Veteran Story: George Hearn (1895-1965) was born in Eulo, Queensland to Joseph James Hearn (1863-1945) and Mary Ann (Polly) Dunn (1876-1940). Hearn's grandparents were Henry and Emily Dunn who resided at Beechal Station, in the Warrego District. Hearn was working as a station hand when he volunteered in March 1916, after training at Enoggera, he was assigned to the 14th Reinforcements for the 26th Infantry Battalion and left Brisbane on board HMAT 'Ionus" in August 1916 arriving in England 10 weeks later. They were shipped to France in December but Hearn was hospitalised with mumps at Etaples when they landed. Hearn joined his unit in the field in January 1917 and survived major operations at Warlencourt and Lagincourt, the Hindenburg Line defences around Bullecourt and the Battle of Menin Road in September. Hearn was seriously wounded at Bois de l'Abbe, near Villers-Bretonneux in August 1918 and hospitalised in England for several months, before being invalided home in December 1918. George Hearn married Phyllis May Johns (1906-1988) in Cunnamulla in December 1922, they had five children, Robert, George, Norman, Allan and Jill; he died in 1965.
