George Croall Hardie was born on 12 September 1894 at Moat Hill near Cupar, Fife. He was the legitimate son of Alexander Hardie, a general labourer, and his wife, Sarah Stewart. In 1912, when George was 18 years old, his father died, and the following year his mother remarried to a painter from Dundee named Peter Wishart.

Shortly afterwards George began using his stepfather’s surname and known as George C Wishart when he was conscripted into the Army in the spring of 1916. Based on his service number, it seems likely he was called up for service in August 1916 and sent to Fort George where he joined the Seaforth Highlanders. He was probably sent overseas in 1917 to join the 1/6th (Morayshire) Battalion with proof that he was definitely at the front in February 1918 when on the 22nd he was found guilty of desertion and awarded 28 days Field Punishment No.1; however, on 5 March he was admitted to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station suffering from an inflated stomach which may have been attributed to the punishment.

Unfortunately, George’s service papers have not survived, and so his movements throughout the remainder of the war are unknown. His medal index card records that he also saw service with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and he is probably the same G Wishart who was disciplined while serving with the 2nd Battalion in October 1920.

In 1929 George married Jessie Moore Chalmers in Dundee where he lived until his death in 1982.

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