Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Born on 9 December 1895 in Manchester, Lancashire, England.

Father Jacob Roseberg
(Hebrew name Yaakov ben Moshe, b. 1/01/1863 - d. 1/4/1933 aged 70)

and Mother Emily Roseberg
(Hebrew name Malka bat Moshe), b. 1/1/1872 - d. 26/12/1914 aged 42.

Mr and Mrs Roseberg and 2 sons arrived in Sydney, New South Wales, as 2nd Class
passengers from Brisbane on 16 December 1910 on board Orvieto.

Maurice applied to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force on 16 April 1917 at Victoria Barracks, Sydney.  He had joined the Militia 3 years earlier and was still serving at the time of his application.

Maurice stated that he was single and an Electrical Fitter by trade, living in Sydney with his parents.  He named his father as Next-of-Kin, of 130 Sydenham Road, Marrickville, New South Wales.

Maurice signed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’ and the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ on the same day as his medical examination.

Described on enlisting as 21 years 8 months of age; 5' 6" tall; 114 lbs; medium complexion;
brown eyes; black hair; Jewish.

He was appointed to the Engineer Reinforcements, 2nd Military District, at the Engineer Depot, Moore Park, on 17 May.  On 6 June he was transferred to the Miners Reinforcements at Seymour, Victoria and on 6 August he was appointed to the Tunnelling Companys April Reinforcements.

Maurice embarked from Sydney on HMAT A68 Anchises on 8 August 1917.  Anchises arrived at Colon (R. Panama) on 2 September and departed there on 8 September.  The ship arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia on 18 September and departed on 21 September before the troops disembarked on 2 October 1917 at Liverpool, England and entrained for Tidworth.  The voyage had taken 55 days and the 3 Officers and 165 O.R. reinforcements for the Tunnellers had survived the colds and influenza which were prevalent when troops embarked.

He marched in to the Tunnelling Details at No's 1&3 Camp, Parkhouse Camp on 3 October and proceeded overseas to France on 14 November.

He marched in to the Australian General Base Depot (AGBD) at Rouelles on 15 November and marched out to the Australian Tunnelling Company Reinforcements, 1st Anzac Corps Depot on 19 November.  He was attached to the Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC) on 4 December 1917.

He was admitted to the 98th Field Ambulance on 29 December 1917 with scabies. He was transferred to the 11th Casualty Clearing Station on 4 January 1918 and rejoined his unit on 14 January.

Maurice was taken on strength of the AEMM&B Co., ex Supernumery, on 1 August 1918

Maurice enjoyed some leave from 18 November to 2 December 1918. 
He had leave to Paris from 6 to 14 March 1919 and then had leave from France from 10 to 24 April 1919.  He marched out of his unit to the AGBD on 10 May for return to Australia, and marched out of the AGBD for England on 20 May.  He marched in to No.1 Group on 23 May.  He was granted furlough from 28 May until 12 June and was to report to Heytesbury on completion of his leave.

Maurice was granted Non-Military Employment (NME) leave with pay only from 4 July to 4 October 1919 for Electrical I.D.S. to attend the Chloride Electrical Storage Company Limited at Clifton Junction, Manchester.  His leave was cancelled on 11 September and he returned to Depot at Devonport on 25 September.

Maurice left London on 2 October 1919 on board Port Denison for return to Australia. 
He disembarked in Sydney on 17 November 1919. 

He was discharged from the A.I.F. on 17 December 1919 entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Maurice Roseberg married Henrietta (Yetta) F Lewis in Sydney in 1921. 
Yetta was born 30 December 1900, the daughter of Maurice Lewis and Miriam, nee Audet, who had married in Sydney in 1882.  Her siblings were Joseph S, born 1883; Rachael, 1884; Eva L, 1886; Leon J, 1889; Jacob, 1891; Alexander G, 1893 and Amelia R, 1895.

Jacob Roseberg appears in the Sands Directory for 1922 at 130 Sydenham Road, Marrickville.  M. Roseberg appears in the same directory at 17 Clifton Road, Clovelly.

Reunions
Past members of the Australian Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company and Tunnelling Companies gathered on or about Anzac Day for a reunion luncheon.  We have had access to some of their records, which were very well kept and are quite detailed.

Maurice Roseberg first appears on the list in 1928 giving his address as 34 Keith Street, Clovelly.  In 1968 his address is 4 Wentworth Street, Randwick.

The Electoral Rolls for 1934 record that Maurice, a Fitter, and Yetta Fedora, home duties,
were living at 34 Keith Street, Clovelly.

The 1943 Roll records their address as 4 Wentworth Street, Randwick.  In 1947 Maurice and Yetta attended the funeral of Yettas’ brother.

On the Electoral Rolls for1949, 1954 and 1958 Randwick the couple are still recorded at 4 Wentworth Street, as is Miriam Roseberg, a typist, according to the Roll.  By 1963 Miriam has left the family home, which is still at 4 Wentworth Street.  Maurice is still employed as an Electrical Fitter.

Maurice lodged a claim for Repatriation Benefits in early 1966.

Yetta Roseberg died 17 May 1973 aged 73 and is buried in the Jewish Cemetery, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales in grave Section 22, Row 49, 141B.  Hebrew name Yetta bat Moshe.

In 1977 Maurice is living at 120 High Street, Hunters Hill.

Maurice Roseberg died on 9 August 1977 aged 81 and was buried with his wife in the Jewish Cemetery, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales in grave Section 22, Row 49, 141A.  Hebrew name Moshe ben Ya’akcov

Submitted by Julianne T Ryan, courtesy of Donna Baldey.  27/03/2017.  Lest we forget.
(Thank you Donna for your tireless research).