George Alfred RUDDOCK
Per his military service record (Depot), George Alfred Ruddock was born at St Peters, Sydney, N.S.W.[1] He gave his age as 23 years and 7 months, his marital status as single, and his occupation as labourer. It was noted on his Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad that he could ‘understand buchering’. His description on his Certificate of Medical Examination was height 5 feet 11 ½ inches tall, with a dark complexion, blue eyes, and dark brown hair. His religious denomination was Roman Catholic. He claimed that he had no previous military service.
His Application to Enlist in the Australian Imperial Force form was dated 29th October 1915, and he gave his postal address as C/o Mrs Wm. Hall, Gordon Cottage, Warriga Street, Katoomba.
His next of kin was recorded on his Attestation Paper as Mrs Kate Murphy, 4 Portland Street, Waterloo, Sydney, N.S.W.
He was named (as ‘A. G. Ruddock’) in The Blue Mountain Echo as one of the men who enlisted with the Coo-ees at Katoomba.[2]
He completed his medical examination on 5th November 1915 at Katoomba. He was attested by Lieutenant F. Middenway at Katoomba on the same day.
After completing the Coo-ee March he went to Liverpool Camp as reinforcement for the 13th Battalion.
On 4th February 1916 Private Ruddock was examined by a Medical Board. His Detailed Medical History of an Invalid form recorded that he had ‘varicose veins of left leg’, that ‘has probably been aggravated by marching’.
On 23rd March 1916 Private Ruddock was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force medically unfit.
[1] NAA B2455, RUDDOCK George Alfred.
[2] ‘March o’er the mountains’, The Blue Mountain Echo, 12 November 1915, p. 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article108042142, accessed 5 February 2023.
1915 Coo-ee March 