Sir George Knox

Short biography of Sir George Knox.

George Hodges Knox was born in 1885 in the Melbourne suburb of Toorak and started his involvement with what was then the Shire of Fern Tree Gully as an orchardist. His early stint as an agriculturist, however, was short-lived. In 1909 George Knox started his military career by first joining the Automobile Corps and, later that year, the Victorian Scottish Regiment.

In the First World War Captain George Knox first became second in command of the 23rd battalion of the Australian Imperial Forces and later served as Commander of the battalion during the campaign at Gallipoli. One of the last to leave Gallipoli in December 1915, the battalion saw action again in France where Knox was wounded and declared unfit for active duty.

Back in Australia, Knox settled again in Fern Tree Gully and became involved in local politics. In 1923 he decided to stand for the Fern Tree Shire Council, and served as a councillor until 1928. In 1927 he moved up in politics and became a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. A speaker of the Legislative Assembly between 1942 and 1947, he was knighted in 1945.

Brig. the Hon. Sir George Knox, K.B., C.M.G., V.D., M.L.A. died on July 11, 1960 at Ferntree Gully

Sources: 
        Prolific in Gods Gifts by Michael Jones 
        Story of the Dandenongs by Helen Coulson