George Edward STACE
Year of Birth: 1892
Place of Birth: Normanton, Queensland
Date of Enlistment: 15 January 1916
Date and Place of Embarkation: 13 May 1916, Sydney, New South Wales
Ship: HMAT Beltana A72
Rank: Private
Unit(s): 14 Light Horse Regiment A Squadron; 1 Reinforcements
Regimental Number: 128
Died: 14 November 1916
George Edward Stace was born on the 25 August 1891 to Octamus Stace and Isabella Steele and had 4 siblings, Mary Catherine born 1894, Isabella 1895, Octamus 1898 and Ida Emma 1905. His brother Octamus enlisted and was discharged 23 May 1917 as he was only 18 and did not have his parents’ consent to join. Octamus Stace and Isabelle Steele were married 19 July 1890 in Queensland.
His family appeared to live in Tonks Camp, Gilbert River, via Georgetown for most of their lives. George Edward, occupation Stockman, was living at the Central Hotel in Normanton in 1913. George attended the Tonks Camp State school.
On his enlistment in Cairns, George Edward was 24 years 4 months, occupation a Stockman and his next of kin his father, Octamus Stace, Tonks Camp, via Georgetown, Qld. His height was 5 feet 8 inches, weighed 132 pounds with fair complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. His religion was Roman Catholic.
He was reported missing in France on the 14 November 1916 and changed to killed in action and has no known grave.
George Edward Stace is remembered on the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France.
Online Resources
Queensland Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages
Photograph of the HMAT Beltana A72, Australian Military History
NAA: B2455, Stace George Edward, National Archives of Australia
Australian War Memorial ; Red Cross Wounded & Missing
National Library of Australia: Trove Digitised Newspapers
Townsville Daily Bulletin – 22 May 1917 p3
If you have a photograph or further information about this soldier you would like to share and add to his biography, please contact the Society at projects@cdfhs.org or leave a comment below. Thank you!