Born on 4th December 1889 at Thorley Hertfordshire, son of Charles William (Corn Millers Carman) and Eliza Brewster. 1891: With his family at Thorley Street, Thorley. 1901: A Scholar still with his family at Thorley Street. 1911: The Chauffeur to a Doctor Revill, boarding with George Hoy (Nurseryman) and family at Rose Cottage High Road, South Woodford. When he enlisted at Barking in September 1914 he gave his permanent residence as Bishops Stortford. He was allocated to the Wiltshire Regiment and in due course arrived at Gallipoli.
It has been said that George Brewster was wounded on 29th August 1915, “the day the Battalion took heavy losses”. However if that is the case, it is thought that 10th August 1915 might be correct, because the Battalion was nearly decimated on that date, and those who were left suffered few casualties during the rest of the month.
During the early hours of 10th August 1915 the Battalion relieved forces which had taken the summit of Chanuk Bair. Advised that the location was quite safe, they removed equipment and began adapting the positions. At first light they came under machine gun fire, and were overwhelmed by a surprise massed Turkish attack which was led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Driven from the summit into a gully, the Battalion suffered greatly from both Turkish and allied friendly fire. Small groups of four and five, some with dead and wounded, arrived back on the beach during the 11th, 12th and 13th “unarmed, unequipped and demoralised”. One group remained concealed in the gully until rescued on 26th August, and told of the wounded dying of exhaustion and starvation. Evacuated to medical facilities in Egypt, George Brewster Died of Wounds at Cairo on 25th September 1915.
During a Sunday service at St James Thorley, Canon Proctor referred to his 'manly Christian character and to the esteem in which he was held by all who knew him.' He is remembered at St James Church and the War Memorial Room at Thorley.
Research by Adrian Lee, Local Historian
Sources:
Ancestry.com
War Diary
Norman Smith/Gallipoli Association 2003 Bill Hardy 2005