George was an East End boy, who emigrated to Australia to join his uncle, James Stanyon, who had made good in the textile industry, owning his own company. George obviously had the enterprise to ‘better himself’, arriving in Australia in May 1914. With the declaration of war in August, 1914, like many young lads of his generation, George decided to ‘do his bit for King and the Old Country’ and by September, was in arms.

He served at and survived the ANZAC’s baptism of fire at Gallipoli in 1917. The stripe on his sleeve indicates that he had been wounded, while the photo was taken while he was on leave, back in his familiar surroundings of London. Tragically, he was not to return.

Anne Stanyon