George Ingram

Lieutenant George Mawby Ingram was awarded the Victoria Cross for his role in the attack on the French village of Montbrehain. On 5 October 1918, it was the last Australian infantry charge of World War I. George was the last of 66 Australians to receive the Victoria Cross during the war.

Early life

George was born in 1889 at Bagshot near Sandhurst (now Bendigo). He was the second of 4 children born to farmers, George Ingram and Charlotte Hubbard. Both of his parents were born in Victoria.

George attended Seville State School with his siblings, Ronald, Alexander and Elsie. After school, he did an apprenticeship as a carpenter and joiner. Then he moved to Caulfield in Melbourne and worked as a carpenter. In 1910, George married Jean Nichols in the Congregational Church at East Prahran.

From 1905 to 1914, George and his brothers were active members of the militia forces. In 1906, Gunner Ingram was selected to compete in New Zealand with a detachment of the Australian Garrison Artillery. During World War I, all 3 Ingram brothers served in the Allied forces.

Military service

George first enlisted in the army on 10 December 1914.

Posted to the 3rd Battalion, Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF), he served in New Guinea – then a German colony.

The AN&MEF was the first Australian military unit for overseas service. It was formed in 1914 in response to the possible threat to Australia from German colonies and navy in the Pacific. The men of the AN&MEF captured and occupied German New Guinea and Nauru in September 1914.

In New Guinea, George caught malaria and was repatriated to Australia. He discharged from the AN&MEF on 12 January 1916 when he had recovered. That same day, he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force to serve in the war overseas. He was 30 years old.

In January 1917, he arrived on the Western Front in France and was posted to the 24th Battalion. Around this time, George received news that his younger brother had been killed in action at Armentières. Driver Alexander Ingram had been serving in France with the 3rd Australian Pioneer Battalion.

On the night of 15 to 16 March, the 24th Battalion attacked the village of Bapaume. George was part of a bombing section that became involved in a fight with German troops. Outnumbered, George and his unit used their grenades to hold off the Germans. Later, large numbers of German forces returned, forcing the bombing unit to retreat. George, along with 2 others, covered their comrades' withdrawal, minimising casualties.

For his bravery that night, George was awarded the Military Medal (MM).

HIS MAJESTY THE KING has been graciously pleased to award the Military Medal for bravery in the field … No. 5919, Lance-Corporal G. M. INGRAM, Infantry

['Government Gazette Appointments and Employment', Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 27 August 1917, p 1829.]

George was soon promoted to corporal. In October 1917, he received news that his older brother had been killed in action at Passchendaele. Lance Corporal Ronald Ingram had been serving in Belgium with the 1st Battalion Otago Regiment in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

By the end of 1917, George had become a company sergeant major. On 20 June 1918, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and promoted to lieutenant in late October, just before the end of the war.

Attack on Montbrehain

After the Battle of Montbrehain on 5 October 1918, the following recommendation was made that George be awarded the Victoria Cross:

About 100 yards from the jumping-off trench severe enemy machine-gun fire was encountered from a strong post which had escaped our artillery fire, and the advance was thus held up. Lieutenant Ingram dashed out, and, under cover of the fire of a Lewis gun, rushed the post at the head of his men. This post contained nine machine-guns and 42 Germans, who fought until our men were within three yards of them. They were killed to a man – Lieutenant Ingram accounted for no fewer than 18 of them.

A number of enemy posts were then observed to be firing on our men from about 150 yards further forward, and the company moved forward to attack them, and severe casualties were sustained. The company commander had been badly wounded, and the company sergeant-major and several others, who attempted to lead the advance, killed. Our barrage had passed on, and no tanks were near. Lieutenant Ingram quickly sized up the situation, rallied his men in face of murderous fire, and led them forward with magnificent courage and resolution. He himself rushed the first post, shot six of the enemy, and captured the machine-gun, thus overcoming very serious resistance.

By this time the company had been reduced from 90 to about 30 other ranks, but this officer, seeing enemy fire coming from a quarry on his left front, again led his men forward and rushed the quarry. He jumped into the quarry amongst enemy wire; his men followed and proceeded to mop up a large number of the enemy who were in bivouac there.

He then observed an enemy machine-gun firing from the ventilator of a cellar through a gap in the wall of a house about 20 yards away. Without hesitation and entirely alone he scrambled up the edge of the quarry, ran round the rear of the house, and, entering from the far side, shot the enemy gunner through the ventilator of the cellar. He fired several more shots into the cellar, then, seeing some enemy jumping out of the window of the house, he burst open the door, rushed to the head of the stairs leading into the cellar, and forced 62 of the enemy to surrender...

Throughout the whole day he showed the most splendid qualities of courage and leadership and freely exposed himself again and again with utter contempt of danger. By his example he encouraged his men to keep up such constant fire on the enemy, who were reinforcing in large numbers, that not only did he levy a large toll of casualties on them, but was responsible for destroying counter-attacks on his front. He personally inflicted 40 casualties on the enemy, exclusive of the large number of prisoners he captured.

IWM (Q 70268)

George gives this account of the attack, in a letter he wrote to Jean from France on 13 October 1918:

We are out for a good spell now, and not before it was needed, Our last stunt at Mont Brehain was very heavy. We there broke the last of the Hindenburg line. The night of the third and the morning of the fifth were great fights.

The Hun never had a chance against our boys, and though we lost many good pals we took many more Germans and cut their company to pieces. I have never seen our boys fight hotter, and my company was hit very hard. Two hours after we left we had only 21 men left. These boys stuck it out all day, and did the work of 100 men. It is said that never before in this war has anyone seen more dead Huns than was left behind by the good old red and whites.

In the first stage of the Hindenburg line I thought my number was up. In fact, I never expected to write to anyone again. We got it in the neck for long after that. God only knows how anyone is left to tell the tale. There were only four officers left in my battalion.

["I AM VERY PROUD OF HIM", The Herald, 7 January 1919, p 1.]

Victoria Cross citation

For most conspicuous bravery and initiative during the attack on Montbrehain, east of Peronne, on 5th October, 1918. When early in the advance his platoon was held up by a strong point, Lieutenant Ingram, without hesitation, dashed out and rushed the post at the head of his men, capturing nine machine guns and killing 42 enemy after stubborn resistance. Later, when the company had suffered severe casualties from enemy posts, and many leaders had fallen, he at once took control of the situation, rallied his men under intense fire, and led them forward. He himself rushed the first post, shot six of the enemy, and captured a machine gun, thus overcoming serious resistance. On two subsequent occasions he again displayed great dash and resource in the capture of enemy posts, inflicting many casualties and taking 62 prisoners. Throughout the whole day he showed the most inspiring example of courage and leadership, and freely exposed himself regardless of danger.

['Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation', Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 23 May 1919, p 877.]

Later years

George was repatriated to Melbourne in April 1919. He found work as a foreman with a building contractor.

George and Jean's marriage suffered after so many years apart during the war. George divorced Jean in 1926. Then in 1927, George married a divorcee, Lillian Wakeling, and they had 2 children together. Their daughter died in 1931, aged 2. After Lilian died in 1951, George married a widow, Myrtle Thomas. They had one child together.

George became a police guard at the Shrine of Remembrance when it was completed in 1935. He was one of 14 selected from 250 applicants.

During World War II, George served with the Australian Military Forces. When he enlisted at South Melbourne in November 1939, he was 50 and still with the Victorian Police Force. He attained the rank of captain in the 5th Workshop and Park Company, Royal Australian Engineers. His appointment was terminated in May 1944.

In 1956, George joined the Australian contingent of Victoria Cross recipients who attended a parade in London to commemorate the centenary of the institution of the Victoria Cross.

George died in 1961, aged 72. He was survived by his wife and 2 sons.

Commemoration

George Ingram VC MM is buried at Frankston Cemetery, Victoria.

In 2008, his Victoria Cross, Military Medal and campaign medals were sold at auction for $468,000 to an anonymous bidder. They were donated to the Australian War Memorial where they are on display in the Hall of Valour.

He is commemorated with memorial plaques at the Seville Primary School he attended as a child. George is also commemorated for his service as a guard at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne.

On his death certificate, his middle name was spelt 'Morby', as it was many times throughout his war service records for both world wars. However, on forms he filled in and signed, George wrote his middle name as 'Mawby'.