Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Henry and Elizabeth Broad’s youngest son, Gordon Thomas Broad, was born in the mid-north copper mining town of Burra on the 28th April 1914. He was one of six sons including King, Harold, Richard, Bert, George and two daughters, Ivy and one stillborn. Harold Edward Alfred John, commonly known just as H.E. the second son, was 12 years older than Gordon but the two were close. Their home town of Burra was famed for being the main sheep trading centre for the mid-north, especially merino, and also for its brewery. Having a railway also contributed to the ease with which produce and stock could be moved. Just after Gordon’s 10th birthday, on the 14th December 1924, his much-loved mother died aged just 47 years. The family’s touching tribute in the Chronicle summarised their loss:

“BROAD. — In loving memory of our dear wife and mother, who passed away at Prospect on December 14, 1924. You can never know a mother's worth, Until beneath the lonely earth She is laid within her grave. And then, too late, we realise There never can be another; In grief and strife, and all through life Our dearest friend was mother. — Inserted by her loving husband and sons.”
Several of Gordon’s family moved to Minnipa on the west coast to Yardea Station where they quickly became part of the fabric of their new community. (Yardea is now a National Park.) Being over a decade older than Gordon, H.E. was particularly supportive of his youngest brother, Gordon. H.E. was also especially community minded, encouraging farmers to allow their employees to be involved in sport, being Chairman of the Hall committee and becoming a member of the local Council, on the hospital Board, and President of the racing Club as well as being a renown sheep breeder.

The ‘West Coast Sentinel’ reported a 60th birthday celebration in the Minnipa Hall in 1935 where bridge playing and games were enjoyed. Young Gordon’s quick wit in selecting a mature aged woman to suit the supper requirements provided added entertainment. ‘Much amusement was caused when a prize was offered for the first gentleman to find his partner for supper. This was awarded to Mr. Gordon Broad and Mrs. W. O'Brien’.
That same year, H.E. married Irene Alice McEvoy in August, 1935 at Cungena, near Streaky Bay. Harold (H.E.) and Irene later had two sons, Peter and Bryan. The Broad family had been pivotal in making 20-year-old Bryan Holmes part of their extended family when he was posted to Minnipa with Goldsborough, Mort & Company in 1937. Their younger son was named in honour of my father, Bryan Holmes, retaining the same spelling. When young Peter was 2 ½ H.E. backed his ute out of the shed, not seeing his blue plate-carrying son behind him. Peter survived, still with the plate in his hand. However, H.E.’s hair turned white overnight and most of it fell out with the shock.

Bryan and Gordon were of similar age and became firm friends, enlisting at similar times. Gordon was a truck driver at the time when, aged 26, he enlisted on the 2nd July 1940 to become Private Broad, SX7556 in the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. This group of men were to become the most highly decorated and decimated group of men who proudly wore their unofficial title of Rats of Tobruk, earned in the fighting of the Middle East. His local community were delighted when Gordon and Harry Chesson (Wilfred Henry Edward Chesson SX8207) were granted leave to return to Minippa in October ‘40. The locals quickly organised a fourth occasion to farewell these latest enlistees. Typical of country communities, a large crowd gathered in the Minnipa Institute to bid farewell to these members of the 2nd. A.I.F. The ‘West Coast Sentinel’ reported that ‘The two were escorted by Mr. G. Bockelberg through a guard of honor (formed by members of the R.S.L.) to the stage. The National Anthem was sung with the soldiers standing at the salute.’ Gordon’s father, Henry was also presented with a buttonhole as a tribute.

President of the RSL eulogised the sterling qualities of the guests, and extended the good wishes of the community for God speed and a safe return. The President of the Minnipa CWA then presented a box of comforts to each soldier. On behalf of the people of the town and district, a presentation of a gold wristlet watch was made to each soldier by the president. Gordon and Harry both thanked the community for their kind remarks, gifts and attendance.
One of those attending was close friend, Corporal Bryan Holmes who had driven over with his mother, Ollie from Peterborough to farewell Gordon.

As Gordon and Harry departed from the Minnipa Railway Station, many locals, including teachers and students from the local school gathered to farewell them with rousing cheers and wishes for a safe return before the two latest enlistees returned to camp. Along with Bryan Holmes, they left on the same ship, the Stratheden, heading for the Middle East in November 1940. By November the following year, Gordon had contracted diphtheria and was hospitalised for over a month. Conditions in the Middle East continued to affect Gordon’s health with him contracting sandfly fever in July ’42 and then a return of diphtheria a year after his first bout. From the dust, heat and flies of the Middle east, Gordon then trained in Queensland before heading to New Guinea via Milne Bay and totally different conditions. Where leave was granted in 1944, Gordon returned to his hometown of Minnipa with his brother, Harold. Gordon was finally discharged to return to Australian on the 14th September 1945 to be joyously welcomed home at Minnipa in November, again by the local school children who formed a guard of honour for the three; Bombardier Dick Kargey, Pte. Gordon Broad and Pte. S. Parker. The Minnipa Hall held a social where speeches, singing and dancing were a feature. Gordon responded with thanks to his community.

In appreciation to those who had served, the locals formed a Soldiers’ Memorial Oval Committee, of which Gordon’s brother, H.E. was chairman. The aim was to raise funds to erect handsome Memorial Gates at Goldsborough’s corner. H.E. was a driving force with fundraising, including donating a bale of wool in a competition for estimating the weight of the bale, with proceeds going to the funds. Over £1,000 was donated. Extra income, under H.E.’s guidance, was the planting of a barley crop on the football oval as a soil binder. So well had it grown that £40 worth, of grain was eventually reaped from it.

Designed and constructed of wrought iron by a local tradesman, Mr C. Pain, the gates created an imposing frame for the planned spacious sports park would contain two ovals—cricket and football, croquet courts, bitumen tennis courts, a children's playground, a swimming pool, dressing, rooms and kitchen facilities. Additionally, two bronze plaques were fixed in the columns on either side of the gateway, serving as the honour roll for the district.
The park was officially opened in April of 1950 by Arthur Blackburn V.C. who the ‘Sentinel’ reported as stating that although it was only five years since the end of the war, there was a tendency to begin to forget. "We are all prone to become wrapped up in ourselves and forget the past.” He was proud to have the privilege of unveiling the roll of honour and opening the memorial gates, which were memorials to those who had enlisted and to those who had given their lives. After touching oh present day world conditions and unrest, he quoted a phrase he had read in a magazine—"Have I been worth dying for, today?”—and asked whether sacrifices had been made in vain. He stressed that the memorial gates should be something to remind us at all times that we have our liberties and rights because of those who served the Country. He stated that he was well aware of the life and conditions which would have been ours if the Japanese had won the war, and asked that “the memorial be treated not just as a passing reminder of those who gave their lives, but as a reminder of what those men had fought and died for. It was to preserve the country and our freedom.”

While his father, Henry survived to see Gordon return safely from the war, he died in July 1950 aged 78 at Mile End. He was buried with his wife, Elizabeth in the North Road Cemetery at Nailsworth. This would have been an added challenge for Gordon. Post War, he worked for BHP at Whyalla and lived in the nearby town of Iron Knob. There he met his future wife, Mrs Smith who had two young daughters with Gordon helping bring up the girls as his own. A popular activity post war was pigeon racing, in which Gordon excelled. His Iron Knob Club held a race from Kimba with 41 birds covering the 107-mile distance. Gordon’s bird won with an average speed of 1,040 yards per minute.
Older brother H.E. moved from the farm at Condada to Wangary, north of Port Lincoln, in 1950 naming their new property ‘Wiltoo’. He remained on the West Coast and died in his 80th year on the 22nd August 1982. His memorial is at the North Shields cemetery in Port Lincoln. However, Gordon eventually moved to the city. He died on the 27th March, 1993, aged 78. A plaque to his memory is in the Enfield Memorial Park at Clearview.

Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133 2/48th Battalion.