Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

THE MAIL 80 YEARS AGO - 23 August 1941
SIX BROTHERS ENLIST

Reginald John George COLBEY 7 August 1882 – 25 September 1958
Agnes Mary (SABEY) COLBEY 16 February 1881 – 15 April 1943

Reginald John George and Agnes Mary COLBEY were the parents of 8 sons, 7 of whom survived to adulthood. When the call went out to enlist in Wold War 2, all 7 surviving sons applied to the armed services but only 6 were accepted as the oldest was in a reserved occupation with the Commonwealth Railways at Tarcoola.
Used undoubtedly as a recruiting enticement, the six COLBEY brothers were featured in ‘The Mail’ on Saturday, 23 August 1941 with their photographs and personal details.

The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954)Saturday 23 August 1941 - Page 6
Six Brothers In Family Enlist
Six of the seven sons of Police-Sgt. R. J. G. Colbey and Mrs. Colbey, of Gumeracha, have enlisted in the fighting forces. The seventh son is in a reserved occupation, and has made repeated unsuccessful applications to be released from his job to enlist.
The sons in the services, taking them by ages, are: —
SX2951
Pte. Alan Colbey, 33, who enlisted in the A.I.F. in May, 1940. He left for overseas in October, 1940, and when last heard of was in Syria.

SX222
Mr. Stair Colbey, 31, who applied for enlistment in the A.I.F. in October, 1939 — on the first day on which enlistments were called for in South Australia. He was discharged from the A.I.F. in December, 1939, as medically unfit for service not occasioned by his own default. He was a corporal at the time. He then served at army headquarters, Keswick, until May, 1941.

SX416
Pte. Geoffrey Colbey, 30. Enlisted A.I.F. November, 1939. Left for over seas May, 1940. Went to England, then to Near East, now in Tobruk.

SX12405
Pte. Keith Colbey, 27. Enlisted A.I.F January, 1941. Has not gone over seas yet. SX12405

PA1900
Able-Seaman Robert Colbey, 25 Enlisted R.A.N.R. August, 1940. Now on a minesweeper.

Robert Sabey COLBEY was named after his maternal grandfather, Robert SABEY. He was born at Blanchetown, 18 November, 1916 and by the time he was old enough to attend school, the family had been transferred to Port Wakefield. Robert attended, Port Wakefield, Eudunda, and Gawler High schools.
A talented sportsman, Robert was runner up for the Junior Boys Cup at Gawler High School in 1930 as well as playing cricket and football for the school.
A brilliant horseman, Robert rode for many thoroughbred owners who entered Picnic Race Meetings and Amateur Point to Point and Hunt meetings not only in South Australian, but also outback New South Wales when he was working as a station hand before the war. His greatest triumph was the win on Dr. A. C. Savage’s ‘Prince Dignity’ in the prestigious SA. Hunters' Steeplechase at Gawler on Saturday, 24th September, 1938.
Although short and slight, Robert was a talented footballer playing for Jervois when he was living and working at Tailem Bend with his Sabey family. He was made a life member of the Jervois Football Club after the war.
His mother was concerned for all her sons who enlisted to serve in the war, but least so for Robert, the only son to join the navy through the contacts of Dr. A. C. Savage, the local Gumeracha doctor. Robert served mostly on small ships around the Western Australian coast but when the HMAS Sydney II came into port at Fremantle 15 May, 1941, there was a small change over of crew and Robert was thrilled to be given the chance to serve on Australia’s greatest war ship.
The HMAS Sydney II was sunk in the Indian Ocean, 19 November 1941, 1 day after Robert’s 25th birthday, with the loss of all 645 hands.

SX2953
Pte. Warwick Colbey, 22. Enlisted A.I.F. May, 1940. Went overseas October, 1940. Now in Syria.

Apart from the above 6 brothers, there were 2 more sons, Reginald Robert Colbey 1907-1962 who was ‘the seventh son …in a reserved occupation, and [who] has made repeated unsuccessful applications to be released from his job to enlist’. He was employed by the Commonwealth Railways at Tarcoola during the war and later transferred to Alice Springs until his death. The ninth child, another son Dick was born at Eudunda in 1924 but only survived for a few hours.
The only daughter was Jean Warwick (COLBEY) HACK, 1911-1992.


The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954)Saturday 23 August 1941 - Page 6