Six Lewis sons

The Six Sons of Mr & Mrs Charles Lewis, South Street, Toowoomba.

December 1916

Studio portraits of six Lewis brothers.
Australian War Memorial Photo Collection P05163.002

The Six Soldier sons of Mr and Mrs Charles Lewis of South Street, Toowoomba.

They are all fighting for their country on the other side of the world. - Stephens photo.

[Source: The Queenslander, Sat 30 Dec 1916, p. 28 viewable via  NLA's Trove at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23612352 ]

G.A. Lewis [1616] - George Albion Lewis, joined 17 Nov 1915, aged 22 yrs 3 mths.

T.A. Lewis [1772] - Thomas Arthur Lewis, (Tom) joined 10 Feb 1915, aged 21 yrs 6 mths.

R.F. Lewis [1773] - Richard Franklin Lewis, (Frank) joined 9 Nov 1915, aged 26 yrs 5 mths.

W.J. Lewis [1984] - William John Lewis, (Bill) joined 6 Nov 1915, aged 37 yrs.

F.J. Lewis [2357] - Frederick James Lewis, (Fred) joined 12 Oct 1915, aged 31 yrs 6 mths.
E.G. Lewis [2951] - Ernest George Lewis, (Ern) joined 21 Apr 1916, aged 29 yrs 7 mths.

Bill was the first to leave on 10 Nov 1915, then George, Tom and Frank went together on 30 Nov 1915.  Fred left on 31 Mar 1916 and Ern on 12 Sep 1916.  Ern had waited to join up until after the birth of his second son, Ernest George Alfred Lewis in March 1916.

Ern was my great-grandfather and the photo of him in his soldier uniform was displayed on the wall of my mother's childhood home and is a cherished photo within the family.  While many other Australian families had six or more of their sons "go off" to the First World War, my great great grandparents, Charles and Keturah Lewis, were proud of their family's contribution to serving their country and in particular, their six soldier sons service.

All the Lewis brothers were accomplished horsemen, having learned their craft growing up on the Darling Downs in the Freestone Creek area. Ern served with the 5th Australian Light Horse Regiment and George, Richard and Thomas with the 2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment.

1984 Pte William John Lewis, enlisted 6 November 1915 and embarked from Sydney, NSW aboard RMS Orontes on 10 November 1915, RTA 18 October 1916 aboard HMAT Vestalia; 

1616 Pte George Albion Lewis, enlisted 23 August 1915 and embarked from Sydney, NSW, aboard HMAT Suffolk on 30 November 1915, RTA 4 June 1919 aboard SS Mahia; 

1772 Pte Thomas Arthur Lewis, enlisted 11 September 1915 and embarked from Sydney, NSW, aboard HMAT Suffolk on 30 November 1915, RTA 23 August 1918 aboard SS Zealandia; 

1773 Pte Richard Franklin Lewis (stamped R T Lewis on the photograph), enlisted 26 August 1915 and embarked from Sydney, NSW, aboard HMAT Suffolk on 30 November 1915, RTA 9 December 1918 aboard HMAT Leicestershire;

2357 Pte Frederick James Lewis, enlisted 12 October 1915 and embarked from Sydney, NSW, aboard HMAT Star of Victoria on 31 March 1916, RTA 24 July 1919 aboard HMT Dongala; 

2951 Private (Pte) Ernest George Lewis, enlisted 12 July 1916 and embarked from Sydney, NSW, aboard HMAT Kabinga on 12 September 1916, returned to Australia (RTA) 3 July 1919 aboard HMT Malta.

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Overview of dates – 1915 – 1919

1915 Feb – Tom (1772) (21) joined up on Wed. 10 Feb at Liverpool, NSW.

1915 Oct – Fred (2357) (31) joined up on 12 Oct at Toowoomba.

1915 Nov – William (Bill) (1984) (37) joined up on 6 Nov at Toowoomba.   Richard (Dick) (1773) (26) joined up on 9 Nov at Enoggera.  George (1616) (22) joined up 17 Nov at Enoggera.  William embarked on 20 Nov on the HMAT RMS Orontes from Sydney.  Tom, Dick and George embarked on 30 Nov on the HMAT A23 Suffolk from Sydney.

1916 Mar – Fred embarked on 31 Mar on the HMAT A16 Star of Victoria from Sydney.

1916 Apr – Ern (2951) (29) joined up on 21 April at Toowoomba.

1916 Sep – Ern embarked on 12 Sep on the A58 Kabinga from Sydney.

1916 Oct – Bill returned to Australia on 18 Oct aboard Vestalia from Suez.

1916 Dec – Photos of all six Lewis sons are published in the 30 Dec 1916 issue of The Queenslander on page 28.

1918 Dec – Dick returned to Australia on 9 Dec aboard TS Leicestershire from England.

1919 Jun – George returned to Australia on 4 Jun aboard Mahia from England.

1919 Jul – Ern returned to Australia on 3 Jul aboard HT Malta from Kantara.  Tom returned to Australia on 3 Jul aboard HT Zealandia from England, with wife Dorothy.  Fred returned to Australia on 24 Jul aboard HT Dongola from Suez.

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Information summaries

Nov 1915-Jul 1919: Thomas Arthur Lewis (1894-1969)

30 Nov 1915 embarked per HMATS Suffolk; 3 Jul 1919 embarked HT Zealandia. 

Awarded British War Medal 8713, Victory Medal 8633.
5' 7 1/2", 139 lbs, 33 1/2" chest, dark complexion, brown eyes, dark hair, Methodist.

Wife Dorothy.  Children: Arthur, Sylvia, Betty.  Grandchildren: Kevin, Gary, Amanda.

Mar 1916-Jul 1919: Frederick James Lewis (1884-1975)

31 Mar 1916 embarked Star of Victoria; 24 Jul 1919 embarked HT Dongola

Awarded British War Medal 13882, Victory Medal 13672
6', 154 lbs, 40" chest, medium complexion, grey eyes, dark brown hair, Methodist.

Wife Sophia. Children: Leonard, Vera, Stanley. Grandchildren: Terence, Ian, Darryl, Brenda, Lenore, Graham, Vivian.

Nov 1915-Oct 1916: William James Lewis (1878-1957)

20 Nov 1915 embarked HMAT PMS Orontes; 18 Oct 1916 embarked Vestalia

Awarded 1914/15 STAR 8165, British War Medal 9163, Victory Medal 9083
6'2", 154 lbs, 38" chest, dark complexion, brown eyes, dark hair, Methodist.

Wife Louisa.  Children: Elsie, Kitty, William, Norman, Douglas, Leslie.  Grandchildren: Eunice, Melvis, John, Audrey, Kathleen, Dulcie, Arthur, William, Merle, Valerie, Roderick, Peter, Susan, Jeffrey, Gregory, William, Richard, John, Andrew, Wendy, Maxwell.

Nov 1915-Dec 1918: Richard Franklin Lewis (1889-1972)

30 Nov 1915 embarked Suffolk; 9 Dec 1918 embarked TS Leicestershire

Awarded British War Medal 8712, Victory Medal 8632
6', 154 lbs, 35" chest, fair complexion, brown eyes, brown hair, C of E.

Wife Ada.  Children: Ruby, Thomas, Richard, Keith, Edna.  Grandchildren: Alan, Allan, Adrya, Wayne, Lloyd, Narelle, Bevan, Neil.

Nov 1915-Jul 1919: George Albion Lewis (1893-1965)

30 Nov 1915 embarked Suffolk; 21 Jul 1919 embarked Mahia

Awarded British War Medal 8711, Victory Medal 8631
5' 10 3/4", 38" chest, dark complexion, blue eyes, dark brown hair, Methodist.

Wife Mary.  Children: Marjorie, Laura.  Grandchildren: George.

Sep 1916-Jul 1919: Ernest George Lewis (1886-1964)

12 Sep 1916 embarked Kabinga; 3 Jul 1919 embarked Malta

Awarded British War Medal 21586
5'9", 160 lbs, 39.5" chest, medium complexion, grey eyes, dark brown hair, C of E.

Wife Matilda.  Children: Eric, Gwendoline, Ernest, Colin.  Grandchildren: Ronald, Eula, Margaret, Delphene, John, Lorraine, Dennis, Bernice, Bruce, Gail, Heather, Robyn, Russell, Pamela, Sharalyn, Ann.

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Mar 1916-Jul 1918: Alfred Borgert (1892-1959) - brother-in-law of Ernest George Lewis.
31 Mar 1916 embarked A16 Star of Victoria
Awarded British War Medal 18948
Sister Matilda (Tilly). 

REFERENCES:

Australian War Memorial

5th Australian Light Horse Regiment  https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51039

2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment  https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51036

Mark and Catherine Wagland

Mark Wagland (1838-1873) and Catherine Ann Griffith (1846-1907)

Mark Wagland was born 28 November 1838 in Babcary, Somerset to Mathew Wagland and Ann Wagland nee Caines (Kains).  In May 1857, at the young age of 18, Mark boarded the ship Mary Pleasants which arrived in Moreton Bay on 9 August 1857.

Mark made his way to Warwick on the Darling Downs where he (aged 24) married Catherine Ann Griffith (aged 17) on 17 March 1863.

Mark and Catherine’s first child, a daughter, Anna Augusta Wagland was born 17 February 1864 at Pikes Creek near Warwick.  Two years later Louisa Wagland was born 12 February 1866 also at Pikes Creek.  Then followed three sons, Walter Wagland on 13 September 1869; Alfred Wagland on 24 January 1871 and Maurice Mark Wagland on 4 July 1873, all at Leyburn.

Sadly, Mark Wagland contracted typhus fever and died 15 November 1873 in Warwick.  He was survived by his wife of ten years, Catherine (27) and children Anna (9), Louisa (7), Walter (4), Alfred (2) and baby Maurice (four months).

It would have been a difficult time for Catherine with 5 young children and still young herself she would have relied on help from friends and neighbours.  Catherine’s second husband was John Helbert whom she married on 21 April 1875 in Warwick and their son, John Helbert Wagland was born 2 March 1876 at Leyburn.  John Helbert seems to have faded from the home scene and his son John was raised with Wagland as his surname.

Catherine married for a third time to George Haines (a baker) on 2 May 1881 at Roma.  The Haines family moved to Crow’s Nest where Catherine’s youngest children were born – George Frederick Haines on 9 October 1886 and Ada Rose Haines on 7 March 1889.

Sadly in 1891, Catherine’s eldest son, Walter Wagland died on 1 October from injuries he received when his horse bolted.

According to the 1903 electoral roll, Catherine Haines was a Boarding House Keeper at Thallon Street, Crow’s Nest.  Sadly, Catherine’s eldest daughter, Anna Augusta Borgert (nee Wagland) died on 25 March 1903 leaving behind a husband and eleven children.

Catherine aged 62, died 3 August 1907 at Crow’s Nest and was survived by her husband George Haines and children Louisa Wockner nee Wagland (41), Alfred Wagland (37), Maurice Mark Wagland (34), John Helbert Wagland (31), George Frederick Haines (21) and Ada Rose Edser nee Haines (18).

Mark and Catherine were survived by 30 grandchildren:

John Mark Borghardt (1882-1951)
William Albert Borgert (1883-1967)
Geoge James Borgert (1885-1953)
Annie (Teeny) Catherine Peters nee Borgert (1887-1957)
Percy Wockner (1888-1956)
Louisa Peters nee Borgert (1889-1962)
Walter Wockner (1890-1970)
Matilda (Tilly) Lewis nee Borgert (1892-1965) ... my great grandmother
Alfred Ernest Borgert (1892-1959)
Herbert John Wockner (1892-1965)
Frederick Mark Borgert (b. 1893)
Norman Keith Wockner (1894-1975)
Jessie May Wagland (1895-1984)
Lillian (Lily) Cecilia Kelly nee Borgert (1896-1941)
Walter Mark Wagland (1897-1961)
Walter Borghardt (1898-1958)
Arthur (Bill) Frederick Wockner (1898-1979)
Stanley Mark Wagland (1899-1973)
Peter Borghardt (1900-1978)
Sydney David Wagland (1900-1981)
Ethel Evelyn Kathrine Saal nee Wagland (1901-1980)
Elsie Edna McEwan nee Wagland (1902-1956)
Harold Wagland (1903-1969)
Alfred Wagland (1905-1924)
Herbert Percy Wagland (1908-1980)
Cyril Griffith Wagland (1909-1938)
Ethel Louisa Kate Von Penn nee Wagland (1910-1986)
Lloyd Maurice Wagland (1911-1986)
Carolina (Zoe) Zoe Hortz nee Wagland (1921-2000)
Travlyn Walter Wagland (1921-2001)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

In October 2011, Noel D. Saal published a 252-page book entitled Wagland – Fiechtner – Haiss family history the culmination of many, many years of research by Noel.