George Cole Walton was born in Melbourne, Victoria, was single and a farm hand living with his mother in Ballarat, Victoria when he enlisted with the 21st Battalion, 6th Reinforcement on 16 July 1915 at the age of 20. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board RMS Moldavia on 5 October 1915. He was hospitalised on 31 July 1916 with neurasthenia* on 31 July 1916 and re-joined his unit on 26 November 1916. On 20 March 1917 (just four days after being promoted to Lance Corporal) he was wounded in in action with a severe gunshot wound to the left leg, resulting in his immediate evacuation to the Reading War Hospital. He was shipped to England aboard the Infranc, and from there returned home to Australia aboard the A35 on 1 November1917.
Tree No. 1672

• a medical condition characterized by lassitude, fatigue, headache, and irritability, associated chiefly with emotional disturbance.