George Ernest LUCKETT

George Ernest Luckett (1870-1943) was crew member on the steamer You Yangs when she was wrecked on 14 June 1890 near Cape Gantheaume. All the crew survived. Lockett saved the life of Captain John Hardie Veitch and was awarded the bronze medal for bravery by the Royal Humane Society*. In 1904 Luckett was the 3rd keeper at Cape Borda light house. In 1909 Luckett was the second keeper at Cape de Couedic when it commenced operations. He had previously been the second keeper at Cape Northumberland and had also served in the South African aka Boer War as a Sergeant with 5th South Australian Imperial Bushman. - Chris Ward.

* Sourced from the 1891 Annual Report of the Royal Humane Society of Australasia, Inc. “Case 946 - George Ernest Luckett, of Port Adelaide, South Australia, seaman, aged 21 years, rescued John Hardie Veitch, of Melbourne. Victoria, captain of the s.s. You Yangs, which was wrecked on 14th June , 1890, at Cape Gantheaume, South Australia, from drowning at Cape Willoughby, on 16th June, 1890. An open boat, which left the You Yangs two days previously, was approaching land, when it capsized in the breakers at Cape Willoughby. Captain Veitch was clinging to the upturned boat, being unable to swim, when Luckett, who had got safely ashore from the boat, seeing his captain’s predicament, again went to his assistance, and succeeded in bringing him safely to land in an exhausted condition”

Veitch died on 26 March 1922 in Sydney age 62 years

Boer War Service

Service Number: 453
Rank: Sergeant
Unit: 5th South Australian Imperial Bushmen
Conflict / Operation: South Africa, 1899-1902 (Boer War)
Native place: South Australia, Australia
Source: Murray page number - 368

Service Numbers: 453, 299
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Sergeant
Last Unit: 9th Light Horse Regiment
Born: Not yet discovered
Home Town: Not yet discovered
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: signal man
Died: Circumstances of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: AIF Cemetery, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia
Section: LO, Road: 4S, Site No: 37
Memorials: Adelaide Australian Harbours Board WW1 Roll of Honour, Adelaide Grand Masonic Lodge WW1 Honour Board (2)

Boer War Service

1 Oct 1899: Involvement Sergeant, SN 453, 5th South Australian Imperial Bushmen

World War 1 Service

11 Feb 1915: Involvement SN 299, 9th Light Horse Regiment
11 Feb 1915: Embarked SN 299, 9th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Karroo, Melbourne
11 Nov 1918: Involvement SN 299, 9th Light Horse Regiment

https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/787134

Digitised Records (National Archives Australia)

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8205770https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1048780https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1434754/

Medals

Aboard the HMCS Protector during the Boxer Rebellion. He was an Able Seaman Class 1 and was paid 5/- a day plus rations. He would have qualified for the China Medal 1900 perhaps with the Pekin clasp.

From the Boer War, he would have qualified for Queen’s South African Medal and perhaps King’s South African Medal there as well with various clasps.

He would have qualified for the WW1 trio and combined with his Bronze Medal from the Humane Society would have been a most impressive and unique chest of medals.

  • Chris Ward

Further snippets

  • George enlisted in the Great War with the Light Horse at the age of 43. He’s buried at Light Oval at West Terrace.

  • He enlisted in the South Austrlai8an Naval reserve in 1893 and served for 12 years.

  • He arrived back from China in January 1901 and in the same month enlisted with South Australia Imperial Bushman Contingent (1st Troop, E Half Squadron)

  • He qualified for the China Medal without a clasp. He also qualified for the QSA with clasps for Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal.

  • He fronted up for the Great War and qualified for the trio of medals. He ended up in Lemnos after being at Gallipoli and eventually back in Australia at 7 AGH and discharged 2 May 1916.

  • He appears to have been a Squadron Sergeant Major [SSM] with the 9th Light Horse and I understand that position would hold the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2 (the equivalent of a Company Sergeant Major [CSM] in WW2).

  • In 1896 he was living in Fletcher Road, Birkenhead

  • In 1904 he was the third keeper at Cape Borda

  • His wife was Post Master at Cape Borda in 1906

  • In 1910 he was on duty at the Semaphore signal station during a storm when he led others to the rescue of people in danger.

  • In 1912 while still at the Semaphore signal station he reported the destruction of the Wonga Shoal Lighthouse and the death of the two keepers.

  • In July 1914 his 16year old son saved people from drowning off the Largs jetty where the family were living.

  • He had three sons in the Great War with him.

  • He was discharged on medical grounds in 1916. He spoke publicly in favour of conscription.

  • He was farming in Port Broughton for some time in the 1920s and later lived at Port Noarlunga.

  • He spent 6 months on the HMCS Protector in China as an Able Seaman during the Boxer Uprising/Rebellion (1900/1901)

  • His medals would have looked impressive covering three wars. China Medal, QSA with 2 or 3 bars and possibly the KSA as well and then a WW1 trio and a RHSA bronze medal

Chris Ward 23 Dec 2021

Family

for sources and more details, click here

1. George Ernest LUCKETT was born 1859 in Kings Norton, Worcestershire, England and died 06 Aug 1943 in Magill, SA. He married Jessie LEWIS 28 Sep 1891 in Port Adelaide, SA. She was born 12 May 1868 in Port Adelaide, SA, daughter of William Henry LEWIS.

Children of George Ernest LUCKETT and Jessie LEWIS:
 i. 2. George Alexander Lewis LUCKETT was born 13 Feb 1893 in Birkenhead, SA and died 06 Mar 1971 in Windsor Gardens, SA
ii. Roderick Fulford LUCKETT was born 21 Feb 1895 in Birkenhead, SA
iii. Lalla LUCKETT was born 08 Jan 1898 in Birkenhead, SA
iv. 3. Douglas LUCKETT was born 19 Nov 1899 in Solomontown, SA and died 09 Nov 1965 in Daw Park, SA
v. 4. Jacqueline Henrietta (Jock) LUCKETT was born 07 Sep 1905 in Birkenhead, SA and died 31 May 1996
vi. 5. Sheila Edna LUCKETT was born 27 Nov 1907 in Edithburgh, SA and died 31 May 1988
vii. 6. Jessie MacColin Lewis LUCKETT was born 09 Mar 1910 in Birkenhead, SA and died 08 Jul 1986

Generation 2

2. George Alexander Lewis LUCKETT was born 13 Feb 1893 in Birkenhead, SA and died 06 Mar 1971 in Windsor Gardens, SA. He married Juanita Lucia ECHEVARRI 17 Oct 1912 in Adelaide, SA. She was born ABT 1894 and died 22 May 1982.

Children of George Alexander Lewis LUCKETT and Juanita Lucia ECHEVARRI:
i. Audrey Lucia LUCKETT was born 21 Feb 1913 in Glenelg, SA
ii. Juanita Esmee Echevarri LUCKETT was born 31 May 1920 in Adelaide, SA
iii. Alexander Douglas Echevarri LUCKETT was born 06 Dec 1921 in Adelaide, SA and died 03 May 2006

3. Douglas LUCKETT was born 19 Nov 1899 in Solomontown, SA and died 09 Nov 1965 in Daw Park, SA. He married Catherine CULLINAN 15 Jan 1927 in Peterborough, SA. She was born ABT 1895 and died 22 Aug 1961 in Fullarton, SA.

Other events in the life of Douglas LUCKETT
Military: 9th LHR SN 2130

Children of Douglas LUCKETT and Catherine CULLINAN:
 i. Patricia Jessie LUCKETT was born 15 Jun 1930 and died 21 Jul 1930 in Nailsworth, SA

4. Jacqueline Henrietta (Jock) LUCKETT was born 07 Sep 1905 in Birkenhead, SA and died 31 May 1996. She married Hurtle George (Jim) LEWIS 1926 in Adelaide, SA. He was born 10 Sep 1903 in Wokurna, SA and died 15 Apr 1990.

5. Sheila Edna LUCKETT was born 27 Nov 1907 in Edithburgh, SA and died 31 May 1988. She married Henry Lemon HEWETT 21 Dec 1927 in Largs Bay, SA. He was born 13 Feb 1905 in Keilli, SA and died 02 Jul 1983.

6. Jessie MacColin Lewis LUCKETT was born 09 Mar 1910 in Birkenhead, SA and died 08 Jul 1986. She married Alvan Albert (Dinny) IRELAND 02 Aug 1932 in Port Broughton, SA. He was born 10 Aug 1906 in Wokurna, SA and died 10 Jan 1987.

Last updated : 23 Dec 2021