Soldier profiles

Name : COULSON, GEORGE CHRISTOPHER
Service Number : VX22771
Date of Birth : 19/02/1908
Place of Birth : BOAZ, BRITISH WEST INDIES
Known as : CHRIS
Occupation on Enlistment : FARMER
Date of Enlistment : 13/06/1940
Locality on Enlistment : ROKEBY, VIC
Place of Enlistment : CAULFIELD, VIC
Next of Kin : COULSON, MARGARET
Rank (at time of discharge / death) : PRIVATE
Service : ARMY
Final Posting : 2/2 PIONEER BATTALION
Position / Platoon / Company (as 2/2 Pioneer) (date / details) :
Unit Transfers / Promotions (date / details) :
Theatres of War : SYRIA, JAVA
Actions :
Wounded (date / details) :
Discharged : 13/12/1945
Date Died : N/A
Community Roll of Honour : N/A
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : N/A
K.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
D.O.W. (date / details) : N/A
M.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
P.O.W. (location/s) : JAVA
Died P.O.W. (date / details) : NO
P.O.W. Camps (details) : THAILAND
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : THAILAND
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : Australian War Memorial B-JAVA-0019 Missing & POW Circular
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6227689 [DIGITISED]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Australian War Memorial, Past article (size 888kB), x_COULSON_1.jpg, x_COULSON_2.jpg, x_COULSON_3.jpg

Background : Husband of Margaret Ellen Coulson. Son of Mary Elizabeth Coulson. Repatriated to Australia on the M.V. Highland Brigade.

Service & personal summary At enlistment : single. No previous military experience. At discharge : height 5 feet 9 inches, blue eyes, medium complexion, brown hair. Marital status : married. Marks / scars : none. Full time war service : A.I.F. 13/06/1940 to 13/12/1945 which included 2010 days active service (53 days within Australia & 1659 days overseas). Operational service : Middle East & Java areas (embarked from Australia 07/04/1941, disembarked in Australia 21/10/1945). War badge no. 108480. Discharge certificate no. 477911.

Service record
13/06/1940 Taken on strength Recruit Reception Depot Caulfield, Victoria.
15/06/1940 Transferred to No. 1 Training Depot Balcombe, Mt. Martha, Victoria.
30/07/1940 Posted from No. 2 Infantry Training Battalion Balcombe, Mt. Martha, Victoria to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria.
03/08/1940 Transferred to X list. Reported sick at home by Dr. Trumpey, Warragul.
24/09/1940 Transferred from X list Rejoined unit (12 8/40).
07/04/1941 Embarked Sydney, New South Wales on H.M.S. Queen Mary (H.M.T. N.N.).
03/05/1941 Disembarked Port Tewfik, Suez.
21/11/1941 Next of kin change of address.
01/01/1942 Evacuated to 9 Australian General Hospital (???) and transferred to X list.
20/01/1942 Discharged 9 Australian General Hospital and marched out to Pioneer Training Battalion.
20/01/1942 Marched into Pioneer Training Battalion ex 9 Australian General Hospital.
21/01/1942 Marched out from Pioneer Training Battalion to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion.
21/01/1942 Taken on strength 2/2 Pioneer Battalion.
31/01/1942 Embarked Middle East on S.S. Orcades.
18/02/1942 Disembarked Batavia, Java.
07/03/1942 Reported missing in action (Java).
30/04/1942 Reported missing in action (Java) and transferred to X list.
14/08/1942 Reported missing in action believed prisoner of war.
28/07/1943 Reported prisoner of war (Java).
15/08/1945 Granted proficiency pay.
06/10/1945 Embarked Singapore on M.V. Highland Brigade.
21/10/1945 Disembarked Melbourne, Victoria.
29/11/1945 Admitted 115 Australian General Hospital, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria with dyspepsia.
01/12/1945 Discharged from 115 Australian General Hospital, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria to General Details Depot.
12/12/1945 Marched out from General Details Depot to Discharge Depot.
12/12/1945 Marched into Discharge Depot ex Leave and Transit Depot, Victoria.
13/12/1945 Discharged Royal Park, Victoria.