George Hay was born in Rokewood but working as a Secondary Schoolteacher in Ballarat when he enlisted in the 39th Battalion, 3rd Reinforcement on 26 July 1915 at the age of 31. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A9 Shropshire on 25 September 1916. On September 25th 1916 he embarked for overseas service on the Shropshire. While in England in March 1917 he attended the Bomb School at Lyndhurst where he qualified as an Instructor in Bomb Throwing. On June 8th 1917 he was wounded in action. He suffered the effects of gas poisoning and was evacuated to the 3rd General Hospital at Boulogne. He rejoined his unit later in the month and remained there until December when he was seconded to the 10th Training Battalion. He returned to France in August 1918 and saw out the remaining months of the war. He returned to Australia on the Rio Pardo, disembarking at Adelaide on July 17th 1919.

Tree No. 1803