WW1 Royal Australian Navy medal group to Stoker G.E. West, who served the entire war on H.M.A.S. Australia. The Australia was first in action supporting the New Zealand Expeditionary Force at German Samoa on 29th August 1914.
1914 – 15 Star, British War and Victory Medals (1914 – 15) all impressed named 1927 G.E. WEST. STOKER. R.A.N. Court mounted for display they come with copies of service record, 1911 census and passenger manifest.
George Edward West was born on 4/1/1890 in Milson’s Point New South Wales. At some stage he emigrated to England as the 1911 census records him working as a bank clerk in Islington and married. He returned to Australia and enlisted into the Royal Australian Navy on 15/7/1912 as an Ordinary Seaman. His wife is recorded as living in Scotland. After initial training he was posted to H.M.A.S. Encounter (light cruiser) in August 1912. Advanced to Stoker 2nd Class he was sent to the London Depot on 1/1/1913 to assist with the commissioning of the H.M.A.S. Australia (cruiser) which was under construction. On being commissioned he was one of the original crew to bring the Australia to Sydney arriving in October 1913. Advanced to Acting Stoker he deserted ‘on the run’ in Navy terms on 15/6/1914. This may have been a result of receiving 42 days in the cells from 1/4/1914 – 12/5/1914. It is unknown if he was apprehended, or he returned, but he was back in the cells from 26/7/1914 – 2/8/1914. Possibly due to the impending war he was released from the cells and re-joined the Australia serving the entire war with her until the 4/2/1919. On the 29/8/1914, a New Zealand Expeditionary Force landed at Apia, Western Samoa, covered by the guns of Australia, which then proceeded to German New Guinea and assisted in its capture. The Australia moved to Devonport on 28/1/1915 and en route captured and sank von Spee’s supply ship Eleonore Woermann off South America. From Devonport, Australia proceeded to Rosyth in Scotland, where in February 1915 she became the flagship of the 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadron and remained there for the war conducting patrols and operations. At the conclusion of the war, he requested his discharge in England and was finished at the London Depot 5/2/1919 – 5/5/1919. He returned to Sydney with his wife in 1921 with his occupation now fireman. He remained in Sydney for the rest of his life, dying there in 1962. His brother Sidney John Henry West was killed in action serving with the 36th Battalion A.I.F. on 7/7/1917 at Messines.
