Lawson, George
SURNAME
Lawson
NAME
George
PLACE OF BIRTH
Townsville, QLD
OCCUPATION
Labourer
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT
Townsville, QLD
DATE OF ENLISTMENT
20/11/1915
NEXT OF KIN
(father) Capt. W. Lawson, Cairns, QLD
LINK TO DOUGLAS SHIRE
Unknown (Address on Nominal Roll: Townsville QLD).
On Douglas Shire Council’s Honour Roll.
REGIMENT 1
25th Battalion AIF
RANK
Private
CAMPAIGN 1
Western Front
DATE DISCHARGED
9/05/1917
OTHER INFORMATION
Medals: British War Medal No.16173
STORY OUTLINE
George Lawson enlisted at Townsville while his father was Captain of the "Platypus" dredge engaged on work in northern ports (this may be the Douglas connection if George was employed on the dredge whilst it was working at Port Douglas harbour earlier in 1915?).
On 4th May 1916 George embarked on the HMAT "Seang Choon" for England and was in France within a month of arrival.
It seems that he suffered from diabetes which was severe enough to require his transfer to Bagthorpe Infirmary in Nottingham England and upon discharge from there in January 1917 to be immediately returned to Australia on the Australian Hospital Ship "Kanowna" from Southampton.
George was medically discharged in May 1917.
SERVICE NO
5119
