Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Ernest Hammond was born in Mt. Molloy, North Queensland in 1892, the youngest of the four children of Henry Hammond a North Queensland pioneer, explorer and mine manager who settled in Watsonville West of Cairns. ‘Ernie’ lived in Watsonville until 1914 when he joined the Queensland Expeditionary Force, enlistment number 1945. This force was recruited on a voluntary basis from rifle clubs throughout Queensland. Ernie was a member of the Watsonville Rifle Club. The major effort of this force was directed at seizing German interests in New Guinea. Ernie’s serving time was to be short lived as he embarked for Thursday Island on SS Kanowna.
The firemen on this ship mutinied and refused to carry out their duties. The Kanowna was ordered back to Townsville taking no further part in proceedings. Ernie was discharged as medically unfit on 10th October, 1914.
On 23rd February 1915 Ernie enlisted again, this time using the alias of Ernest Edwards, enlistment number 24. The family story was that his father was from Germany and he also had a foreign sounding name. I suspect that he was determined to re-enlist without the complication of his previous discharge from the Expeditionary Force. On his attestation paper he is asked the question “have you ever served in His Majesty’s army?” his answer was ‘no’.
In June 1917 he signed a statutory declaration to remove the alias and revert to his name of Ernest Waldemar Hammond. Ernie served with the 11th Light Horse in Gallipoli and Egypt and returned to Queensland on HMAT Morvada on 30th August, 1919 with a discharge rank of Sergeant.
Ernie’s family label of “a bit of a larrikin” was behind him. After the war he joined the State Public Service as an assessor for the Land and Income Tax office. He resigned in 1926 to establish his own business as an income tax agent and completed his accountancy qualifications in 1930.
He married Mildred Jackman in January 1924 and 2 children followed, Adrian in 1926 and Janice in 1931. His passion for writing became evident from the early 1920’s when his short stories were published in Brisbane newspapers, one of particular interest being a Christmas story published in 1923 based on the travels of the 11th Light Horse in Palestine. Many of these stories written in his bold inimitable copperplate still exist in family archives.
The first annual reunion of the 11th Light Horse took place in Brisbane in August 1932. The subject of the history of the 11th Light Horse was under discussion but it was not until 1939 that Ernie was appointed the Hon. Historian for the 11th Light Horse. Ernie’s history was published in 1942 in book form by William Brooks, Brisbane with a copy limit of 200. It was described in the press “Every member of the regiment ought to have a copy of this history on his book-shelf. It will recall forgotten incidents and allow him to live again through those dear, brave, dirty days with the finest comrades men ever made.”
Ernie also became General Manager of Marsden’s Timbers in Geebung, Brisbane during the 1940’s
After the birth of his daughter in 1931 he began making wooden toys – expertly – among them being doll houses, rockers, pull-along toys, dolls’ cradles and toy kitchens. With the birth of his brother’s grandchildren some 20 years later these were again shared and enjoyed, they are still in existence after 90 years and treasured by the 4th generation of his great nieces.
The 1950’s brought a new interest for Ernie when he joined the Queensland Society of Magicians where his focus was on cards and sleight of hand.
This presented new opportunities to entertain and his magic tricks were a source of joy to his nieces and nephews. On one memorable occasion he invited them all to watch him perform on stage at the Albert
Hall in Brisbane. Ernie spent his retirement years in Redcliffe a seaside suburb of Brisbane. He died in 1974 and donated his body to the University of Queensland for medical research. He regarded himself as the patriarch of the family and typically wrote a letter to a younger family member stating this intention and handing over the family reins. He was unique, quintessentially Australian, still with a touch of the larrikin, a passionate historian and family man and always seemed to have a few tricks up his sleeve. He will always be remembered for his humour, courage, endurance and initiative. Long may his memory live on.