The Kia ora coo-ee : the magazine for the ANZACS in the Middle East, 1918
Our Contributors. — " Twenty-Two"
Our Contributors.
"
Twenty-Two"
George F. Sanders, parents Australian, was born in England, but he was in Aussie before his eyes were properly opened. When his mother died, his father returned to England, where "Twenty-Two" went to school and did very little but play football and swim; but growing to man's estate, he returned to the Southern land, where he has aunts, uncles, and cousins by the score.
"Twenty-Two".
"Twenty-Two" spent five years in Queensland at different occupations. He had a fencing plant on the Flinders, was looking after a selection on the Downs, went droving, shearing, wool-pressing; and all the time was accompanied by a camera and a quantity of paper and pencils. He did spasmodic scribbling for a number of periodicals in Australia, always under the protection of pen-names. He finished his Queensland days running some taxis in Rockhampton. A longing to do something else caused him to lose a lot of weight stoking fires on the "Zealandia", carrying wheat on the Sydney wharf, and other kindred jobs entailing plentitude of muscle. All the time he did not lose his interest in the printed words of writers of the past and present. He generally fell in for "School of Arts" jobs in the different sheds where he toiled.
On the outbreak of war, G.F.S. was removing the coats of the useful jumbucks in the Northern district of South Australia. Coming to Adelaide, he was informed that he had no experience. So he returned, cut out another shed near Port Augusta, then again applied at Keswick Barracks; but there was nothing doing. Going to Victoria, he had more luck, as he joined up and went out to Broadmeadows early in October. One of the original motor drivers of the 3rd. L.H.Bde., he came to Egypt early in '15; sweated and sorrowed at Mena and Heliopolis, and went to the Penin. in May. Was off for a month, owing to sickness; returned, and came off at the evacuation. Then another spell of the Desert. He came in to the ProvostCorps at the end of '16.
G.F.S. has had pretty well all the N.C.O. ranks going in the Army nowadays. He was at the recently finished Cadet Course, Zeitoun, and passed with a "D". Result is, he now carries a star. Most men know him by sight, if not personally, and all who don't, at least are well acquainted with the prose and verse of "Twenty Two".