ONSLOW, Sydney Gordon
| Service Number: | 128 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 September 1915, Melbourne, Vic. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Remount Unit (AIF) |
| Born: | Gundowring, Victoria, Australia, 1861 |
| Home Town: | Wooreen, South Gippsland, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Wonthaggi, Victoria, Australia, 1931, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Leongatha Cemetery ANG F 032 |
| Memorials: | Gundowring State School 1159 Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 128, Australian Remount Unit (India and Egypt), Melbourne, Vic. | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Nov 1915: | Involvement Private, 128, 1st Remount Unit (AIF), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '24' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Orsova embarkation_ship_number: A67 public_note: '' | |
| 12 Nov 1915: | Embarked Private, 128, 1st Remount Unit (AIF), HMAT Orsova, Melbourne |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Sydney Gordon Onslow Reg No.128 enlisted on 14th September 1915 in Melbourne with the No.1 Squadron 1st Remount Unit.
He was born 1861 in Albury, the eldest son of Joseph Onslow a famous stockman from the Gundowring area situated along the middle reaches of the Kiewa River, a few kilometres east of Dederang and 40 km south-east of Wodonga. Joseph worked for Charles Henry Barbour whose family took up the run of 18,520 acres in 1838. The Barbour family bred horses and cattle and built a large brick homestead in the 1850’s which still stands today. Following the discovery of gold, most of the stockman left to seek their fortunes, leaving the stock on Gundowring to run wild. CH Barbour employed Joseph to round up the now wild horses (refer to attached description of his famous ride by G.L. Singleton). His sons were also keen horsemen, Joseph Brisbane Onslow a jockey and served with the Light Horse, Sydney with the Remount Unit.
In 1877 Sydney is reported to have been admitted to the Ovens District Hospital with a compound fracture of the leg, following a fall from a horse. By 1907 Sydney had relocated to Geachville (Wooreen) and was working as a fencing contractor, submitting a tender to fence the road through J. O’Neills ground (Lot 95 part of Motton’s bush) at 11 shilling per chain. (West Gippsland Gazette 25th June 1907) In 1911 at the age of 50 he married Emily Maria Middleton. It was a second marriage for Emily who had 5 children from her previous marriage to C McCartin a farmer residing at Geachville. Sydney and Emily had two children a daughter in 1911 and a son in 1917. It is probable that the family were living at Lot 80A Parish of Koorooman at Wooreen (off Forresters Rd). This block was registered to a H McCartin. 28 Sept 1915 Sydney, described as “a contract of Wooreen was declared insolvent with liabilities of £59 8 shillings and 6 pence, assets of 5 shillings.” Cause was sickness of wife and family and losses on contracts – Gippsland Mercury. At the same time Sydney enlisted in the AIF 1st Remount Unit, No. Squadron On enlistment aged 54 he was described as 5’7”, blue eyes, grey hair. His stated age on enlistment was 48 years 1 month!! He embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, onboard Transport A67 Orsova arriving in Egypt in December. He served 4 months before being returned to Australia 29th April 1916 on the HT Seeang Bee and was discharged.
Following his discharge Sydney moved to Wonthaggi, working at the Wonthaggi Coal Mine as a labourer to support his wife and 6 children. His wife Emily died in 1922 and Sydney moved to Leongatha where he continued to work as a labourer. He died in 1931 and is buried in the Leongatha Cemetery.
Courtesy of Avenel