Veteran Story: George Aitken (1895-1917) was a stockman born on Walloon Station, his birth parents were Princess Carlo, of Barambah Station and George Richard Aitken, manager Cania Diggings, Eidsvold. His adoptive parents were Thomas and Mary (Lily) Hampson, who resided in Eidsvold. George enlisted 5 May 1916 at Cloncurry, along with his adoptive brother Denis Hampson, they were both allotted to the 52nd Infantry Battalion and embarked from Brisbane on board HMAT Seang Choon 19 September 1916. While training in England, George was arrested for failing to obey an order and sentenced to 2 years hard labour imprisonment, which was later commuted to 1 year. He was released early in June 1917 after which he joined his battalion in Belgium. George Aitken was killed at Tokio Ridge east of Ypres, during the Battle of Broodseinde, part of the Battle of Passchendaele, 19 October 1917. During that operation men were buried where they fell, and the battle continued, so there is no marked grave. George's name is recorded on the wall of honour at the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, France and panel 154 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial. Denis Hampson was taken prisoner by the Germans during the same battle, but was released and repatriated home in 1919. Note: George Robert Aitken service records are filed under Surname: Hampson D L. Located in his Service records is his will and in that is a letter written by George to Denis Hampson.
