ABRAHAM Gilbert Harry

Soldiers History Gilbert Harry ABRAHAM enlisted on the 21st September,1914 at Kingaroy, Qld at the age of 27 years 11 Months. 22nd December,1914 – Melbourne he embarked per H.M.A.T. “Ceramic” for over seas 12th April,1915 – Joined 15th Infantry Battalion at Gallipoli 18th May,1915 Wounded in Action Dardanelles, France admitted to 3rd western hospital, Cardiff. 4th October,1915 – Rejoined unit 17th Draft 6th March,1916 – Rejoined Battalion Tel-El-Kabir 1st August,1916 Joined B.E.F. – Alexandria – per “Transylvania” – Rouen 13th August, 1916 – Wounded in Action – gun shot wound left shoulder seriously ill transferred from field hospital 28th August, 1916 – Bulford Hospital 22nd September,1916 – Granted Furlough Perham Downes 16th January,1917 – Proceeded to rejoin unit overseas per “Princess Victoria” – Folkstone - Estaples 27th January,1917 – Rejoined 1st Battalion in field 3rd February,1917 – Admitted to Brighton Hospital suffering from Trench Feet 8th March,1917 – Admitted 3 Aux Hospital – Dartford – Frost bite toes 22nd June,1917 – Discharged to Depot Weymouth 9th August,1917 – returned to Australia per A64 “Demosthenes” for home service (frost bite left foot) 30th October,1917 – Discharged from service.

Description 5ft 61/2 in – 130lbs – Fair complexion – Blue Eyes – Light Brown Hair – 27years 11 months – Religion Cof E – Farmer – N of K – mother – Mrs G H Cooke – Eumundi – Qld

1913 and 1917 - Mannuem Creek Kingaroy – farmer – also his brother Leonard who also enlisted 1925 – 1936 - Barkers Creek Nanango – Farmer 1937 – Wharf Street Brisbane 8th October,1940 – Glibert passed away, aged 53 years (Yet to find where he died and where he was buried / cremated

Family History Gilbert Harry was born 19th October, 1886 – Oakey , Qld his father was Jabez Abraham 1857 – 1908, and his mother was Elizabeth Healy 1860 – 1922 he had 7 siblings Gladys Mary Sofia 1885 – 1982 Beryl Augusta Bo 1888 – mar 1923 Duncan Campbell Lennox Cyril Frank 1890 – 1918 ww1 France Jabez 1893 – 21/4/1919 ww1 France Leonard – 22/7/1895 –

Soldiers' Letters. - Nambour Chronicle 22nt October,1915 PRIVATE G. ABRAHAM. Private Gilbert Abraham, stepson of Mr. G. H. Cooke, head teacher Eumundi State School, writes to his brother. His luck changed since, however, as he has been sent to Malta. 401 "C" Company, 15th Btn., 4th Inf. Brigade, A.I.F., Med. Exp. Force, Aug. 11th, 1915. Dear Eric— (Eric Kingsley also served AIF ww1) I think it is your turn to have your letters answered, so I am writing a few lines on the battlefield. I have been expecting a few letters lately, but none have come. They say that two hundred bags of mail were sunk off shore recently. I am assuming that all the letters I expected were duly written and have since found a watery grave. I cannot tell you much about our operations of the last few days else' this letter would never reach you. You will know very soon that we have been at it again, and will no doubt be wondering how I have fared. To date I am as well as ever only pretty nearly worn out, as are the rest of us who have been here from the start and most of those who have not. We have all had a very strenuous time since this last racket began. Fighting and trench digging has been the order of the day and night, with standing to arms and marching over hill and dale from one post to another thrown in to fill up the gaps. This has been a ????? and more severe bit of work than any one we have been in yet. We have advanced of course and are not likely to be driven back. I doubt if there was ever such stubborn fighting before. To-day things are very quiet, but that says nothing. It does not take long to get an engagement under way in circumstances like these. We are not likely to be in it immediately except in a case of some urgency. We have lots of Tommies with us now, all of whom are I think part of Kitchener's first army. They are a fine looking body of men and well trained. We are particularly impressed by their officers. The Ghurkas are a very interesting crowd, small and well built. They are in appearance for all the world like Japs, except that the skin has a darker tinge. In a charge especially at night they are in a class by themselves. They do not like trench fighting, but when it is done are never so happy, as when there happens to be a sprinkling of Australians amongst them. The Sihks are a big race of men and have a good reputation here as fighters. Most of them wear beards and a very dignified look. Since writing the above I have been called away on fatigue to help bury the dead. It was hard work considering our condition, and none too pleasant, though interesting enough. The Turks always have a book about them by which they set great store, to judge by appearances. It is probably the Koran. I collected one this morning from the first Turk we struck and am keeping it as a curio. He had another book as well which only showed up when we tumbled him in but that was buried with him. A few Turks had haversacks containing "scran", from the nature of which we concluded that the unspeakable one does himself pretty well. We found a big lump of the best white sugar on one fellow. Their bread is probably of their own make. Among the hills of the newly conquered ground are patches of flat ground growing barley. This was just being harvested when we interrupted the proceedings. I think the Turkish warriors were gathering the grain, grinding it into meal and making bread themselves. They also have numerous olive trees under cultivation and some figs. The former grow wild here and are quite common. Water is none too plentiful here and has been a problem right from the start. I could do with a good swig now, but that is beside the question. We have been on the Peninsula for three and a half months and have had practically no rain. I believe it comes down in earnest though, in the season. To-day is certainly very quiet. Perhaps Abdaul is at work burying dead, too. I understand that out position generally is good. Hope it is. We are looking forward to a much needed spell which can only eventuate when things are more settled. Some day I might tell you about a charge we made the other morning. It was successful in a military sense, but we al lost good cobbers in it. Well, Heck, who do you think cropped up in our signallers about a fortnight ago ? None other than Dick Devers. He is in the same company as I am, having come over with the reinforcements (6th). Wounded now but not dangerously. I understand from Charles of that ilk He is in a different company and came with the 4th reinforcements. I did not know him and had to take Dick's word about it. Both are well developed fellows. Dick short and nuggety and not much changed. You might tell Jabez that Billy Missingham came over with the sixth reinforcements. We hardly got into action before he caught a bullet. I saw him on the stretcher being taken back with a hole through him. It was in the side of the stomach I think, but, would not be sure having seen so many since. He looked pretty right about the face, and spoke as usual. Seeing that he was doctored immediately, I am pretty certain he'll pull through. Will have to wind up this rambling epistle now. Yes, I got the love the girl sent. Tell her I salaam and kiss her hands. 'That is how a Turk begins his letter. I remain, your affectionate brother, Gilbert. THE LATE CAPTAIN J. ABRAHAM By the death of Captain Jabez Abraham, which occurred suddenly on Sunday evening last at the schoolhouse, Hemmant, the Department of Public Instruction has lost a faithful head master, the Defence Force a diligent officer, and the people and children of Hemmant a kind and sympathetic friend. Mr. Abraham was perfectly well on Sunday afternoon when he complained of a sudden pain in the head. He became unconscious, and after a brief illness of only three hours, he passed away at 7 o'clock. His young sons were absent at their farm beyond Ipswich. At the funeral, which took place yesterday afternoon, the population of Hemmant turned out en masse and the scene both at the house and the graveside was most affecting. The Masonic Lodge to which deceased belonged, attended in regalia, and all the officers of the Grand Lodge of Queensland (of which for some time the deceased gentleman was organist, who could be summoned in time, also paid (their last respects by joining the funeral cortege en route, and accompanying it to the Bulimba Cemetery. The Rev J. H. Whitehead , of St. Peter's, Wynnum officiated at the grave, and also read a short service in the house. Those present at the funeral included Messrs. Telford and Huntington (representing Education Department), the members of School Committee, Majors Halstead and Larsen, Lieutenant Blackbore, members of Wynnum Masonic Lodge, Messrs W Jones Gehrnmann, D. Benjamin, W. Young, Bick, Jeffrey (representing the Grand Lodge of Queensland), many teachers, including Messrs. Healey, Twenlow. Ellis, Cummings, Hacker, Stanley, Messrs. Blaine. J. Arnold, Mills, Stothard, Abercrombie, sen, Yeo, Vanstone, and a fully representative gathering of residents of Hemmant and the surrounding district. Wreaths were sent from M. Wor. Grand Master and Grand Lodge Officers of the Grand Lodge of A.F. and A, Masons of Queensland, Naval and Military Masonic Lodge, Wynnum Masonic Lodge, Mr. and Mrs. W H . Barnes. Mr. and Mrs. W Young (Norman Park , Mr. and .Mrs. T, W. Thomason , G E. Baddeley and family, Mr. and "Mrs. Haines, Mr. and Mrs. Aborcrombie, Mr. and Mrs. Varstone and family, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Laidlaw and family. Mr. and Mrs. Crofts, Mr. and Mrs. Yeo and family, Mr. and Mrs. Blair, Mr. and "Mrs. Bottger. Mrs. Palmer and family. Mr and Mrs Uhlmann, Mr and Mrs Shailer, Emily and Ruby Mumford, Leonard Burton and Edward Bigley , Flora Burton, Harold Wright, Lily and Willis Smith, Hilda Johnson, Hemmant school children residing in Wynnum. Many telegrams of sympathy and letters of condolence were received : Hon, Mr. and Mrs. W H. Barnes, Mrs. J. Chambers, Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Crowther, Mrs. S. G. Benson, Mr. Lionel Benson, Mrs Haines, Mr. T. L. Pratten, Mr. S. Turnbull. Mr. F. V. Keth, Mrs Baddeley, Mr J D Story (Under Secretary of Education ), Mr. Dempsey, Mrs. Rogers, Mr. Geo. Martin, Mrs Carmody

Mother remarried 1910 c1587 Qld to George Henry Cooke On 22nd October, 1910, five weeks after his wife’s death, George married Elizabeth Abraham, the widow of Jabez Abraham also a teacher, who had died in 1908. The family now numbered 17 children and in January, 1911, George and Elizabeth moved the family to Eumundi where he took up the post of Head Teacher at the local state school. This remarkable family made a huge contribution to the war effort with eight of their sons enlisting in the army including Herbert William. Three died and did not return to Australia.

Eumundi & District Roll of Honour Board, Eumundi Memorial School of Arts Hall, Memorial Drive, Eumundi

Nambour (Maroochy Shire) Roll of Honor Scroll, Private Collection, Nambour (this scroll was available for sale to the public after the war)

Maroochy Shire Honor Roll, Shire Chambers, Bury Street, Nambour

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