George Christian SCHLYDER

George Schlyder was born on 27 January 1888 in Collingwood, Victoria. His parents were Ernest and Annie Bridget (née Christiansen) Schylder. He attended Scotch in 1903.

George was a jeweller when he enlisted on 29 July 1915 in Melbourne, Victoria. He served in the 24th Battalion with the rank of Private. His Regimental Number was 5133.

George died on 1 September 1918 at Mont St. Quentin, France. He was 29 years of age.

Service record

After enlisting, George was allotted as a Private to various infantry units at Albert Park. He was hospitalised at Langwarrin for two months in early 1916 (see below). In May 1916 he became part of the 13th Reinforcements to the 24th Battalion. He sailed from Melbourne in July 1916, arriving at Plymouth, England on 11 September 1916. He was taken on strength of the 24th Battalion in France on 24 November 1916. He fell ill with nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys) in December 1916 and was sent back to England. While there he contracted scabies. He was transferred from the 24th to the 67th Battalion in May 1917. In September 1917 at Burbage, England, he went absent without leave and forfeited a day’s pay.

The following month he was back in France, where he was again taken on strength of the 24th Battalion. He was hospitalised for nearly three weeks in February-March 1918. In May he was hospitalised again, with trench fever. This required him to return to England, though he was back in France by 26 June. Even so, on arrival in France he went to hospital with influenza, and stayed there until the fateful 8 August 1918, when he rejoined the 24th Battalion. He had just 24 days to live, and was killed on 1 September 1918.

The circumstances of his death were explained in a note by Temporary Sergeant Major Eric Johnson, who won a Military Medal for his own role in the events that day (see below). He reported that on the afternoon of 1 September he and George had been using grenades (‘bombs’) to clear enemy positions at Mont St Quentin when Schlyder was ‘sniped through the head’ and killed instantly.

George’s widow, Patience, whom he married in 1916, directed that his epitaph be engraved with the words: ‘Until The Day Breaks/ And The Shadows Flee Away’. A death note in The Argus by his mother read: ‘…my dear son, Private George Schlyder…dearly beloved husband of Pay, and father of little Lola, aged 29 years. Far away from those who loved him.’

George Schlyder is buried in the Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension (Plot III, Row C, Grave No. 10), France.

Photographs and Documents:

George Schlyder’s service record on his early months.

Statement on George Schlyder’s death, by Temporary Sergeant Major Johnson

Sources:

1. Australian War Memorial – Roll of Honour
2. Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
3. "Family Notices." The Argus, 21 Sep 1918, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1412501.
4. Mishura Scotch Database. The school’s Archivist, Paul Mishura, identified George Schlyder as a Scotch War death in 2009. His name was added to the Memorial Hall Honour Roll in 2015.
5. National Archives of Australia – B2455, SCHLYDER GEORGE
6. The AIF Project - https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=267854