Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Births Dec 1886   
Gratton Amos Southwell 7b 393
Gratton Amos Southwell 7b 398
[He was registered as Amos Gratton at birth.]

Amos was born  in Caythorpe, the son of Eliza Gratton, who was born in 1861 in Fulwood, Notts. Eliza Gratton married Charles Breedon (born 1862 at Lowdham) at St Mary's Church Lowdham on 7th December 1886 only months after Amos's birth (it is not known if he was the son of Charles Breedon or not but was brought up by Charles and Eliza ) he was the brother of Arrol Gratton born 31st August 1884, John Frederick Breedon (killed in action 28/4/1917), Mabel Breedon and Harry Breedon.  Amos married his first wife Adeline Billyard in 1910, (born Knesall 1890 ), the marriage being recorded in the Southwell Registration area and they had a son Fred Gratton Breedon born 28th November 1910 in Lowdham. In the 1911 census Amos Breedon is shown as married and living at Victoria Mill, Lowdham with William Singleton 61 years a miller and his wife Charlotte. Amos is shown as being 24 years a servant and carter on farm. Meanwhile his wife Adeline Breedon 20 years is living at a different address in Lowdham with her son Fred Gratton Breedon 4 months and her widowed father Richard Billyard 61 years a farm labourer.

His wife died in 1911 in Nottingham aged 21 years; his son Fred Gratton Breedon is then brought up by his paternal grandparents. Amos met his second wife Marion Scudder and together they departed England from Sydney Australia on 2nd April 1914; they were both single at ths time. His son was left with his paternal grandparents in England. Amos married Marion while in Australia before leaving for the Great War.

He enlisted and served under that name. He appears on various records under the name of either Gratton, Breedon or Gratton Breedon Two of his brothers (step brothers) served during the Great War , John Fred Breedon; he served with the 7th battalion North Staffordshire Regiment - he was killed in action on 21st January 1917 in Mesopotamia and is buried in Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. and Harry who served with 15th battalion Sherwood Foresters and died of wounds on 3rd November 1917; he is buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Blegium.

Son of Charles and Eliza Gratton Breedon [Breedon per CWGC]; husband of Marion Gratton, of "Delwood," Salisbury St., Hurstville, New South Wales.

Age on arrival in Australia 28

Age at embarkation 28
Next of kin:-Fred Gratton, c/o Mrs Breedon, Prospect Villa, Lowdham, Nottinghamshire, England
Enlistment date 24 September 1914
Place of enlistment Rosehill, New South Wales.

He embarked from Melbourne on 22nd December 1914 on board HMAT Ulysses and joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in Gallipoli on 12th April 1915. He survived the Gallipoli campaign and eventually saw service on the Western Front.
Unit name 13th Battalion, D Company

Amos is remembered as Breedon on :-

Lowdham - St Mary's Church Parishioners War Memorial as A G BREEDON Pte.
Lowdham - Methodist Church War Memorial as A BREEDON Australian Imperial Forces
Lowdham Village War Memorial as A G BREEDON Pte

Obituary published in the Nottingham Eving Post dated 7th October 1918 read:-

“BREEDON. – In loving memory of Private Amos Gratton Breedon, Australian Imperial Forces, of Lowdham, killed in action October 7th, 1917. A day of remembrance sad to recall. Gone, but not forgotten. – Loving wife and son, mother, father, brothers and sisters.”