance to 'do his bit'. He arrived in France on the 12th October, was taken on strength by his M.G. Coy on the 17th (in Belgium), and KIA on the 19th. Such a waste.

May we never forget the waste.

George is my great uncle. He left Australia in 1916, luckily he got to spend time with his UK based family whilst in England. But you are correct. Not only was he only in France 1 week but he had only got to the trench where he was killed 4 hours earlier.