SAPPER / PRIVATE GEORGE PELGRAVE
Reinforcements Mining Corps / 3756 9th Rfts 2nd Pioneers
George Pelgrave stated he was born in Adelaide, South
Australia about 1875 but the date of his birth was closer to
1861. His parents were John and Caroline (nee Fletcher)
Pelgrave. Married in Queensland in 1894 to Isabella
Stewart they lived in Hughenden, Qld. By 1903 the
family was residing Cook Street, North Ward and he was
a Labourer. In 1913 the township of Ayr was their
residence.
At the Townsville Recruiting Depot he applied for service
abroad and passed the medical examination on February 6,
1917. Personal particulars taken show he was 163cms (5ft
4ins) in height with a chest measurement of 94cms (37ins)
and gave his age as forty-two years and one month. His
application was accepted by the recruiting officer as fit for
active service.
Photo: The Queenslander
June 2, 1917
Attestation forms were completed adding further
particulars that he weighed 66.3kgs (146lbs) and had poor
vision in one eye and fair in the other. Complexion was
dark with grey eyes and dark hair. Distinctive marks were
three vaccination scars on his left arm. Church of England
was his religion.
His wife Mrs Isabella Pelgrave of Ayr, North Queensland was nominated as next-of-kin and three fifths
of his pay was allotted to her and four of his children still under sixteen years. When all was completed
he was sworn in. He had signed over the Ayr home to his wife in case anything happened to him.
A small acknowledgement appeared in The Townsville Bulletin on Thursday February 8, 1917:
THE GREAT WAR
Amongst the volunteers enlisting at Townsville on Tuesday was Mr G. Pelgrave, of Ayr, who has a
family of nine and has two sons already on active service.
Unallotted to a company initially basic training commenced at Enoggera, Brisbane where on February
11, 1917 he was examined for dental treatment. On February 16 he began training with the 11 th Depot
Battalion as a Private until assigned to the Miners’ Depot (1st Military District) on March 8, 1917. The
next day he began training as a Sapper at their camp. Home leave was granted from March 26 returning
to camp on April 11, 1917. On May 5 he and his son Robert, were sent to the Miners’ training camp at
Seymour, Victoria but on arrival on May 7 were transferred to the 9th Reinforcements for the 2nd Pioneer
Battalion. His Will was prepared and assigned the regimental number of 3756. Robert William Pelgrave
was also assigned to the same company with the number 3757.
The Reinforcements for the Pioneer Battalion embarked from Melbourne, Vic on May 11, 1917 on the
same transport HMAT A9 Shropshire as the February, 1917 Reinforcements for the Tunnelling
Companies. Sappers Pelgrave (father and son) left Australian waters from Fremantle harbour and after
crossing the Indian Ocean the ship docked at Durban, South Africa. Next Port-of-call was Capetown to
refuel followed by another stopover at an unrecorded harbour would have completed the trip-sheet. After
being at sea for 70 days the voyage terminated at Plymouth, England on July 19, 1917.
Both father and son on arrival were immediately admitted to the Military Hospital at Devonport suffering
from Mumps while the Pioneer Reinforcements marched into Fovant camp at the Perham Downs
Training Battalion. Sapper George Pelgrave was discharged to the A.A.M.C. Mumps Isolation Hospital
at Hurdcott on July 22, 1917 and two days later went to the No. 6 Camp at No. 3 Command Depot with
Mumps and Orchitis (Inflammation of testicles). On August 18, 1917 he was discharged from the No. 6
camp at Hurdcott to the Pioneer Training Battalion certified as free from any infectious diseases and that
he was not a contact.
He appeared before a Medical Board at Fovant Training Brigade on September 9, 1917 and the report
states the following:
Age last birthday:
56 years (birth certificate was produced)
Trade:
Miner
Disability:
Senility
Origin of disability: Private enlistment
Place of disability:
Queensland
Essential facts:
General health good, no illnesses for 25 years except slight malarial
attacks. Has a cough at present which he says he has had for about
10 weeks. Mind good. Says he has been able to carry out all
training since been in camp. No Rheumatism.
Cause of disability: Senility
Caused by Active Service/Climate: Not due to any of these.
Present Condition:
Healthy looking man does not look his age. Heart and Lungs clear.
Slight varicose veins in both legs.
Disability:
Not caused by injury
Recommend discharge:
Yes Class Ciii.
Change to Australia:
Yes.
Finding:
Permanently unfit for General Service and permanently unfit for
Home Service.
A transfer to B. Company at Weymouth camp, No. 2 Command Depot took place on October 2nd 1917.
Board Finding was passed on October 5, 1917 from Convoy B at Littlemoor Camp, Weymouth and the
following details were listed by the Board:
A:
Is the life of this soldier likely to be endangered by an English winter? No.
B:
Will his malady be aggregated by an English winter?
No.
Remarks:
He should not have been enlisted.
Finding:
Permanently unfit for general service and permanently unfit for home service.
He departed Devonport, England to return to Australia on November 1, 1917 on board the H.T. A68
Anchises for discharge (Senility). His next-of-kin was advised on December 4 of his impending arrival.
The ship docked in Melbourne, Vic (3rd M.D.) on January 3, 1918 and left for Brisbane, Qld (1st M.D.)
Admittance on arrival to the 6th Aust. General Hospital, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane was on January 5,
1918 for further treatment and assessment. Board found him to be quite well with no disability and
recommended discharge. He left the hospital on January 11, 1918 for the Staff Officer Invalid and
Returned Soldiers Section (S.O.I. & R.S.)
Military discharge took place in Brisbane (1st M.D.) on February 7, 1918 as medically unfit (Senility).
When he returned home to Ayr, N.Q. he found that the house had been sold and his wife and daughter
had taken up a Boarding House in Townsville.
As he did not serve in a theatre of war Sapper / Private George Pelgrave, Mining Reinforcements and 9 th
Reinforcements 2nd Pioneer Battalion received the British War Medal (29876) only, for enlisting to serve
his country.
When it came for distribution of his deceased son’s War Medals, Mrs Pelgrave believed they should go
to her. This involved a dispute and the characters of the parents investigated. A Police Report from
Officer O.H. Smith dated December 9, 1922 continues the events that followed:
‘Sir, I beg to report that G. Pelgrave and Isabel Pelgrave parents of the above [No.
5733 Private G.J. Pelgrave, 9th Battalion, KIA] have been known to me personally for the
past seven years.
No doubt as stated in Mrs Pelgrave’s letter the deceased soldier did live with his
mother prior to enlistment and probably contributed towards the support of the home, but at
that time husband and wife were living together at Ayr and the family lived with them.
During the latter part of 1916 or early in 1917 G. Pelgrave father of the deceased
enlisted and when enlisting made over his home at Ayr to his wife Isabel Pelgrave, but I do
not know if he made any allotment in her favour, and on his return to Australia during the
latter part of 1918 he found that the Ayr home had been sold up and his wife and daughter
had taken a boarding house at Townsville and it is alleged that he was assaulted on the
premises by some of the boarders at the establishment at the instigation of his wife and
shortly after this G. Pelgrave was charged in the Supreme Court at Townsville with shooting
his daughter Alice Pelgrave at Townsville.
During the early portion of 1919 one of the boarders participated in another shooting
affray in Townsville, a woman named Mary Backup being charged with shooting at Jack
Vitlin (a Russian) with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and it was alleged in Court that the
cause of the affair was Vitlin’s relations with Alice Pelgrave, if fact during Isabel Pelgrave’s
sojourn there the place had a rather unsavoury reputation it being alleged that it was a little
better than a house of illfame.
Isabel Pelgrave is now living at Petford with a man named Sandiland and his wife,
Sandiland being a fettler on the railway, and her personal history during the past five or six
years would scarcely bear investigation.
I have not seen G. Pelgrave since early 1919 when he was before the Supreme Court
at Townsville but prior to that offence being committed I always found him a sober
respectable man, and on that occasion the man had apparently been almost driven to
desperation by the treatment he had received, and meeting his wife and daughter in the street
with another man he drew a revolver and fired presumably at the wife the bullet striking the
daughter in the back.’
Further to inquiries of the parents Constable Thompson of the Townsville District Police Station reported
on December 20, 1922 that the parents were well known here but the mother does not hold a very good
character as she is said to have been associated with women of illfame while her husband was absent in
the war and her moral Character is on the shady side, although no definite evidence of this can be
obtained. His report went on to say:
‘In 1919 the father of the Deceased Soldier was charged with shooting with intent to kill, but was
found not guilty, and discharged, and there is nothing further known against him here, he appears to bear
a good character as he is at present residing at Woodstock, and has been for some time, enquiries may
elicit some further information.’
Constable W.S. King questioned George Pelgrave and reported on January 12, 1923 his findings:
‘I beg to report I have interviewed George Pelgrave, father of Private G. Pelgrave of the 9 th
Battalion, who resides at Hodel Siding, Ayr Line with his son Private R.W. Pelgrave on a
Soldier’s Settlement. I have known Pelgrave for the past 12 months and during that time I
have always found him to be a sober and respectable hard working man and bears good
character at Hodel and district. The wife is unknown to me and am informed residing at
Petford with a man named Sandiland and his wife.’
Base Records replied to his letter care of Wakeford Bros, Flinders Street, Townsville on March 27, 1923
acknowledging his receipt for delivery of his son’s medals. The letter informed him that all his son’s
personal effects had been sent to his mother on January 24, 1919 and no further effects have been
recovered. Two booklets “Graves of the Fallen” were dispatched on March 21 which he should have
received. His British War Medal (29876) was forwarded to Headquarters, 1st District Base, Victoria
Barracks, Brisbane for transmission to him. They suggested writing and quoting the medal number to
communicate on the matter.
By 1925 he was a farmer still residing at his son’s property as part of the Soldier Settlement Scheme at
Hodel Siding, Ayr district. In 1930 he was at Taylor’s Beach at Halifax as a labourer and in 1936 at
Queens Beach, Bowen.
George Pelgrave died in Bowen, Qld on October 7, 1942 at the age of 81 years. The Bowen Independent
on Friday October 9, 1942 published the following:
OBITUARY
GEORGE PELGRAVE
The death occurred at the Kennedy Hospital on Wednesday of an old resident of North Queensland in
the person of George Pelgrave, aged 83 years. A son Robert Pelgrave, predeceased him nearly two
years ago. The deceased had retired several years ago and latterly resided at Queen’s Beach, where he
grew a few vegetables and lived a quiet life. The funeral took place the same day.
His unmarked grave is located in the Presbyterian section of the Bowen cemetery in Grave no. 1641. His
son’s grave is beside him.
Three of his sons enlisted for overseas service.
PRIVATE GEORGE JOHN PELGRAVE
5733 – 9th Battalion
George John Pelgrave was born in Hughenden, Qld on May 15, 1896 the son of George and Isabella
Pelgrave. His military training was three years with the T.A.I.A. Cadets.
The nineteen year old labourer enlisted at the Townsville Recruiting Depot on January 10, 1916 and
passed the medical examination. His Forms of Attestation reveal he was 163cms (5ft 4ins) tall and
weighed 50.9kgs (112lbs) with a chest measuring 77-85cms (30½-33½ins). Fair was his complexion
with grey eyes and dark brown hair. Religion was Presbyterian. Next-of-kin was his mother Mrs
Isabelle Pelgrave of Post Office, Ayr, N.Q.
Basis training took place at Enoggera and he departed on the HMAT Arcadian disembarking in England
on July 29, 1916 for further training. His service commenced in October, 1916 but soon after arrival he
was admitted to hospital suffering from mumps. Discharged to Base Details at Cayeux until February,
1917 when he joined the 9th Battalion. He was attached to A.P.M. 1st Division in March, 1917. After
returning from hospital in June he rejoined his unit. Leave to England was enjoyed during January, 1918
before rejoining his unit. In March, 1918 he was sent to the 3rd Brigade Signal Class. Nearing the end of
that month he was accidentally injured suffering burns to his face and hands in Belgium not returning
until April 6 and when fit enough rejoined the 9th Battalion in May, 1918.
On August 25, 1918 Private Pelgrave was killed in action in the field in France.
His personal effects were sent to his mother Mrs Isabella Pelgrave but his medals were sent to his father.
Private 5733 George John Pelgrave, 9th Battalion received the British War Medal (39145) and the
Victory Medal (38824) for serving his country and supreme sacrifice.
His grave can be located in Heath Cemetery, Harbonnieres, Section VII, Plot B in Grave No. 8.
LEST WE FORGET
PRIVATE ROBERT WILLIAM PELGRAVE
Miners Reinforcements – 3757 – 2nd Pioneers Battalion
Robert William Pelgrave was born in Hughenden on November 2,
1897 the son of George and Isabella Pelgrave. He completed a three
year Hairdressing apprenticeship under Alfred Armour in Ayr.
Military training was with the T.A.I.A. cadets. He had been rejected
for service as he was under the regulation chest measurement.
On December 7, 1916 he enlisted in Townsville at the Recruiting
Depot and passed the medical examination. Information from
Attestation papers reveals he was 158cms (5ft 2ins) tall and weighed
50.4kgs (111lbs) with a chest expansion between 79-82cms (3132ins). His complexion was medium with blue eyes and brown hair.
Presbyterian was his faith. Both parents gave permission for him to
enlist and his mother Mrs Isabella Pelgrave was named next-of-kin
at Ayr, N.Q.
At Enoggera camp he trained at the 11th Depot Battalion from
December 22, 1916 until January 9, 1917. After Home Leave was
Photo: The Queenslander
September 22, 1917
taken between January 26 and February 2, 1917 he moved around the reinforcements continuing to train
until he was assigned to the Miners Depot on April 2, 1917.
His father George Pelgrave was also placed with the Miners’ Depot a few days later. Both were sent to
the Seymour camp, Vic for further training on May 5, 1917 and two days later together were transferred
to the 9th Reinforcements for the 2nd Pioneers.
He embarked on the HMAT A9 Shropshire from Melbourne, Vic with his father as one of the
Reinforcements. On July 19, 1917 prior to docking at Devonport Robert Pelgrave was admitted to the
ship’s hospital suffering from mumps and both he and his father were taken to the Military hospital at
Devonport.
After convalescing marched into Fovant camp at Perham Downs to the Training Brigade on August 8,
1917 and remained there until the following year and on March 31, 1918 he left for Sutton Veny and
proceeded overseas to France via Southampton. Was assigned to the 2nd Pioneer Battalion on April 26,
1918.
On July 17, 1918 he was wounded in action by a gas shell attack but returned to duty four days later.
After the Armistice he was transferred to the 1st Army Troops, A.E. for duty on December 13, 1918.
Leave was taken during February, 1919 but became sick and hospitalised with D.A.H. (Disordered
Action of Heart) at the 3rd A.A.H. at Dartford. During March his leave was granted and to report to No.
1 Command Depot on March 14. He was transferred to No. 2 Depot at Weymouth to prepare for
departure.
His term of service was completed when he was invalided home to Australia on April 1, 1919 on the
H.T. A9 Shropshire. The ship docked in Melbourne, Vic (3rd M.D.) on May 16, 1919 and he reembarked on the Dongola for Brisbane (1st M.D.)
Military discharge took place in Brisbane (1st M.D.) on June 21, 1919 as medically unfit due to debility
(D.A.H.)
The British War Medal (29276) and the Victory Medal (27956) were awarded to Private Robert William
Pelgrave, 2nd Pioneer Battalion for his service to his country. His was a farmer at Hodel Siding, Ayr
District as part of the Soldier Settlement Scheme in the 1920’s.
A Statement of his Service
was forwarded to the
Repatriation Department on
July 6, 1932.
In 1936 he was hairdressing
and he and his wife were
residing at George Street,
Bowen, Qld.
He passed away on January
1, 1940 in Bowen, Qld and
lies in the Bowen Cemetery
in the Presbyterian section in
Grave no. 1541. His father’s
grave is beside him.
DONALD PELGRAVE
293 – Depot
Donald Pelgrave was born in Hughenden, Qld on March 25, 1899 the son of George and Isabella
Pelgrave. He had served with the Citizen Forces for one year with the Light Horse in Ayr, Qld.
Had been rejected previously because of chest undersize but recommended with training this could be
overcome.
With his mother’s signature of consent the nineteen year old Farmer enlisted at the Townsville
Recruiting Depot for service abroad and passed the medical examination on September 9, 1918. At
Attestation his height was given as 165cms (5ft 5ins) and weighed 57.7kgs (127lbs) with the tape
measuring his chest at 84cms (33ins). His complexion was dark with grey eyes and dark hair and had
good vision. Religious denomination was Presbyterian. His mother Mrs Isabella Pelgrave was given as
next-of-kin her residence being Stanley Street, Townsville, Qld.
Basic Training commenced at Enoggera Camp, Brisbane on September 11, 1918 and concluded on
October 8, 1918 on his own request.
His requested Military Discharge was granted on October 8, 1918 after all clothing and equipment had
been returned and accounted for. A month later Peace had been declared and would not have embarked
from Australia.
No medals were due to him.
In 1923 he married Mary Ellen O’Reilly in Queensland.
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