Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Eugene (Gerry) Alfred Fathers was born on 22 August 1896 at Bunyip near Longwarry Victoria.

He was the 2nd eldest son of George and Ada Fathers who were married in Carlton Victoria on 18/2/1891. George was a carpenter joiner and eventually owned Millars Trading Timber Company after moving to Geraldton WA around 1897 with his family.

Eugene was one of 10 children – 4 sisters (2 died young) and 6 Brothers. Of the 6 brothers, 4 brothers enlisted during World War 1. Walter Lamont, Eugene Alfred, Ernest George and Albert Harold. Eugene, Albert and the youngest son Malcolm Haig all enlisted during World War 11.

Eugene and his older brother Walter both served in H Company of the 88th Battalion which was part of the compulsory part-time military training, known as the Universal Training Scheme. This scheme required youths between 12 and 14 to complete two years of Junior Cadet training followed by Senior Cadet training then adult training in the Citizen Forces, up to age 26

War was declared on 4th August 1914 and the AIF commenced enlistments on 10th August 1918. Walter had volunteered with the first contingent of men from Geraldton and Eugene joined up on 17/11/14. He was 18 years and one month when he enlisted at Geraldton. Like his brother, he was sent to Blackboy Hill to complete his training. While his enlistment papers show him as a labourer, he was a wool classer.
Eugene embarked with the 16th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcements, on 22/2/15 and eventually landed on the Gallipoli Peninsular. On 15/8/15, Eugene was treated for a septic toe. He sent a letter to his father explaining a 5 inch shell weighing 10lb fell on the big toe of his right foot causing the toenail to become poisoned and eventually the toe nail dropped off. Eugene suffered shrapnel wounds to his left arm and forehead on 11/12/15 at Gallipoli and was evacuated for treatment of his wounds to the General Hospital at Chezireh, Cairo on 15/12/15. On discharge from the hospital, Eugene was transferred to the Australian Postal Corp on 1/3/16. He was posted to France but then returned to England with the Postal Corp.

On 17/1/18, Eugene transferred to the Australian Flying Corp and served in France with the 4th Squadron from 16/3/18. He was an air mechanic with the Squadron who were flying Sopwith Camel aircraft. Eugene returned to England on 28/12/18 for embarkation to Australia and returned via the Lancashire on 11/3/19.

At the outbreak of World War 2, Eugene put his age down by 5 years and enlisted in the Australian Army. Initially based at Claremont as a signalman, he was posted to Liverpool and moved around various Australian bases. In Feb 1941, Eugene sailed with the 8th Division Signals on the Queen Mary to Singapore and on to Kuala Lumpur. As the Japanese swept down the Malaysian Peninsular, Eugene was captured and held at Changi Prisoner of War Camp. From there he was sent to a labour camp in Keijo Chose, Korea before being sent to Mukden in Manchuria where he was held for the remainder of the war. Conditions were harsh and he was severely beaten by various guards. As Eugene had put his age down to enlist, he was one of the oldest in the camp but remarkably, he survived.

Eugene was eventually repatriated to Australia and returned to Geraldton, where with other family members, he was heavily involved with the Geraldton Yacht Club.

Despite Eugene Fathers extensive service in World War 1, wounded at Gallipoli, enlisting again in the Army for World War 2, being a Prisoner of War for almost 4 years and being treated very harshly in Manchuria, Eugene lived to the age of 99 and died peacefully at Applecross in Perth on 9/9/1995.

Another of the Fathers boys who served his country well.