Contributed by Ron Inglis, October 2021:
Boat builder George Henry Buffery was born in Sydney and attended Auburn Public School. He was one of three Auburn Memorial men to serve in the Artillery.
Buffery, 25, had been married to Mary for three years when he enlisted at South Head, Sydney, on 4 June 1915. He declared he had served in Royal Australian Field Artillery since 1910. This could have been the reason he was promoted to Corporal immediately on enlistment. Buffery would serve in the AIF for over two years with no breaks due to wounds, sicknesses, disease or crimes.
Buffery embarked on the Orsova on 17 July 1915, then there is a seven-month gap in his service record. The next date recorded is 27 February 1916, when he disembarked at Boulogne, France. As Buffery was not awarded the 1914-1915 Star, he did not serve on Gallipoli, nor did he disembark in Egypt before 31 December 1915. He served on the Western Front for all of 1916, before being transferred to England to join the 3rd Australian Siege Battery. At this time he was promoted to Sergeant.
After seven months in the United Kingdom, Sergeant Buffery returned to France in July 1917. He served in the artillery until he was killed in action on 4 October 1917, during the Passchendaele offensive in Belgium. He was one of 14 Auburn Memorial men to perish in the 3rd Battle of Ypres.
For his grave in the Ypres Reservoir Cemetery in the Belgian town of Ypres (Ieper) his wife Mary chose the inscription: A BRAVE YOUNG LIFE THAT PROMISED WELL, AT THE WILL OF GOD A HERO FELL.
Mary Buffery received her husband’s medals and was awarded a pension of ￡2-13-9 per fortnight.
George Buffery is honoured on the following memorials in Australia:
- Auburn War Memorial
- Municipality of Auburn 1914-1919 Honour Roll
- Auburn Boys Public School Great War Photographic Honour Roll
- Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial Canberra
His decorations:
- British War Medal
- 1914-20 Victory Medal
