209667 Capt. George Cartwright VC.Australian Imperial Force 33rd Battalion from:Australia George Cartwright was born in South Kensington, London, on 9 December 1894 to William Edward Cartwright, a coach trimmer, and his wife Elizabeth. He attended the local school, before emigrating to Australia in 1912 at the age of eighteen. Settling in New South Wales, Cartwright gained employment at a sheep station in the Elsmore district as a labourer.
On 9 December 1915, his 21st birthday, Cartwright enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force for service during the First World War. Allotted to the newly raised 33rd Battalion as a private, he embarked aboard HMAT Marathon at Sydney on 4 May 1916. Disembarking at Devonport, England, two months later, the members of the 33rd Battalion spent the following four months training at Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain.
On 31st of August 1918 at Road Wood, south-west of Bouchavesnes, near Peronne, France, when two companies were held up by machine-gun fire, Private Cartwright attacked the gun alone under intense fire. He shot three of the crew, and, having bombed the post, captured the gun and nine of the enemy.
On 30 September 1918 he was wounded and evacuated to England. Having received his V.C. from King George V, he returned to Australia and was discharged from the A.I.F. on 16 May 1919.
On return to Australia, Cartwright lived in Sydney and worked as a motor mechanic. In WW2 Cartwright was mobilized on 5 March 1940, and performed training and amenities duties in Australia. He was promoted to captain in 1942.
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