George Alfred Lavars (SN 4228) was born in Ballarat and was a single 22 year old tailor at the time of his enlistment in Melbourne on July 17th 1915. He was promoted to acting Corporal before embarking from Melbourne on board the Demosthenes a few days after Christmas. Arriving in Egypt in March 1916, he was posted to France with the 7th Battalion and promoted to Corporal in August then to Sergeant in December. He suffered a gun shot wound to his left thigh in September 1917 and was invalided to England. Following his recovery he spent much of the next twelve months in England in various training positions. He rejoined the 7th Battalion in France in October 1918, just a month before the Armistice, and returned to England with his unit in January 1919 in preparation for his return to Australia. George left Southampton on board the City of Poona in March, arriving back in Melbourne on May 14th. He was discharged from the AIF on July 6th 1919.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as George H. Lavars.