George William Heiniger was born 19 September 1896 to Jacob & Mary Heiniger.

Jacob had emigrated from Switzerland as a young boy and Mary (nee McIlhagger) had arrived from Ireland.  They married in 1888 and had twelve children – John (b. 1889), Jacob Cecil (b. 1891), Mary (b. 1892), Frederick (b. 1895) George (b. 1896), Arthur Andrew (b. 1898), Elizabeth Rose (b. 1901), Earl Victor (b. 1903), Thomas (b. 1906), Rose (b. 1908), Isabella (b. & d. 1910) and Robert David (b. 1911).

Three of Jacob’s sons enlisted in the A.I.F., George in December 1914 in Cairns, Jacob in June 1915 and Frederick in May 1916.  Frederick returned to Australia after serving overseas in March 1919.  Jacob didn’t return to Australia until December 1919 as he had served several terms of detention for being absent without leave in England where he had married an English girl, Caroline Hale.

George did not give his correct age when he enlisted by stating he was 21 years 3 months of age.  He was 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a dark complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair and his religion was Church of England.  As with his brothers, he named his father, Jacob, as his next of kin.

However, in reality he was only 18 years of age.  Perhaps he had found work in Cairns or perhaps he decided to enlist in a locality where he wasn’t known as being underage, therefore, avoiding needing a parent or guardian’s permission to enlist.

He did not make it overseas as he died at the Enoggera Army Camp on 21 February 1915, barely two months after enlisting.

An enquiry was held resulting in a cause of death as heatstroke.