FISH, George Henry

George Fish was the son of Robert Fish and his wife, Hannah, nee Taylor. One of eleven children, he was born in 1877 at Pleasant Creek, near Stawell, Victoria, and was by trade, a trapper. When he enlisted he gave his address as 4 George Street, East Melbourne, the home of his mother. He was 38 years old, single and Church of England by religion. He had attempted to enlist before, but had been rejected due to a hammer toe. He enlisted on 29 February, 1916 in Melbourne, at the same time as his elder brother, William Robert Fish. They were both assigned to the 14th Battalion and, after training, embarked together on HMAT Port Lincoln A17 on 4 May, 1916.

George Fish's army career was relatively brief. On arrival in England he was sent to Rollestone, where he was placed with the 4th Taining Battalion. On 23 September, 1916, he proceeded overseas to France to join the 14th Battalion. On 5 October, he was transferred over to the 1st Canadian Tunnelling Company and then back to the 14th Battalion on 28 October. On 13 December, he was ill with bronchitis and admitted to the 3rd Stationary Hospital at Rouen. He remained with them until 12 January.

From hospital, George Fish was given furlough in England and returned to England on board HT West Australian, ordered to report to the Infantry Draft Depot, No. 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs on 27 January, 1917. On 4 february, he was admitted to hospital again, this time with VD. He remeined at Bulford Hospital for 110 days under treatment and was finally discharged on 28 August, 1917. He did not return to the front, but was returned to Australia on 28 August, 1917, on board NZHT82 Pakeha, landing in Melbourne on 22 October. He was discharged from the AIF on 24 November, 1917, the reason given, senility.

Over the following years, he changed his address and occupation frequently; in 1924, he was at Fitzroy, working as a labourer and living with his borther, William, at 106 Charles Street; in 1931, perhaps due to the depression, he changed address four times, living partly at Port Melbourne, working as a labourer, at twice moving to Nilma, living with his brother and his wife at North Nilma, as a farmer. In 1936, he seems to have had permanent work as a railweay employee, first at Dandenong, then in 1937, at Oakleigh. He died in 1942 at Preston.