GASTON, Malcolm Bruce
| Service Number: | 978 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 11th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Yatta Creek, Barrossa, South Australia , 16 August 1895 |
| Home Town: | Maylands, Bayswater, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Mine accountant |
| Died: | Swanbourne , 14 November 1968, aged 73 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Karrakatta Cemetery & Crematorium, Western Australia Crematorium Rose Gardens, Garden 6C-0052 |
| Memorials: | Boulder Kalgoorlie Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 2 Nov 1914: | Involvement Private, 978, 11th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nov 1914: | Embarked Private, 978, 11th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Fremantle |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Paul Lemar
GASTON Malcolm Bruce
Malcolm was the son of George GASTON & Ann LAWSON and was born on the 16th of August 1895 in Yatta Creek, SA.
He was the 12th child born into the family of 14 children.
His parents were married on the 29th of April 1869 at the residence of Briely WORIAL, Gawler.
His mother was the daughter of Thomas Lacey LAWSON & Catherine CONTANT and was born on the 13th of May 1854 in the Barossa Valley.
His father was the son of Charles GASTON & Rebecca BURFIELD and was born on the 28th of May 1846 in Adelaide.
His father was a gold miner and held the lease on the Malcolm’s Barossa Mine in the Barossa.
Malcolm was about 7 years old when the family moved to Kanowna, Kalgoorlie and by 1910 the family had moved to Burtville.
Malcolm was first employed as a clerk in the Commercial Bank in Perth.
In 1911 Malcolm joined the 38th Battery Artillery in Perth and was living in 9th Avenue, Maylands.
He was also the manager of the Army and Navy Stores, and later was accountant and storekeeper on the Nil Desperandum gold mine in Burtville.
Malcolm enlisted into the 11th Battalion, G Company on the 8th of September 1914 in Black Boy Hill, WA and was allotted the service number 678.
Malcolm embarked from Fremantle on board Transport A11 Ascanius on the 2nd of November 1914
He was with D Company and embarked on the HMT Suffolk on the 2nd of March 1915 for Lemnos Island, Gallipoli Peninsula. Whilst they were awaiting their orders, Malcolm was admitted to the Lemnos Island Hospital on the 23rd of April suffering from Acute Rheumatism.
He did not rejoin his Battalion in Gallipoli until the 30th of July. This attack of Rheumatism may well have saved his life.
His older brother; David James Lacey, enlisted into the 28th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcements on the 14th of June 1915.
Malcolm was promoted to Lance Corporal on the 26th of November 1915.
On the 22nd of March 1917 he was promoted to Corporal and 1 month later was promoted to Sergeant.
On the 3rd of May 1917 his brother; David James Lacey, was killed in action at Bullecourt, France at the age of 33 yeras.
Malcolm was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and transferred to the 10th Battalion in Bullecourt, France on the 28th of May 1917 and four months later he was promoted to Lieutenant.
Malcolm embarked from England, for return to Australia on the 18th of March 1918 on board the Kenilworth Castle and was discharged on the 1st of July 1918.
After the war he was prominently identified with returned soldier affairs at Kalgoorlie, where he was, in addition to being manager of the RSL Institute, honorary treasurer of the R.S.L. and secretary of the Red I Cross Society.
Malcolm married Doris Ada FURZE in June 1920 in Perth.
Doris was the daughter of James FURZE & Lydia HATHERLY and was born on the 7th of October 1897 in Davenport, SA.
They lived in Kalgoorlie and Malcolm was a lime & stone merchant.
In 1920 Malcolm was the secretary of the Kalgoorlie RSL Sub Branch.
In June 1920 he was the secretary of the Perth Soldiers Rest Institute on behalf of the RSL and 3 months later had become the manager of the RSL Institute in Perth.
On the 13th of April 1921 they welcomed their first child into the family; Bruce Furze, in Cottesloe.
Malcolm Douglas Furze was born on the 8th of July 1922.
Their next child was born on the 25th of September 1925; Murray Furze.
They lived on the corner of Johnson and Monument Streets, Peppermint Grove, Claremont in 1925 and Malcolm was a clerk.
In 1931 they lived at 92 Broome Street, Cottesloe and Malcolm was an underground shift manager of the Lancefield Gold Mine.
They moved to Mt Margaret by 1937 and by July 1938 Malcolm was employed as the general manager of the new Gladiator Gold Mine, three miles west of Laverton.
Their last child; Ian James Furze, was born on the 19th of February 1940 in the Karitane Hospital, Kalgoorlie.
On the 3rd of March 1941, their eldest son, Bruce Furze, enlisted into the RAAF and was allotted the service number 406646.
Nine months later, Malcolm Douglas Furze enlisted into the 2/4th Australian Commando Squadron on the 31st of December and was allotted the service number WX18426.
On the 9th of October 1943; Murray Furze enlisted into the RAAF and was allotted the service number 441546.
In 1943 they lived at Cunderdin and they moved to Mullewa in 1947.
Malcolm would have been very pound when his son, Bruce Furze, was awarded to DFC in 1944.
In 1952 Malcolm was the President of the Mullewa Golf Club and was a very talented golf player, as was his wife Doris.
He also enjoyed playing bowls.
In 1953 Malcolm was the secretary engineer of the Mullewa Road Board and in July he saved Mr. E. J. Whitehurst, the works foreman who was in a dangerous situation.
While Mr. Whitehurst was adjusting the brakes of a tip truck and standing over the chassis with the tip right back, a workman working underneath on the brakes accidentally released the tip. Mr. Whitehurst was jammed between the chassis and the tip.
Malcolm at once inserted an axe in such a position as to stop the tip from continuing its downward course. Mr. Whitehurst escaped with bruises on his back and shock.
In November of the same year Malcolm had a remarkable escape from injury when a back tyre of his car blew out. This caused him to lose control of the vehicle, which finished upside down, extensively damaged.
The only hurt received by Malcolm was a hit behind the ear from one of his bowls, which shot out when his case came open on the back seat.
By 1967 they were living at 95 Servetus Street, Swanbourne
Malcolm died on the 14th of November 1968 in Swanbourne and was cremated and interred in the Karrakatta Cemetery; Crematorium Rose Gardens, Garden 6C-0052
Doris died on the 7th of March 1987 in Cottesloe and was cremated and interred in the Karrakatta Cemetery; Crematorium Rose Gardens, Garden 6C-0052
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