George William Bramble (1896 - 1965)

Born 27 Jul 1896 in Bulahdelah, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of May Elizabeth Fox — married 1921 in Rockdale, NSW

Descendants

Died 19 Sep 1965 at age 69 in Gloucester, NSW

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Biography

George William Bramble is born on July 27, 1896 in Bulahdelah, New South Wales, Australia. The birth is registered in Stroud. His parents are Jessie (Ted) Bramble (1867-1931) and Lucinda Bonney (1868-1906). Bulahdelah is in the Myall Lake area about 98 kilometres north of Newcastle. His father worked in the forestry industry but by about 1896 he had established a farm at Two Mile Lake. So George’s early years were spent on a farm. Two Mile Lake is a few kilometres south of the townsite of Bulahdelah.

On June 5, 1916 George enlists with the army as a private in the 1st Pioneer Battalion. At the time of his enlistement, his occupation is shown as a labourer. He embarks from Sydney on October 17, 1916 and sails to Europe. While his experiences during World War I are not known, it is assumed he lands in France sometime in late 1916 and then joins up with the 1st Pioneer Battalion somewhere in the trenches near the Somme. The 1st Pioneer Battalion had trained for a time in Eygpt and then sailed for France in March 1916. While the 1st Pioneer Battalion did see some combat, its main role was more in the area of engineering and construction (digging trenches or tunnels, building railways, etc). He probably returns to Australia in the spring of 1919.

In 1921 George marries May Elizabeth Fox (c1898-1957) in Rockdale, a southern suburb of Sydney. They have two children:

• Dorothy Mabel Lucinda Bramble 1922-2007 + (1941) John Clarence Dorney 1915-2000

• Kenneth Lloyd Bramble 1924-1953 + (1945) Ethel Maude Butcher 1925-?

On May 5, 1942 George again enlists in the Australian Army. He is a Lieutenant in the Volunteer Defence Corp (VDC). The VDC is an Australian part-time volunteer military force of World War II modelled on the British Home Guard. Its job is to train for guerrilla warfare, collect local intelligence and provide static defence in each unit’s home area. George is discharged on October 1, 1945.

As far as is known George and May spend their lives living in Bulahdelah (at least one of the two children is born in Bulahdelah, and in 1942 when he enlists in the Army he is living in Bulahdelah). May dies in 1957 and is buried in the cemetery in Bulahdelah. George dies on September 19, 1965 and is buried with her.

Sources

[1] Newlin-Noakes family tree at https://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ shows George William Bramble born on 27 July 1896 in Bulahdelah, NSW. His parents are Jesse Ted Bramble (1867-1932) and Lucinda Bonney (1868-1906). In 1921 he marries May Elizabeth Fox (c1898-1957) in Rockdale. They have 2 children: (1) Dorothy Mabel Lucinda c1920-2007 + (1941) John Clarence Dorney 1915-2000; and (2) Kenneth Lloyd 1924-1953 + (1945) Ethel Maude Butcher 1925-?. George dies in 1965.

[2] NSW BDM registration #25873/1896 The birth of George W. Bramble is registered in 1896 in Stroud. His parents are Jesse & Lucinda Bramble.

[3] Australian War Memorial at https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2047397 George William Bramble was a private in the Australian Army. He was in the Pioneer Battalion. He embarked from Sydney on 17 Oct 1916 onboard the HMAT Borda A30.

[4] https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=30651 This web site shows George William Bramble, regimental #3075, as a private who enlisted 5 June 1916 and who embarked from Sydney on 17 Oct 1916 onboard the HMAT Borda A30. He was in the 1st Pioneer Battalion, 7th Reinforcement. It gives his next of kin as Edward Bramble, “father” [George William’s father was Jessie (Ted) Bramble?] It gives his age as 20; he is single, his occupation is a labourer. His address is Bulla Dellah, NSW.

[5] Wikipedia (July 2019): “The 1st Pioneer Battalion was an Australian infantry and light engineer unit raised for service during the First World War as part of the all volunteer Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Formed in Egypt in March 1916, the battalion subsequently served on the Western Front in France and Belgium, after being transferred to the European battlefields shortly after its establishment. Assigned to the 1st Division, the 1st Pioneer Battalion fought in most of the major battles that the AIF participated in between mid-1916 and the end of the war in November 1918. It was subsequently disbanded in early 1919.”

[6] NSW BDM registration #10826/1921 George W. Bramble married May E. Fox in 1921 in Rockdale.

[7] World War 2 Nominal Role at http://www.ww2roll.gov.au George William Bramble, service #N459164, was born 27 Jul 1896 in Bulahdelah. He enlisted on 5 May 1942 in Bulahdelah. His next of kin was May Bramble. He was discharged on 1 Oct 1945. He held the rank of Lieutenant. His posting at the time of his discharge was 4th Battalion Volunteer Defense Corp.

[8] Wikipedia (July 2019): The Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) was an Australian part-time volunteer military force of World War II modelled on the British Home Guard. It was initially composed of ex-servicemen who had served in World War I. Its job was to train for guerrilla warfare, collect local intelligence and provide static defence in each unit’s home area. At its peak strength there were 100,000 men between the ages of 18 and 60 serving in the VDC.

[9] Australian Cemeteries Index at https://austcemindex.com/inscription?id=8544532 (thanks to Paul Fitzgerald), photo of gravestone in Bulahdelah cemetery: “In Loving Memory of / My Dear Wife & Our Mother / May Elizabeth Bramble / died April 4, 1957 / Aged 59 Years / our ???? Father / George William Bramble / died Sept 19, 1965 / Aged 68 Years / Rest in Peace”