The elusive G Abell, G Abel and G Able
The name G Abel/Abell/Able is now linked to both Memerambi and Wooroolin as well as Kingaroy.
Gordon Abell is mentioned in the article in the Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser Friday 28 April 1916 - Page 5 when a glassed framed Roll of Honour was unveiled by Mrs Ellwood it disclosed a well-designed scroll of Corinthian pillars supporting a pediment of which the national coat of arms was the decoration and 'Roll of Honour, Memerambi’ and at the base the one word 'Gallipoli’.
G Abel is listed on the Wooroolin WW1 Honour Board and G Able is included in the Wooroolin Photographic WW1 memorial
Peter Gordon Abel, Driver: 31000, 3rd Army Field Ambulance Brigade, is listed on the Kingaroy Honour Board and included on the South Burnett Anzac Heroes website.
So at last I am happy to accept that the photo on the Wooroolin Photographic memorial is Peter Gordon Abel, known as Gordon.
Gordon was born on 18 Jan 1895 at New Norfolk, Tasmania, the 5th of 6 children of Frank and Emily Abel. His father died in 1902 and his mother in 1950 – both in Tasmania. I have not found any others of his family in QLD but on 24 Mar 1916 just 21 years old Gordon enlisted in Field Artillery Brigade 3, Reinforcement 23 at Brisbane and embarked on the Orontes in Sep 1916 for Plymouth. He served in the Western Front before returning to Australia and being discharged medically unfit on 18 Sep 1919. He suffered from Plastic pleurisy which is a complication of a disease such as pneumonia.
On his return to Qld, Gordon married Elsie Drain at Brisbane in 1921 and lived in Nth Qld where Gordon was a Harbour Board diver. There are also many articles about G Abel in the Townsville Railway Rifle Club.
During WW11 Gordon enlisted in Army Citizen Military Forces Q217591 giving his son as NOK. He served in 16 BATTALION VOLUNTEER DEFENCE CORPS QLD.
Gordon died in 1972 and is buried at Woongarra Crematorium where is wife joined him in 1989.
Lest We Forget
Submitted 15 July 2023
by Carol Berry
