Subject

St. George

Text

Greater love hath no man than this

Inscription

In the Glory of God presented by Mr. and Mrs. W.A. King and family In loving memory of George Francis King lost at sea whilst prisoner of war 12 September 1944.

Description & History

St. George, Patron Saint of England, remained a popular subject for commemorative windows following both World Wars as the figure represented all the best qualities of the Australian soldier. Mrs. WA King ordered the window from Brooks, Robinson & Co. in September 1951. The design was adapted from a design for St. Michael and measured approximately 48 x 19 inches. The window was dedicated by the Reverend KH Roberts at the Remembrance Day service, Sunday 9 November 1952 after an unveiling by Mr S Thompson and in the presence of family members and the Werribee Sub-branch of the RSL.

George Francis King was born in Werribee on 6 March 1909, son of William and Beatrice King. He enlisted at Royal Park and served in Malaya with the 2/10 Ord Workshop AAOC. After his capture he was at sea in the South West Pacific, possibly en route to a camp in Thailand when he lost his life, believed drowned at sea. He left his wife, Jess and a young son, Billie. It seems likely that he was among the 1,318 Allied POWs who were aboard the Rakuyo Maru which was torpedoed by the USS Sealion on 12 September in the South China Sea, although it stayed afloat for 13 hours before it sank,1,051 lives were lost.

References & Acknowledgements

AWM Roll of Honour; AWM WWII Prisoners of War; NAA B388 VX64359; Brooks, Robinson & Co. job books (1923-c1966); Werribee Shire Banner, 13 September 1945, p.2; 6 November 1952, p.2; 13 November 1952, p.5; https://sites.google.com/site/stacwerribee/Home/about-us/church_windows.

With thanks to Church Warden Ros Kean and Allan Sterling who also provided an image of the window.