The Broadbent clan of Cherry Gardens

Just finished doing the basic research on the six Broadbent boys from Cherry Gardens. They appear to have all been brothers or cousins:

Private Albert George Broadbent, 5th Pioneer Battalion: killed in action at Bullecourt, France 10 May 1917. Brother of Marshall Broadbent below.

Private Ralph Leslie Broadbent, 43rd Battalion, killed in action near Messines, Belgium 31 July 1917

Sapper Marshall Broadbent, 3rd Tunnelling Company, survived the war but died in an explosives accident at the Golden Horseshoe mine near Kalgoorlie, WA in 1940. Brother of Albert George Broadbent above.

Private Leland Keith Broadbent, 48th Battalion, survived the war and died aged 82 in 1980. Brother of Lindsay (Reg) Broadbent and Rowland Broadbent below.

Private Lindsay Reginald Broadbent, 32nd Battalion, wounded twice, lost one or both legs as a result, survived the war, died aged 85 in 1975. Brother of Leland Keith Broadbent above, and Rowland Broadbent below.

Corporal Rowland Broadbent, 11th Field Ambulance, gassed, survived war, Methodist clergyman, died in 1947 aged approximately 66. Brother of Leland Keith and Lindsay Reginald Broadbent above.

There is also Sapper Harry Franklin Broadbent, MM of the 2nd Divisional Signals Company who survived the war but apparently took his own life a few years later. Harry was a brother of Marshall and Albert George Broadbent above, but I can't find a link with Cherry Gardens for him.

I will be writing to the 'Cherry Chatter' team at Cherry Gardens to see if there is any more they can add.

Private Albert George Broadbent of Cherry Gardens

Albert Broadbent was a son of Harry Broadbent and Agnes Broadbent (nee Mackereth) and was born at Cherry Gardens, SA in 1879. He attended Cherry Gardens Public School, but the family must have moved to Western Australia around the turn of the century. Before he enlisted Albert was a farm labourer, well sinker and miner and was living in Dowerin, WA.

He enlisted on 3 April 1916 at the age of 36, and was allocated to the 6th reinforcements to the 5th Pioneer Battalion which embarked at Fremantle, WA on 30 October 1916. After two months training in England Albert joined the 5th Pioneer Battalion on 7 March 1917. Two months later, two days before his 37th birthday, Albert and the rest of 'Don' Company, 5th Pioneer Battalion took over a camp occupied by the 2nd Pioneer Battalion near Bapaume, France. On the night of 9/10 May 1917 and during the following day, while the Second Battle of Bullecourt raged nearby, artillery shells hit the camp, including one shell that made a direct hit on one of the 'Don' Company tents. That single shell killed 12 members of 'Don' Company and wounded a further 23. One of those killed was Albert Broadbent.

Albert was buried in the Vaulx Hill Cemetery (the picture of Albert's grave was taken by Don Watton of Cherry Gardens). His name is inscribed on the Cherry Gardens War Memorial, the Cherry Gardens Methodist (Uniting) Church roll of honour (as AC Broadbent), a stained glass window in the Cherry Gardens Methodist (Uniting) Church, and the Cherry Gardens, Iron Bank, Dorset Vale Districts honour roll.

On 17 March 1919 a photograph of Albert George Broadbent was unveiled at the Cherry Gardens Public School alongside photographs of ten other former students who paid the supreme sacrifice.

Photograph: Courtesy of Don Watton

Private Ralph Leslie Broadbent of Cherry Gardens

Ralph Leslie Broadbent was a son of Henry Field Broadbent and Mary Hill Broadbent (nee Hughes), and was born at Wandearah, SA (south of Port Pirie) in 1895. He attended Victor Harbor Public School, was a keen sportsman and worked as a farmer before the war.

He enlisted on 16 June 1916 at the age of 20, and after a short stint in a training unit in England, joined 'Cork' Company of the 43rd Battalion in France in January 1917. After several months of static trench warfare, Ralph fought in his first major action during the Battle of Messines in June 1917.

On 31 July 1917, the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, the 43rd Battalion was ordered to capture six German posts near Warneton, Belgium. 'Cork' Company was tasked to capture three of the posts, and took many casualties during the capture of one located in a ruined windmill. During the attack or the subsequent German and Australian counter-attacks, Ralph was killed in action. 44 members of the battalion were killed that day. His body could not be located after the battle, and his name is inscribed on panel 27 of the Menin Gate Memorial near Ypres, Belgium, along with many other Australians with no known grave.

After the war the town of Whyalla (previously called Hummock's Hill) named a street (Broadbent Terrace) in his honour. His name is also inscribed on the State National Memorial, the Whyalla memorial and the Cherry Gardens Methodist Church Roll of Honour. In describing her son for the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Mary Broadbent quoted from a letter sent to her by Ralph's platoon commander in which he described him as 'a splendid companion to have nearby when things were hot, who always set a splendid example of cheerfulness, even under most adverse conditions'.

Photograph: Courtesy State Records of South Australia

Private Jesse Strange of Cherry Gardens

Jesse Strange was a son of Henry Strange and Charlotte Strange (nee Ricks). He was born in Cherry Gardens in 1887 and attended the local public school. As a teenager he won prizes for his garden produce at the local agricultural shows in 1901 and 1902. He then worked as a gardener in Cherry Gardens, and under the leadership of his father, became an active member of the Independent Order of Rechabites, a friendly society that encouraged temperance.

He enlisted on 2 June 1915 at the age of 27, and joined the 4th reinforcements to the 27th Battalion. After a stint in Keswick Hospital with measles he sailed to Egypt and joined A or 'Ack' Company of the battalion at Tel-el-Kebir in late January 1916. After another stint in hospital he sailed to France but was found to have contracted the mumps and was hospitalised in Marseilles on arrival. He caught up with the battalion on 23 April 1916. The 27th Battalion took part in its first major battle at Pozieres between 28 July and 5 August 1916. On the final day of that battle Jesse received a gunshot wound to his right arm and was evacuated back to England.

Jesse's wound was mild and he recuperated quickly, rejoining the battalion in France in early December 1916. The unit participated in minor attacks during the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line in early 1917. Jesse reported sick with influenza in early September 1917 and did not rejoin the battalion until early January 1918. After two weeks leave in England in February 1918 he returned to the battalion. In April 1918 the battalion fought to turn back the German spring offensive, and in May Jesse returned to hospital for a further month, again with influenza.

He rejoined the 27th Battalion on 4 June 1918, and the following day the battalion entered the frontline near Sailly-le-Sec. On 10 June 1918 the battalion attacked and captured German trenches around Morlancourt. Sometime on 11 June 1918 Jesse was killed in action, probably during heavy German shelling of the forward posts the 27th Battalion established after the attack. His cousin Charles Ricks, who was also serving with the 27th Battalion, had been killed on the first day of the attack. Despite the efforts of Jesse's brother Arthur, the Red Cross were unable to find out any details about Jesse's death.

Jesse's body was never located, and as a result his name is on the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, along with many other Australians with no known grave. His photograph was displayed in the Cherry Gardens Public School after the war alongside other former students that died in the war. His name is inscribed on the Cherry Gardens War Memorial and the State National War Memorial.

Photograph: Courtesy Don Watton

The War Graves Photographic Project

As a result of the article in the recent Mitcham Community News, I was contacted by South Australian members of the War Graves Photographic Project. This project is aimed at photographing every war grave, individual memorial and family memorial of military personnel from WW1 to the present day. They now work in a joint venture with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and make the photographs available through their website (linked through the title of this blog entry).

A brilliant resource. They have already visited and photographed cemeteries in the Cherry Gardens area, and are hoping to visit other cemeteries in Blackwood and surrounding districts later this year.

Well done to everyone involved!

Lance Corporal Robert Harold Brealey of Cherry Gardens

The last of the Brealey's (I think!). Robert Brealey was born in Cherry Gardens, SA but enlisted in WA. He was just 18 when he enlisted, and joined the 51st Bn in France in April 1918 just in time to re-take Villers-Brettoneux at the end of the German Spring Offensive and some of the later allied offensives that led to the end of the war. He survived and returned to WA, also serving in the Second World War. Again, no photograph as yet, but his WW2 file should have one... if all else fails.

Private Sidney Brealey of Cherry Gardens

Just did the basic research on Sidney Brealey of Cherry Gardens, a private with 4th Pioneer Battalion who spent over two years on the Western Front. One of the Cherry Gardens Brealey clan, he was brother to Charles Brealey and (probably) cousin to Robert Harold and James Newman Brealey. He enlisted in WA where he was working at the time. More once I get a photo.

Private Cecil Claude Ahrens of Upper Sturt

Cecil Ahrens was born at Upper Sturt, SA on 19 March 1897. His father Wilhelm (known as William) died the following year, and he was raised by his mother Elizabeth Jane Ahrens (nee Morgan). Cecil attended Scott's Creek Public School, and had spent a year in the senior cadets with the 74th Battalion at Stirling. He was working as a baker's assistant in Gumeracha immediately before he joined up.

He enlisted at Adelaide on 1 November 1915 at the age of 18, and was alloted to the 15th reinforcements of the 10th Battalion AIF, one of several battalions to be recruited solely from South Australia. He embarked from Adelaide on 9 March 1916, and was transferred to 50th Battalion reinforcements in May 1916 not long after he arrived in Egypt. He shipped to France and joined the 50th Battalion on 27 July 1916.

On the night of 12 August 1916, the 50th Battalion moved into the trenches opposite Mocquet Farm near Pozieres, France, and were subjected to a long and incredibly intense artillery bombardment. Sometime that night, he and a Corporal Noble were near each other when a shell landed close by and killed Cecil. Corporal Noble was so badly shell shocked that their officer wouldn't rely on Noble's statement about Cecil's death, so he posted Cecil as missing in action instead. In March 1917 an inquiry decided that Cecil had been killed in action on 16 August 1916, and this is what was put on the official roll of honour. He has no known grave and his name is inscribed on the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux, France.

On 6 July 1919, Mr George Laffer unveiled an honour roll in the Ironbank Methodist Church sunday school. That honour roll included Cecil Claude Ahrens. A gravestone erected by his mother is in the Cherry Gardens cemetery alongside that of his father.

Photograph: Courtesy State Records of South Australia

Private James Newman Brealey of Cherry Gardens

Photo: AWM P07791.001

James Newman Brealey was a son of John William and Elizabeth Lillian Brealey. Newman (as he was known) was born in Southern Cross, WA. The family lived in Cherry Gardens when Newman was primary school age as he attended the Cherry Gardens Public School. The family must have moved back to WA soon after and then moved around a fair bit, as Newman also attended the Yalgoo State School (500 km north of Perth) and the family lived in various gold mining towns along the road west from Perth towards Kalgoorlie. It appears that Newman's father and brother were gold miners at one time. Newman himself worked as a labourer or 'lumper'.

He enlisted at Black Boy Hill, WA on 13 March 1916 at the age of 19, as a reinforcement for the 16th Battalion. He joined the battalion in France in December 1916 after a couple of months of training in England. The freezing winter meant little action until April, when the battalion's first commitment after the spring thaw was the attack on the German Hindenburg defensive line near Bullecourt, France on 11 April 1917.

On the eve of his first battle, probably at the urging of his officer or sergeant, Newman wrote a brief will and testament in his pay book, leaving his possessions to his mother in case of his death. On the following day, the 16th Battalion attacked without adequate artillery support but with the support of tanks, many of which broke down. Despite this, the battalion captured its objectives, but ran out of ammunition and bombs and were eventually forced to withdraw back to their original trenches. Of the 17 officers and 700 soldiers of the 16th Battalion that attacked that day, only 3 officers and 87 soldiers returned to their start line. One of the soldiers left on the battlefield was Newman Brealey. As his body was never found, his name is inscribed on the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France, along with thousands of other Australians who have no known grave.

On 2 November 1918, nine days before the War ended, a photograph of Newman Brealey was unveiled in the schoolhouse of the Cherry Gardens Public School alongside others from Cherry Gardens that had been killed. His name is inscribed on the Cherry Gardens War Memorial. His brother, Lance Corporal Robert Harold Brealey served with the 51st Battalion and survived the War, returning to Australia in July 1919.

By 1923, the family had moved again, and were living in Manjimup, WA (360 kms south of Perth).

The Terrell brothers of Cherry Gardens

I received an email the other day from the grandson of Frederick Leopold Terrell (and great nephew of Eric Gordon Terrell whose name I already had on the list) of Cherry Gardens. Another one to add to the list (now 233 names). Apparently the family have Frederick's diary and some other memorabilia...

It is great to get these emails. I can write a good chronology of a soldier's service history from the various records, but there is nothing quite like personal stories and pictures from the family!

We're up and running!

I'm going to use this blog to provide updates on how the project is going. The aim is to publish an A4 sized book and a website with all of the links to original archival information so people who are interested can look up family members. The plan is launch the book in the week prior to ANZAC Day 2011.