George Harold Shelton was born in Manchester, England in 1884. He immigrated to the United States in 1904 and settled in Lynn, Massachusetts. Two years later, still living in Lynn, he married Leah Smith, who was originally from Wiltshire. In late 1910 George filed papers with the US courts declaring his intention to become a US citizen. Also in 1910, George’s brother, Horace, came to the US and moved in with the couple. Horace remained in Massachusetts until his death in 1938.
In September, 1914 George and Leah Shelton depart London for Adelaide, intending to reside permanently in South Australia. (No record located on when they moved from the US to the UK.)
In August 1915 George Shelton joined the AIF at Liverpool, NSW as part of the 9th reinforcements to the 1st Battalion. He claimed 3 years prior service with the 5th Ardwick Bn., Manchester Regiment. According to his service papers, his wife was living in Sydney in August 1916 but by August 1917 she had relocated to Manchester, England.
Shelton’s service records show that he was wounded three times while fighting in France but always returned to his battalion. (22 July 1916 - shell shock, 9 April 1917 - GSW right arm, 21 May 1918 - gassed). On 18 Sept 1918, during attempt to breach the Hindenburg Line near the village of Épehy, Sergeant Shelton was shot in the head by a sniper and killed instantly.
Because of his former residency, in 1924 the Commission on the History of Massachusetts in the World War requested details of Shelton’s military service from the Australian government, which were duly provided.
This memorial plaque was sent to his widow in England in 1922. There are no receipts for medals in the service file but their issue is noted, however the date of their issue is not recorded.
Details of Leah Shelton’s life after 1922 are unclear. A woman by the same name and age married in Manchester, England in 1934 and died there in 1961, but records are not conclusive that this was George’s widow.
A number of questions remain unanswered; Why was only the Star mounted in the display? What became of the BWM and VM? (Perhaps this display was made up before the widow received the other two medals?)
When and why was this set taken to Montana in the USA, where it was recently purchased? (There’s no online record that George and Leah had any children, and other than Horace in Massachusetts, there’s no family connection to the US.)
Australia badge with unit colors (black over green) of the 1st Battalion, A.I.F.