Private George Beattie
47th Australian Infantry Battalion
Service Number: 2388
Place of Enlistment: Brisbane
Age of Enlistment: 27 Years and 5 months
Date of Enlistment: 28th of March 1916
Embarked: Brisbane 19th of September 1916
Transport Ship: A49 HMAT Seang Choon
Education: Coomera State School 1894-1902
Medals Awarded: British War Medal, Victory Medal
Place of Death: Killed in Action, Battle of Dernancourt, France 28th of March 1918
Resting Place: Buried Military Cemetery, Dernancourt Railway Line, France – Grave Not Found
Commemorated Villers Bretonneux Memorial, France
Unit Badge: 47th Australian Infantry Battalion AIF
Additional Information:
On the Battle of Dernancourt:
On the 28th of March the 47th Battalion was on the line near the town of Dernancourt. The 47th was heavily shelled and attacked by the Germans who broke through the line. The 47th defeated this breakthrough, capturing 33 prisoners and then successfully beat off two more attacks that morning, inflicting heavy losses on the Germans. Reinforced by the Australian 45th Battalion, the Australians attempted to recapture Dernancourt, which they were unable achieve due to strong German resistance. This battle occurred during the closing stages of Operation Michael, the unsuccessful 1918 German Spring offensive to end the war which saw British Commonwealth troops successfully halt the German advance toward Amiens.
On George Beattie:
Multiple eyewitness accounts report that Private Bettie was shot through the head and killed instantly early in the afternoon on the 28th of March. His comrades reported that his body was buried by shellfire shortly afterwards and that the section of the trenchline in question was overrun by Germans, preventing recovery and formal burial of his body.
