George Cartwright VC

b. 09/12/1894 London. d. 02/02/1978 Epping, Australia.

George Cartwright (1894-1978) was born on 9th December 1894 at 5 North Street, South Kensington, London. His father, William Edward Cartwright, was from Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, and was a coach trimmer by occupation. William married a widow, Elizabeth Godfrey (nee Stacey) at St John’s Church, Brixton on 6th September 1886. They moved around alot during George’s childhood, living in Fulham, Chelsea and Camberwell at different times. George had seven siblings from his mother’s two marriages.

Little is known of George’s education, but it is known that in 1911 he was working for a doctor in London. He emigrated to Australia the following year, and became a labourer on a sheep station in the Elsmore District, near Inverell, New South Wales. George enlisted in the AIF at Inverell on 19th December 1915. He was assigned to C Company, 33rd Battalion on 14th February 1916. He departed from Sydney aboard HMAT A74 Marathon on 4th May, arriving at Devonport, Devon on 9th July. Training continued at Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain until the Battalion embarked at Southampton for France on 21st November.

George was wounded on 9th June 1917 at Messines, Belgium, but was released to duty. He was admitted to 9th Australian Field Ambulance on 23rd June. Two days later he was transferred to 10th Australian Field Ambulance with influenza and rejoined the Battalion on 7th July. On 17th April 1918 he was gassed near Villers Bretonneux and was admitted to 55th Field Ambulance. He was transferred to 11th Stationary Hospital, Rouen on 19th April, to 73rd General Hospital, Trouville on 24th April and to 1st Australian Convalescent Depot, Le Havre on 3rd May. He would finally rejoin his unit on 22nd June.

George Cartwright VC

On 31st August 1918 the Australian Corps assaulted the enemy’s formidable position at Mont St Quentin, overlooking Péronne. The 33rd Battalion attacked south-west of Bouchavesnes at 5.40 a.m. Lacking adequate artillery support at the outset, the leading troops were stopped by machine-gun fire from a post at the corner of Road Wood. Without hesitation, Private Cartwright stood up and walked towards the gun, firing his rifle from the shoulder: he shot the gunner and two who tried to replace him. Cartwright then threw a bomb at the post and, covered by the explosion, rushed forward, capturing the gun and nine German soldiers. Cheering loudly, the Australians renewed their advance. Cartwright was awarded the Victoria Cross. On 30th September, during the attack on the Hindenburg line, he was wounded in the head and left arm, and evacuated to England aboard HMHS Gloucester Castle.

He was discharged on leave in January 1919, before reporting to No 1 Command Depot, Sutton Veny, Wiltshire on 31st January. The VC was presented by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 8th March 1919. On 31st March, the departed England aboard HMAT Khyber, arriving in Sydney on 14th May. He was discharged from the Army there on 1st July 1919. He was given a civic reception at the Town Hall, Inverell, at which he received a gold watch, a purse of sovereigns from the citizens and a cheque for £250 from Mr N C Bucknell.

George was a storeman at WD & HO Wills upon returning to civilian life and later a salesman and assistant cashier. On 25th June 1921 he married Elsie Broker at St Stephen’s Anglican Church, Chatswood, New South Wales; they were to have two children before being divorced in c.1947. He served in the Militia’s 4th-3rd Battalion and was commissioned on 25th February 1932. Mobilized for full-time service on 5 March 1940, he was promoted captain (1942) and performed training and amenities duties in Australia. Cartwright was placed on the Retired List on 11th May 1946. He found employment as an assistant-cashier and married Evelyn Mary Short on 4th September 1948 in the Congregational Church, Pitt Street, Sydney.

George was a Freemason, initiated into Merrylands Lodge No 479 on the register of the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales on 1st March 1923. He was an honorary member of the Royal Automobile Club of Australia and a member of the Chatswood-Willoughby Sub-Branch of the Returned and Services League. In 1920 he and thirteen other VCs formed a mounted guard of honour to escort the Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, Daniel Mannix to lead the St Patrick’s Day parade. He attended the wedding of Walter Brown VC DCM in Bexley, NSW on 4th June 1932 with seven other VCs. He was present at the funerals of William Currey VC in Sydney on 3rd May 1948 and Thomas Bede Kenny VC at Waverley, NSW on 17th April 1953. He attended the 1956 VC Centenary Celebrations in Hyde Park, London, and also attended the official opening of VC Corner at the Australian War Memorial in 1964.

George died at Lady Gowrie Home, Gordon, NSW on 2nd February 1978. He was cremated at Northern Suburbs Crematorium, Sydney. There is a commemorative plaque to him in the New South Wales Garden of Remembrance (Memorial Wall 8, Panel C). He is also commemorated on the VC Recipients plaque in Campbell, ACT, with George Cartwright VC Reserve in Inverell, NSW, on the VC Memorial in Sydney, on the VC Recipients Wall at North Bondi War Memorial, with Cartwright Street in Wodonga, Victoria, and with a VC commemorative stone unveiled on 31st August 2018 at Sloane Square War Memorial, Kensington, London.

In addition to his VC, he was awarded the British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal 1914-19, War Medal 1939-45, Australia Service Medal 1939-45, George VI Coronation Medal 1937, Elizabeth II Coronation Medal 1953, Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal 1977 and Efficiency Decoration (Australia). George stipulated that his medals should be returned to the country of his birth, the VC should not be separated from the other medals and they should not be returned to Australia. His wife presented them to the Imperial War Museum, London on 12th May 1978.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM, LONDON.

BURIAL PLACE: NSW GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE, LIDCOMBE, AUSTRALIA.

MEMORIAL WALL 8, PANEL C.