NOOSA Today profiles the Eumundi men who fell in World War I whose names are now marked in an Avenue of Honour along Memorial Drive.
EUMUNDI
Private Cyril Frank Abraham of the 49th Battalion
CYRIL Abraham, 27, miner, of Eumundi, joined the war effort on 14 June 1917 when he set sail from Sydney on the HMAT Hororata. Almost 18 months later on 20 October 1918, Private Abraham died of acute pneumonia and was buried at Fouilloy, France. Private Abraham’s four brothers and three step-brothers all served in World War I.
Private William Joseph Carroll of the 25th Battalion
ORIGINALLY a labourer in Eumundi, Private Carroll set sail for the war on board the HMAT A20 Hororata on 4 June 1917 at the age of 22. Private Carroll served on the Western Front before he was killed in action on 2 September 1918 and buried at the Peronne Communal Cemetery, France.
Private Henry Clyne Christian of the 15th Battalion
FORMERLY a farmer, Private Christian arrived in Eumundi from Ireland only a year before he set sail for the war on board the HMAT A46 Clan Macgillivray on 7 September 1916 at the age of 27. Private Christian was described as a “very good” letter writer in WWI records and was originally reported as missing when a number of letters were returned from the front. Private Christian was later found to have been killed in action on 11 April 1917 at the age of 28 while fighting at Bullecourt, France. He has no known grave, but is remembered at the Villers-Bretonneux memorial in France.
Private Walter Joseph Edward Gridley of the 2nd Light Horse Regiment
WALTER Gridley left for the war on board the HMAT A36 Boonah from Sydney on 22 January 1916 at the age of 21. Two and a half years later on 28 July 1918, Private Gridley died of wounds while serving as a gunner for the 6th Field Artillery Brigade. His brother, Robert George Gridley also served and would return to Australia 18 July 1919.
Private Archibald Maltman McIntyre of the 25th Battalion
ORIGINALLY a fitter and turner in Eumundi, Private McIntyre left to join the war effort on board the SS Canberra on 16 November 1917 at the age of 30. Private McIntyre was killed in action on 4 July 1918 while fighting at Villers-Bretonneux, and is also buried at Villers-Brettonneux.
Corporal Francis George Morgan of the 9th Battalion
AT THE age of 26, Corporal Morgan set sail for the war. Records show he was on board the HMAT A69 Warilda on 5 October 1915. Just over two years later, on 19 October 1917, Corporal Morgan died of wounds and is remembered at Ypres, Belgium.
Private Thomas James Rubenach of the 4th Machine Gun Battalion
PRIVATE Rubenach left for the war on board the HMAT A48 Seang Bee on 2 October 1915 at the age of 23. War records show Pte Rubenach served in Egypt and the Western Front, and was transferred to the 4th Pioneer Battalion on 16 March 1916. Pte Rubenach died at sea from tuberculosis while returning to Australia on 11 June 1919. Pte Rubenach is remembered for his service at the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France.
Lance-Corporal Aubrey Beverley Stuart-Russell of the 15th Battalion
Lance-Corporal Stuart-Russell was just 23 when he boarded the HMAT A36 Boonah on 21 October 1916. According to his mother, Lance-Corporal Stuart-Russell, an only son, lived on his father’s cattle station until he was 14 years old, where he learned to love bush life. Lance-Corporal Stuart-Russell died from a gunshot wound to his back on 4 July 1918 while fighting near Hamel, France. Lance-Corporal Stuart-Russell has been remembered for his service at the Crouy British Cemetery, Crouy-Sur-Somme, France.
Private Vincent Donnelly of the 15th Battalion
EUMUNDI carpenter, Private Donnelly left to join the war effort on 25 November 1916 on board the HMAT A72 Beltana at the age of 24. Private Donnelly was killed in action on 18 September 1918 and was later buried at the Jeancourt Communal Cemetery, France.
Private Clarence Howard Culpin of the 26th Battalion
FORMERLY a farmer in Eumundi, Private Culpin embarked for the war on board the HMAT A36 Boonah on 21 October 1916 at the age of 36. Private Culpin was killed in action on 16 April 1918 while fighting at Buire, Somme Sector, France. Private Culpin was buried at Dernacourt Communal Cemetary, France.
Private Jabez Abraham of the 15th Battalion
ON 5 October 1915, Jabez Abraham embarked from Brisbane on board the HMAT A69 Warilda. Private Abraham served along with his four brothers and three stepbrothers, including Private Cyril Frank who died of disease on 20 October 1918. On 21 August 1916, Private Abraham, 22, died from wounds sustained in action in France. He was buried at the Etaples Military Cemetery, France.
Private Edward Hugh Allen of the 9th Battalion
ON 27 October 1916, Edward Allen embarked from Brisbane on board the HMAT A74 Marathon. On 20 September 1917, Private Allen was killed when he was hit by shrapnel from an enemy shell at Polygon Wood, Belgium. With no known grave, Private Allen is remembered for his service at the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium.
Private William Henry Armfield of the 49th Battalion
ON 19 September 1916, William Armfield embarked from Brisbane on board the HMAT A49 Seang Choon. On 5 April 1918, Private Armfield was killed in action in France and with no known grave is remembered for his service at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France.
Private Ferdinand William Clifton of the 9th Battalion
ON 24 September 1914, Ferdinand Clifton embarked from Brisbane on board the HMAT A5 Omrah. Less than a year later, Private Clifton, 41, died from sunstroke while at sea on board the HS Canada. Private Clifton is remembered for his service at the Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey.
Private Frank Eric Colthup of the 26th Battalion
FRANK Colthup embarked from Brisbane on 8 August 1916 on board the HMAT A50 Itonus. On 29 April 1918, Private Colthup was killed in action aged just 21 years old. Private Colthup is buried at the Derncourt Communal Cemetery, France.
Private Herbert William Cooke of the 15th Battalion
ON 22 December 1914, Herbert Cooke embarked from Melbourne on board the HMAT A40 Ceramic. On 30 April 1915, aged 21 and just four days after landing at Anzac Cove, Private Cooke was killed in action with recorded injuries including a head wound. He was buried at the Beach Cemetery, Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey.
Private Thomas Frederick Downey of the 9th Battalion
On 16 August 1915, Thomas Downey of Eumundi embarked on board the HMAT A55 Kyarra. On 7 June 1917, Private Downey was killed in action at Belgium. With no known grave, Private Downey is remembered for his service at the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium.
Sapper Norman Charles Smith of the 1st Tunnelling Company
On 4 April 1916, Norman Smith embarked from Melbourne on board the HMAT A14 Euripides. Sapper Smith served on the Western Front, until his body was found in the Seine River at Rouen, near Paris, on 30 July 1918; 20 days after he went missing. Sapper Smith was aged 23 when his body was found and the circumstances surrounding his death still remain a mystery. He was buried at St Sever Cemetery, France, with full military honours.
Private Charles Sylvester Stokes of the 47th Battalion
On 31 March 1916, Charles Stokes of Cooroy embarked from Sydney on board the HMAT A16 Star of Victoria. On 27 February 1917, Private Stokes was taken to hospital with a “very severe attack of bronchitis”. He died on 1 March 1917 and was buried in the Etaples Military Cemetery, France, with full military honours.
Private Wilfred George Wells of the 25th Battalion
AT 18 years old, Wilfred Wells embarked from Sydney on board the RMS Mooltan on 12 April 1916. Private Wells was killed in action in France on 14 November 1916 at the age of 19. With no known grave, Private Wells is remembered at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France.
