Harvey George Rae - RTA - ID# 178

178

 

A story for Mia....

 

As the centenary of the Great War unfolds, many with family members who served overseas are remembering them and their sacrifices in minds and hearts.

Sifting through her personal memories of her much loved grandfather, Harvey George Rae, Pippa Murphy decided to write a memoir of him for her own granddaughter, Mia Murphy.

Her feelings for and recollections of Harvey bring him to life for a new generation of his family and explore the essence of the man. Here is Pippa’s story for Mia.

Ernest John Ingram - RTA - ID# 221

Pte Ernest John INGRAM,10 Jan 1915, Cheops Pyramid, Egypt, ID#221

 

God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers....

 

Ernie Ingram was having one of his best football seasons. Frequently mentioned amongst the most valuable players on ground, he was looking forward to playing in the finals and his team, the Narrogin Railways Club was on target to repeat its 1913 premiership win.

It took only a half column headed WAR on page 5 of the local newspaper of 7th August 1914 to make a dramatic change to Ernie’s plans, not only for the footy finals but for the remainder of his life.

poppy2 William Deas Lumsden - KIA - ID# 382

William Deas LUMSDEN,10 Jan 1915, Cheops Pyramid, Egypt - ID#382


There was a soldier, a Scottish soldier

Who wandered far away and soldiered far away
There was none bolder, with good broad shoulders,
He fought in many a fray and fought and won

Leaving behind a large family of siblings, young William and older brother Tommy Lumsden decided to try their luck in Albany, Western Australia.

Walter Lamont Fathers - RTA - ID# 489

 .....regular Australians - extraordinary service

Walter Lamont FATHERS, Cheops Pyramid 10 Jan 1915, ID#489


Paul, the grandson of Walter Fathers recalls Grandpa was a very gentle, quiet and reserved man who pottered around the house, tended his garden and tinkered in his shed.

He hand carved with love, model yachts for his grandsons and beautiful doll’s houses for his granddaughters.
 

 

John Harold COFFEN - RTA - ID# 254
(ID under review)

Coffen John Harold 960 Pte HQ

 

In war, there are no unwounded soldiers

 

 

John Harold Coffen was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1894, the second youngest of the seven children of Agnes and William Coffen. His mother Agnes was the granddaughter of the Western Australian pioneers William Hole Duffield and Charlotte Foss Duffield.

Their home on the Swan River was named Bicton and the Perth riverside suburb now bears its name.

Edward Rogerson - RTA - ID# 655

Private Edward ROGERSON, 10Jan 1915 Cheops Pyramid, Egypt


"Tick Tock Granddad"

 

'Tick Tock Granddad' as he was know to the grandchildren, was born in 1889 in England and was the youngest child of his family who lived in Chingford, Essex.

His father was a private waterman on the canals and the small family home still exists and is in good order.