Cpl George Swepson

George Swepson was born at Gympie , Queensland, on 9 January 1896 to parents James and Mary Ellen née Thompson. He had three siblings, Charles, Lucy and Frank, and attended Gympie Central (Boys) School where he performed a recitation at a concert in 1907. His father, a goldminer, was killed as a result of a mining accident in Gympie on 4 August 1914.

At the age of 20, Swepson was working as a draper in Gympie when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 20 January 1916. He had previously served for 4½ years in the compulsory cadets and citizen forces in Gympie. He embarked with the 24th reinforcements of the 15th Battalion aboard HMAT Ayrshire from Sydney on 24 January 1917. Swepson disembarked at Devonport, England, on 12 April 1917.

He had previously enlisted in the AIF with his service record showing assignments to 13th Battalion, 52nd Battalion and Corporal School during 1916, with ranks of private, lieutenant and sergeant. Wepson was appointed VO Sergeant on 22 January 1917. On arrival in England, he was mobilised to the 4th Training Battalion at Codford and reverted to the rank of private.

While at Codford, he was promoted to corporal on 14 April 1917 and again to acting sergeant on 18 August 1917. He reverted again to private while proceeding overseas on 14 October 1917, and was taken on strength by the 15th Battalion on 23 October 1917, when the battalion was located in the ramparts at Ypres, Belgium.

Swepson was sent to hospital in France, sick, on 10 December 1917 and rejoined his battalion 10 days later at Templeux la Fosse. He was promoted to temporary corporal on 3 February 1918 before becoming sick on 26 March 1918, and was transferred to hospital in Brighton, England, with a facial abscess on 29 March 1918.

On 5 June 1918, he left Derevill via Folkestone , England and arrived at the ADB Depot in France two days later. Swepson was promoted to corporal on 15 July 1918 and Lance Sergeant on 4 October 1918. In November, he became sick with influenza and rejoined the battalion on 15 December 1918.

Swepson mobilised for returning to Australia on 2May 1919 and left Le Havre for England on 10 May 1919. He left England aboard the Frankfurt on 20 August 1919, approximately a week after his mother received word of his return to Australia, and was discharged from the AIF on 29 September 1919.

On 27 June 1927, Swepson married Kathleen Bridget Fitzpatrick in Queensland. He enlisted in the Australian Army during the Second World War on 22 March 1942 and served as a signalman with the 1 Lines of Communication Signals unit. He was discharged on 21 August 1944.

George Swepson died on 21 August 1961, aged 65, and is buried at Redcliffe Cemetery, Queensland.