LEADING SEAMAN GEORGE THOMAS CALLCOTT 1731 RAN.
George Callcott was born in Fern Tree Gully/Scoresby Victoria in July 1896, the second of six children born to of George and Elizabeth Callcott. George enlisted in the RAN as a Boy Seaman 2nd Class on HMAS Tingira on the 1st of June 1912. He was advanced to Boy 1st Class in June 1913 and he posted to the Battle Cruiser HMAS Australia in October 1913. George was advanced to Ordinary Seaman 2nd Class in November 1913, Ordinary Seaman 1st Class on his 18th birthday and to Able Seaman in November 1914.
He would serve in Australia during the New Guinea Campaign and in the North Sea before being landed to the London Depot in September 1915 on medical grounds. The attached photo of him was probably taken outside of a hospital as he appears to be wearing the standard hospital blue coat and trousers. The men had their uniforms removed to prevent them absconding, only being allowed to retain their caps.
In October 1915 George was repatriated to Australia on medical grounds and after two months at Cerberus he was posted to the Naval College Yacht Franklin at Jervis Bay. He rejoined Cerberus in March 1916 before becoming a member of the Light Cruiser HMAS Brisbane’s commissioning crew later that year. He was advanced to Leading Seaman in April 1919. George was an excellent rating, his character was never assessed as being less than “Very Good” and his ability invariably considered to be “Superior”. George returned to Cerberus in October 1920 and discharged to shore End of Engagement in July 1921.
On leaving the RAN George worked as a grocer in Upwey near Fern Tree Gully. In 1924 he married Charlotte Rider, and the couple would have four children in five years including twins born in 1929. After their marriage the couple moved to Melbourne, with George working as an electrician.
George Thomas Callcott passed away in Melbourne on the 1st of December 1957 his body was cremated, and his ashes are interred in the Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Grevillea Plot, Garden 1, Bed F, Rose 60.
Note some records/Family trees state he passed on the 3rd of December, however this was probably the date of his funeral service.
