Private George Shirley 

49th Australian Infantry Battalion 

 

 

Service Number:                  1727 

Place of Enlistment:             Brisbane 

Age of Enlistment:               27 Years and 7 months 

Date of Enlistment:              25th October 1915 

Embarked:                            30th of April 1916  

Education:                            Coomera Upper State School: 1900 

Medals Awarded:                 British War Medal, Victory Medal 

Place of Death:                     Wounded in Action, France, 3rd of September 1916 

                                               Killed in Action, Battle of Dernancourt- Millencourt Road France 5th of April 1918  

Resting Place:                      Buried Durrington Cemetery Grave 193, Wiltshire, England 

Unit Badge:                           49th Australian Infantry Battalion AIF 

 

Additional Information:  

Along with the Australian 45^th Battalion, the 49^th Battalion moved to support the Australian 47^th Battalion who were under heavy attack from the Germans near the town of Dernancourt. The Australians counterattacked and carried the enemy position with a bayonet charge despite heavy machine gun fire, halting the attack afterwards due to casualties. The 5^th of April marked the final day and ultimate failure of Operation Michael, the 1918 German spring offensive to end the war.