33rd BATTALION AIF
Corporal: 2930 George HOUSTON
Born: 1896. Wallsend, New South Wales, Australia.
Died: 12th October 1917. Killed in Action. Passchendaele, Belgium.
Father: John Houston.
Mother Mary Houston.
INFORMATION
George Houston enlisted with the 34th Battalion AIF on the 2nd October 1916 but Deserted and re enlisted with the 33rd Battalion at the Liverpool Army Camp. His Warrant for his arrest was withdrawn on the 30th January 1919. George was allocated to the 6th reinforcement 33rd Battalion and embarking on 25th November 1916 from Sydney for England.
After training in England, Houston was TOS of the 33rd Battalion in France on 22.05.17, just in time for the Battle of Messines, which he fortunately survived, the 33rd suffering the worst casualties of the War.
Messines was followed by actions during the Third Battle of Ypres in October. Moving up to Zonnebeke on the night of 2/3 October, in the first week of the push against Broodseinde, the 33rd were assigned a support role as the narrowness of the front limited the role of the 3rd Division. On 12 October, the Allied attack progressed into a second phase and the 3rd Division was thrown into the assault during the First Battle of Passchendaele. Heavily depleted, with a frontage of just 242 men, they fought around Augustus Wood, where the Germans had established many pillboxes before heavy rain washed away any hope of an Allied breakthrough.
George was buried in the Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele, Belgium, Grave XXII.C.23. His parents requested that the following sentiment be inscribed on his headstone – ‘BELOVED BY ALL – DEEPLY MOURNED’.
Stockton War Memorial
George's War Medal: 57143 inscribed to CPL 2930 G.HOUSTON 33 BN AIF was acquired in October 2018 and is now in the Harrower Collection.
Family Information
George Houston, was a single 21-year old labourer from "Bonne Doon" Mitchell Street, Stockton, N.S.W, upon enlistment with the AIF. He had previous service with the 16th Infantry (Newcastle) were he served with A Company.
Military Records
Under Construction: 05/10/2018.