Comments on: The Seabrook brothers: all three killed at Passchendaele

By: Craig Tibbitts

Craig Tibbitts — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:42:03 +0000

Hi Sandra,

It looks like Stephen Brooks is all over this topic (see comment No. 20 above). I assume he will publish something as a result of his research at some stage.

Cheers,
Craig Tibbitts

By: Sandra McKessar

Sandra McKessar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:14:04 +0000

Is there a way of finding out how many lots of 4 brothers were killed in WW1.

The Reid family of Udny Aberdeenshire lost 4 boys, Alexander (serving with the Canadians) his twin brother William, Robert and James.

One can only imagine the pain that family went through.

By: Michelle Morrison

Michelle Morrison — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:06:52 +0000

My Grandmothers 3 brothers Edmund,William and Daniel Conway of Berry NSW all served in the AIF in WW1
William and Daniel were both killed in France.William is commemorated on the memorial war at Villers Brettoneux and Daniel has a grave there.
Edmond returned at the end of the war and also enlisted in WW2.
I have photos of Daniel and of his original burial site in France and a few of William in, I think, Egypt.( copies)
I also have original postcards sent from Edmond and also an original group photo “No 20 Class,Physical & Bayonet Training HQ Gymnasium,Aldershot.Aug 1918″
On the back of this photo which is mounted on the original cardboard are the names of all the soldiers in order with their regiment number written by I think Edmund.
Does any one know how to preserve these or what i can do with them?
Thanks
Michelle

By: reg stevens

reg stevens — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:45:31 +0000

i am keen to correspond with Stephen Brooks re his research of brothers died on service in w.w.1.
our war memorial has 2 brothers A SENDY & W SENDY named as died on service. their 2 sons served in w.w.2
i cannot find any info on these 2 men under that name. i am thinking that they were possibly of german descent and changed their surnames. the 2 sons were born as SENDY in 1908 & 1913.
Stephen’s research may provide an answer.
the names are on the Northam Memorial in WA. I am researching all 77 names on that memorial for he RSL.
any help appreciated

By: Stephen Brooks

Stephen Brooks — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 05:32:10 +0000

I have been researching sets of Australian brothers who lost their lives during WW1 for nearly 18 months. I have recorded the names of over 2,800 confirmed sets brothers who lost their lives, serving just with Australian forces. This figure includes 42 fathers and sons, who both died.
It has been a more than poignant task, it has been gut wrenching at times, but one that gives a much deeper understanding of the sacrifice made by the AIF.
I have not completed the work, and it could reach almost 3,000 sets of brothers. So far I have found 151 families that lost at least three sons, and at least 5 of those lost 4 sons.
These figures do not include any brothers who died serving with other Commonwealth forces, I have recorded them seperately, and have found a further 147 families who had at least one brother who died serving in the AIF, and at least one other brother who died serving with another British or dominion force. The Beechey family is included in this group.
The great majority of course are pairs of brothers, and over 160 pairs of brothers lost their lives on the same day, the majority often serving in the same unit, so literally dying side by side. The slaughter at Fromelles caused the death of 25 sets of brothers and two fathers and sons.
The sacrifice made by so many families is unimaginable. Many families are better known like the Howell-Price, Keid, Seabrook and Leane brothers, but many are also almost forgotten, perhaps not having any descendants to commerate the lives they gave in the service of their country. The grief and suffering endured by their families, and the family’s contribution to Australia should be remembered.
The 2800 sets of brothers translates into over 6000 dead Australians, or 10% of our total casualties. This means in every group of 20 killed were a pair of brothers.
The AIF was desperately short of men for much of the war, and no rules were put in place to limit the number of volunteers, but I have come across many examples where steps were taken to bring home the still surviving brothers from families who had already lost two sons. In one case the people of the small township took up a petition asking for the return of the survinging brother, and in other cases, deperate mothers and fathers, implored the authorities to send at least one son home.
Of course many thousands of families lost just the one son or brother, many of them an only son or brother, and their grief and pain was no less.
Lest we forget.