ATTENBOROUGH, Herbert Summers
| Service Number: | 744 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 September 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 10th Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Woorak, Victoria, Australia, September 1887 |
| Home Town: | Wagga Wagga, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Injuries due to a fall (Manslaughter), Newcastle District Hospital, New South Wales, Australia, 2 January 1949 |
| Cemetery: |
Sandgate General Cemetery, Newcastle, NSW ANGLICAN 3-179. 25. |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Gunner, 1st Field Artillery Brigade | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 1914: | Involvement Gunner, 744, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Oct 1914: | Embarked Gunner, 744, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, HMAT Argyllshire, Sydney | |
| 6 Mar 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, Anzac Police | |
| 26 Aug 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Gunner, 1st Field Artillery Battery | |
| 5 May 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Gunner, 10th Field Artillery Brigade | |
| 4 Dec 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Driver, 10th Field Artillery Brigade | |
| 3 Feb 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Driver, 744, 10th Field Artillery Brigade , 2nd MD |
Help us honour Herbert Summers Attenborough's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Born in Woorak, Victoria, Herbert Somers Attenborough, along with his father Mark and younger brother Gerald, all enlisted in the AIF, Herbert less than a month after the declaration of war.
A farmer by occupation, his sister Miss Margaret Attenborough lived at The Rock, and this was where he lived at the time of his enlistment.
Herbert, known as 'Harry' saw active service at Gallipoli, Egypt, France and Belgium, serving with the 10th Field Artillery Brigade, the Anzac Police, 1st Artillery Brigade and 4th Division Artillery. He was thirty-one when he returned to Australia on 29 September 1918.
After the war, Harry worked as a labourer, initially returning to Victoria and settling in Echuca. Later, he moved to Henty, and then on to Sydney. His last move took place in about 1943, when he settled in Newcastle. There, he sometimes went by the name Harry Somers. Still working as a labourer, he lived at 15 Brown Street, close to the heart of the city.
And it was here, in this two room dwelling that Harry's story had a tragic end. On Christmas Day 1948, Harry had a serious fall. Found unconscious at the bottom of the stairs, he was treated at Newcastle Hospital, but later discharged. On 30 December he was re-admitted to hospital, and on 2 January 1949, Harry died of his injuries. He was 62 years old.
On 29 January 1929, the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate reported that Denis James Mahoney (in all likelihood, Harry's housemate) was arrested and charged with manslaughter.
Harry's remains were interred at Sandgate Cemetery on 6 January 1949, and the local newspaper informed his friends.
Courtesy of Museums of the Riverina
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
An Original Anzac resting at Sandgate Cemetery, Honour and Dignity to be restored, not forgotten.
74 years ago today, on the Thursday of the 6th January 1949, Driver Herbert Somner Attenborough, referred to as Bert, also known as Harry, 10th Australian Field Artillery Brigade (Reg No-744), labourer from The Rock, New South Wales and 15 Brown Street, Newcastle, N.S.W., was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery, age 62. ANGLICAN 3-179. 25.
Note - Somner also spelt Somers, Somners, Sommers, Summers, Sumner.
Born at Woorak, Victoria 1887 to Mark (13th Battalion & 10th Australian Field Artillery Brigade, Reg No-3381, discharged 29.10.1918, died 29.11.1950, Culcairn, N.S.W. and Jane Bell Attenborough nee Wallis from The Homestead, Walbundrie Soldiers' Settlement, N.S.W., Bert enlisted on the 7th September 1914 with the 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade at Rosebery Park Camp, N.S.W.
Admitted to hospital 17.8.1915 (septic hand), 25.8.1916 (poisoned hand), 8.2.1917 (bronchitis, slight), 8.5.1917 (influenza), 22.5.1917 (influenza).
Bert was granted Special 1914 Leave, and returned home on the 2nd December 1918, being discharged on the 3rd February 1919.
I have not located Mr. Attenborough’s name inscribed on any known War Memorial or Roll of Honour.
The tragic circumstances of Bert’s death were reported.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134347960 - man dies after fall.
I located this Forgotten Digger resting in an unmarked grave, so June 2015 I placed a cross in remembrance of his service and sacrifice for God, King & Country.
New wooden cross erected – January 2023.
A Plaque shall be installed at the gravesite courtesy of the Forgotten Diggers Headstone Project.
Younger brother Gerald (18th Battalion, Reg No-5540, born Nhill, Victoria 1891? KIA 20.9.1917, Battle of the Menin Road Ridge, Belgium, age 26, resting at Hooge Crater Cemetery, Belgium. Plot XIV Row F Grave 11) awaiting memorialisation same location.
Many thanks to Museums of the Riverina for photos and information.
Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.
For more detail, see “Forever Remembered “
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/
Lest We Forget.
Click images to start slideshow.