Dawlish World War One Project

George C West served first with the infantry in the 9th Battalion 3rd Rifle Brigade. He was appointed on 8th February 1915 to the 3rd Rein (sic) 9th Infantry. He was a Private and attached to the 25th Battalion when he embarked at Brisbane by H.M.A.T.AENEAS on 29th June 1915.

West embarked at Alexandria on 4th September 1915 to join the M.E.F. on the Gallipoli peninsula. He was promoted to Corporal on the 11th September and appears on the casualty list on the 19th at Beauchops Hill.

West was taken to hospital at Mudros and thence to Alexandria where he arrived on 9th January 1916. He left Alexandria on the 14th March to sail to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front and disembarked at Marseilles on 19th March.

On 17th June 1916 he transferred from the 25th Battalion to the 2nd Division Heavy Trench Mortar Battery.On 24th February 1917 he was detached for duty with the 5th Infantry Brigade HQ. On the 15th April he was killed in action (See account in Documents, below).

George Carter West was born in Dawlish in 1877 to Frederick Pike West (1849-1923) and Nancy (nee Carter)(1850-1901).

Frederick had been born in Dawlish to Edward and Fanny West, also born in Dawlish. Edward was a Gardener and they lived at 15 Regent Street in 1871. Frederick was then 22 and working as a coachman and he had three younger brothers, Thomas,19, a labourer, George, 17, a baker, and Robert, 14, a labourer.

It is not known when G C West sailed for Australia. His enlistment papers show that he joined the Australian Imperial Force on 14th December 1914 at Townsville, Queensland for the duration of the War. G C West had previously completed a 12 year term with the 20th Hussars (see Dawlish Gazette report in Documents, below). His civilian trade was as a butcher.