George Stephen Zilles (SN 4253) was an 18 year old carpenter and enlisted on January 4th, 1916. He trained in Ballarat then embarked from Melbourne on March 7th on the Wiltshire. He served with the 58th and 60th Battalions but most of his active service was with the 38th Battalion. On October 4th, 1917, he was wounded in action when he sustained gunshot wounds to the groin and the right eye. He was evacuated to the Central Military Hospital at Chatham in England but was able to return to his unit in March 1918. On October 4th, 1918, he suffered gas poisoning and was again evacuated to England where he was when the war ended. In December, with the fighting behind him, he was absent without leave for three weeks and subsequently fined 41 days’ pay. He returned home on the Orca and disembarked at Melbourne on April 7th, 1919.
He was 80 years of age when he died in September 1978.
His brothers Conrad and Charles also served in the AIF and are honoured with trees in the Avenue.