DUNKLING, George Joseph

George Dunkling was a watchmaker, aged 38, when he enlisted on 13 April, 1918. He was married (1908) to Elizabeth, nee Bruce, in Sydney and they had one child, Nancy - later Mrs. L. Brennan. He seems to have had a raher chequered career - in 1903, he lists himself in the Electoral Roll as a joiner, but by 1906, he is a watchmaker and on his 1918 Enlistment form, he says he has had seven years apprenticeship with J. Stevenson, Melbourne. He was probably the brother of the well-known Bourke Street jeweller, Willam Dunkling. In 1919, his occupation is ex-soldier and from then on he had fairly low-level jobs as cleaner and labourer. 

When he enlisted, Goerge Dunkling was  living at 110 Grey St., East Melbourne. He was placed in the 7th General (Victorian) Reinforcements and embarked for England on board HMAT Commonwealth A74  on 13 July, 1918, disembarking on 21 September. He had been promoted to Acting Sergeant on board ship, but probably reverted to ranks on arrival. He was put with the 1st Training Battalion Reinforcements, marching in on 29 September, 1918. In November he was sick, but back with his regiment on 1 December and, on 25 January, 1919, they left Southampton for France.  Here, George Dunkling was taken on strength with the General Service Reinforcements. By now the war was well and truly over, so he probably helped with cleaning up operations and/or organising men for their return to England.

George Dunkling remained in France until 23 May, 1919, when he returned to England. He embarked for Melbourne on board HT Suevic on 10 September. In 1931, he was working as a cleaner and  living at 32 Lyndhurst St., Richmond. On 1933, he was at 33 Griffiths St Richmond, but later that year at Trentham, working as a  labourer.  By 1943, he was living at 102 Ascot St. South, Ballarat  and with no occupation. By then, he was 64 years old and probably retired. The last glimpse of him is a death notice in The Argus, Monday 13 January, 1947:

Dunkling  On January 11, at Ballarat, George Joseph Dunkling, late of Richmond, beloved husband of the late Elizabeth, father of Nancy (Mrs. L. Brennan, Butler St., East Preston) father-in-law of Laurie and dear Grandpa of Peter.