JAMIESON, George Edward
| Service Number: | 694 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 August 1914, Place of Enlistment - Gympie, Queensland |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 1st Machine Gun Battalion |
| Born: | Greta, New South Wales, 25 January 1893 |
| Home Town: | Gympie, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Millchester State School |
| Occupation: | Grocer |
| Died: | Natural causes, Brisbane, Queensland, 21 September 1987, aged 94 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 694, 9th Infantry Battalion, Place of Enlistment - Gympie, Queensland | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Sep 1914: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 694, 9th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Omrah embarkation_ship_number: A5 public_note: '' | |
| 24 Sep 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 694, 9th Infantry Battalion, Embarked on HMAT 'A5' Omrah from Brisbane on 24th September 1914. | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 694, 9th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 5 Aug 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 3rd Machine Gun Company | |
| 28 Dec 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 3rd Machine Gun Company | |
| 5 May 1917: | Wounded Bullecourt (Second), Shell wound (left arm) | |
| 10 May 1917: | Honoured Military Cross, 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He handled his machine guns with the greatest skill, and materially assisted in repelling a strong enemy attack. He has at all times set a splendid example of courage and initiative.' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 169 Date: 4 October 1917 | |
| 20 Sep 1917: | Wounded Menin Road, GSW (neck) | |
| 1 Apr 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 1st Machine Gun Battalion , Designation of 3rd Machine Gun Company changed to 1st Machine Gun Battalion | |
| 24 Jan 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 694, 1st Machine Gun Battalion |
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Born at Greta, NSW, on 25.01.1893. Attended Millchester State School, Charters Towers, Q. Enlisted at Gympie 06.08.1914 while travelling on holidays, and commenced training at Enoggera, Brisbane, on 14.08.1914 with the 9th Battalion. Army No was 694. After fitting out with uniforms he embarked on 24.09.1914 at Pinkenba on RMS Omrah, Troopship A5. A week was spent at Heidelberg awaiting the arrival of the Victorian contingent. On 26.10.1914, 36 ships assembled at Albany WA, leaving Albany in convoy on 01.11.1914.
On 09.11.1914 HMAS Sydney sank the German cruiser, Emden, and prisoners were taken on board Omrah prior to transfer at Colombo. (Omrah was torpedoed and sunk on 12.03.1918.) The Omrah travelled through the Suez Canal to Alexandria, Egypt, with troops disembarking on 3.12.1914 and travelling to Cairo by train. They then marched to Mena Camp, near Cheops Pyramid and the Sphinx. Training at Tigers Tooth in the desert was in extremes of climate - hot and cold. On 28.02.1915 the 9th Battalion embarked on SS Ionian for places at that time unknown. They landed at Lemnos Island and trained up and down rope ladders. On 23.04.1915 they embarked on a troopship and on 24.04.1915 transferred to the destroyers Colne and Beagle. He landed on Gallipoli at dawn on 25th April 1915 and remained there until the evacuation 19/20th December. He was one of 94 survivors of the 9th Battalion to receive a Butler Medal for continuous service on Gallipoli from 25th April to 25th October. He later served throughout France and Belgium being wounded 11 times and hospitalised in England 3 times.
King George V presented George Jamieson with his Military Cross at Buckingham Palace on 19.5.1917. Following his death on 21.9.1987, aged 94 1/2, George Jamieson's hitherto unknown war time diaries were found in a fishing creel, and the entry for 19.5.1917 reads simply, Royalty, home late. The Military Cross recommendation reads:
On the night of 6/7 April Lieutenant Jamieson went right out in front of the sentry groups north of Louverine and north-west of Boursies and got information which enabled the Machine Gun Commander to site his guns most effectively. He consistently made dangerous reconnaissance and handed in information of great value to Artillery and Infantry as well as to his own unit. He was the only officer with the section of 4 guns and during the action on 15 April 1917 he controlled these on a front 2,500 yards so skilfully that though they fired 5,500 rounds direct fire at ranges varying from 1,000 to 1,500 yards only 1 Other Rank was killed and 1 Other Rank wounded. The fire of his guns was most effective as evidenced by Captain Halahan and Captain Hemingway of the 11th Battalion.
George Jamieson often spoke of his involvement in preparation of a special order which has gone down in history. On 13.3.1918 at Spoilbank near Hollebeke, close to Ypres, (French/Belgian border), Lieutenants G E Jamieson and F P Bethune compiled a special order to No 1 Section, 3rd Machine Gun Company, 1st Division. This order was then signed by Lt F P Bethune, the senior officer in charge of the Section. Lieut Jamieson maintains this was not really meant to be taken seriously but was indicative of the very serious situation nevertheless. The Section was visited that day by Lt Colonel Milligan of Divisional staff, and the order came to the attention of higher authorities and eventually became well known. It reads: Special orders to No 1 Section, 13.1.1918.
1. This position will be held, and the section will remain here until relieved.
2. The enemy cannot be allowed to interfere with this programme.
3. If the section cannot remain here alive, it will remain here dead, but in any case it will remain here.
4. Should any man, through shell shock or other cause, attempt to surrender, he will remain here dead.
5. Should all guns be blown out, the section will use Mills grenades, and other novelties.
6. Finally, the position, as stated, will be held.
F P Bethune P/C No 1 Section.
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