People Australia

George Bourne, n.d. photographer unknown

from Bank of NSW Roll of Honour

George Herbert Bourne son of Mr. J. S. P. Bourne, of the Landis Department, Brisbane, and Mrs. Bourne, was born in that city on 21 st November, 1881. He was educated at Queensland State Schools and the Brisbane Grammar School, and entered the service of the Bank at Brisbane on 21st October, 1898. In 1907 he was transferred to Toowoomba, and in July, 1913, to the Inspector’s Department in Brisbane.

He was interested in military work before the war, and joined the Commonwealth Military Forces as far back as 1905. He enlisted in August, 1914, and was appointed major in the 2nd Light Horse Regiment. Proceeding to Egypt he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in July, 1916, and was awarded the D.S.O. and mentioned in despatches for services rendered in the Battles of Romani and Bir-el-Aba.

In 1917 Lieut-Colonel Bourne was appointed A.D.C. to His Excellency the Governor-General, and remained in that capacity during subsequent operations.

The following extract represents substantially the official record of the service for which Lieut-Colonel Bourne’s D.S.O. was awarded:—

“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in the field. He held an extended and improvised outpost line at Romani on the night of 3rd August, 1916, and held up the enemy advance, against great odds, from 10.20 p.m. till dawn, then skilfully withdrew. Later, at Bir-el-Aba, he held the extreme left flank at a critical juncture under very heavy fire, covering the withdrawal of other troops.”