BOTT, George William

BOTT, George William – A Southern Downs Veteran

CONFLICT : WWI
SERVICE NO : 278
RANK : Private
UNIT : 11th Trench Mortar Battery
ENLISTMENT DATE : 26/10/1915
AGE : 24
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT : Toowoomba, Queensland
PLACE OF BIRTH : Dalveen, Queensland
RELIGION : Church of England
OCCUPATION : Farmer
DATE OF DEATH : 9/02/1970
PLACE OF BURIAL : Plaques Queensland and Toowoomba Gardens of Remembrance

MEMORIALS : Dalveen WWI Honour Boards, Stanthorpe Soldiers Memorial Rolls of Honor, Allora Shire Soldiers War Memorial, Allora Roll of Honor

View Veteran’s Service File : BOTT, George William

NOTES :

George William Bott was the son of Adam Bott of Dalveen. The family moved to Hendon and it was here where George worked as a farmer and also served for three years as a volunteer member of the 14th Australian Light Horse.

Formally a member of the 42nd Battalion, George was transferred to the 11th Light Trench Mortar Battalion in February 1917.

By mid-June 1917, George had been wounded in action from a gas attack but he was able to rejoin his unit two days later. July 1917 saw him suffer from a gunshot wound to the right hand.

In early August 1917, George was transferred to the Third London General Hospital in Wandsworth England to receive treatment to his hand resulting in the amputation of a finger and parts of two other fingers. Following his recovery from the surgery he was discharged medically unfit, and sailed home to Australia aboard the Anchises.

During WWII, George enlisted in April 1942 with the Service Number Q225577, as a member of the 7th Battalion Voluntary Defence Corp at Clifton. At the time he and his wife Alice Margaret Bott were living on their dairy and mixed farming property at Elphinstone, near her home town of Clifton. He was discharged on April 26, 1945.

Read about Southern Downs Military History here.