Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lewis was the son of Charles Lewis DUBOIS & Isabella EADON nee WAUCHOPE and was born on the 13th of October 1884 in Findon, SA.

His parents were married on the 22nd of October 1883 in the All Saints Church, Hindmarsh, SA.

His father was the son of John Gain DUBOIS & Mary DUFFIELD and was born on the 25th of April 1817 in Woodford, Essex, England.
His mother was the daughter of William Nelson WAUCHOPE & Isabella Lilian Pringle CAMERON and was born on the 20th of April 1856 in Salisbury, SA.

Lewis was the eldest born into this marriage of 5 children.

His mother had previously married Dr. John EADON on the 19th of October 1875 at the residence of her parents, in Goolwa, SA. They had 1 child but she had died as an infant in 1878 and John died in 1880.

His father had previously married Helen JOHNSON on the 15th of August 1839 in St George’s Church, Middlesex, England and was employed as a Merchant Clerk.
They had 5 children born in England before they immigrated to Victoria on board the Irene on the 6th of December 1853.
They then moved to Adelaide where another 2 children were born before Helen died on the 30th of May 1880 at their residence in Osmond Terrace, Norwood.

His father was an accountant and by 1894 the family had moved to Pulsford Road, Prospect and in March 1894 Lewis attended the Nailsworth Primary School.
By 1906 they had moved to 75 Carrington Street and on leaving school Lewis gained employment as a clerk.

On the 20th of November 1906 his mother died at her sister’s residence, Mrs J N Kennedy, in Glenelg.
His father buried her in the West Terrace Cemetery; Road 4, Path 23, Aspect E, Plot 4 with his first wife Helen DUBOIS.

His father died at the age of 96 on the 9th of December 1914 in Miss Hill’s Private Hospital in Wakefield Street, Adelaide.
They buried him in the West Terrace Cemetery; Road 4, Path 15, Aspect W, Plot 39.

At the age of 30, Lewis enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 15th of February 1915 in Keswick and allotted the service number 5982 and posted to B Squadron Light Horse Brigade at Mitcham Camp. He was then transferred to the 4th Light Horse Brigade Train, 14th Army Service Corps (A.S.C.) and embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A19 Afric on the 26th of May 1915, disembarking in Suez on the 23rd of June.

Whilst he was here his brother Bernard enlisted into the 32nd Battalion, “A” Company on the 20th of July 1915 (87).
Bernard embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A2 Geelong on the 18th of November 1915 when Lewis was at Gallipoli.

Bernard disembarked in Suez on the 18th of December and 2 days later Lewis was withdrawn from Gallipoli and returned to Egypt.
Lewis then embarked from Alexandria on the 20th of March, disembarked in Marseilles 8 days later and by the 3rd of April he was located at Blaringhem.
He then moved to Armentieres and whilst he was here Bernard arrived in Marseilles on the 23rd of June.

Lewis was heavily involved at Armentieres from April to July and was at the Battle of Fromelles (Fleurbaix) on the 19th/20th of July.
By now Bernard had moved into this area and was positioned with his Battalion in the trenches for this attack. At 11am on the 19th the artillery began its barrage and continued throughout the day until at 6pm Bernard and his Company were in the 1st wave out of the trenches.
The following morning Bernard was reported as missing and later was reported as being Killed in Action on the 20th of July 1916.

Lewis served nearly 4 years overseas before embarking from England on board HT Berrima on the 2nd of January 1919, disembarking in Adelaide on the 15th of February and discharged from the AIF on the 11th of April 1919.

By July 1919 he was a gardener living at 11 Fourth Avenue, St Peters.

On the 17th of May 1920 Lewis obtained a Soldier Settlement Block, Section 3, Hundred of Willunga and then purchased Sections 1, 2 & 4 to bring the total of his land to 500 acres by 1923.
This land was located in between Chapel Hill Road & Brookmans Road at Blewitt Springs and is now part of Brini Wines at 698 Blewitt Springs Rd, Blewitt Springs.

The land was originally scrub and he later subdivided it into blocks of 60 – 70 acres, but retained a 62 acres block for himself and his sister Ivy, who lived with him.
Lewis cleared his land and planted 40 acres of grapevines, 10 acres of fruit trees.

The tree’s on his land were that big that 1 tree cut 420 vine trellis posts and provided enough material to timber a 20 feet well.

At the age of 57, Lewis enlisted into the 2nd AIF on the 16th of January 1941 in Keswick and was allotted the service number S1408. He was then promoted to Sergeant and detached to duty at Loveday Italian POW Camp 9.
Lewis was then promoted to Staff Sergeant on the 24th of January 1942 promoted to Staff Sergeant
Lewis was discharged from the 2nd AIF on the 23rd of December 1944.

He returned to his orchard and vineyard and remained there until the mid 1950’s when he transferred the land to Ivy and moved to Cleve where he was employed as a handyman at the Cleve Hotel.

Lewis died on Friday the 1st of January 1954 (New Years Day) in Arno Bay Creek, SA.
He was found floating in the creek that night by a group of children who notified the police, who applied artificial respiration, without success.

His funeral was held the following day in the Cleve Cemetery by Rev. C F Hore.
His was buried in Plot 331 and only has a council marker on his grave.

Military

WW1

At the age of 30, Lewis enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 15th of February 1915 in Keswick and allotted the service number 5982 and posted to B Squadron Light Horse Brigade at Mitcham Camp.
He listed his brother Bernard, of Godfrey Terrace, Leabrook, as his next of kin.

On the 16th of April he was transferred to the 4th Light Horse Brigade Train, 14th Army Service Corps (A.S.C.).
Lewis embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A19 Afric on the 26th of May 1915, disembarking in Suez on the 23rd of June.

The 2nd Division was then formed in Egypt and Lewis’s unit was amalgamated into this Division and became known as the 2nd Division Train, 20th Army Service Corps (A.S.C) and his service number changed to 9004.
They were then involved with the defence of the Suez Canal but were then rushed to Gallipoli on the 12th of September to help supply the 1st Division.

They remained at Gallipoli until they were withdrawn on the 20th of December and returned to Egypt.
On the 13th of March 1916 Lewis was promoted to Sergeant and then after a minimum of training in the Egyptian base, 1st and 2nd Divisions were moved to France to meet an urgent call of the upcoming Somme offensive.
They embarked from Alexandria on the 20th of March and disembarked in Marseilles 8 days later.

Lewis was unwell when they arrived and was admitted into the Lahore Indian Stationary Hospital in Marseilles for 2 days, before rejoining his unit at Blaringhem on the 3rd of April.
Lewis and his Divisional Train Unit would collect and distribute to the brigade/divisional troops equipment and horses that arrived from the Divisional Supply Columns via rail.

When roads were closed to motor vehicles for maintenance, snow, thaw or rain, the motor transport was laid up. When this happened the Divisional Train wagons had to make the turnaround from rail to supply units, resulting in heavy casualties to the draught horses who were affected not only by the greater distance but also the constant work in slushy conditions; and to make the equation worse, the drivers were then so overcommitted to time on the road they were unable to erect shelters for the horses and drain the horse lines.
While the motor transport provided an irreplaceable lift capacity under good conditions, its pre-multi axle drive performance meant that the horse and pack mule were indispensable to guarantee supply from the rear and the only means of supplying the front.
The tasks of the Division Trains were varied and they had a basic obligation to carry baggage and resupply food, forage and water for the headquarters and units of the division, but their additional tasks were more numerous.
The daily work sheets of the companies showed a continuing variety of general tasks from providing drivers for formation headquarters and field ambulances to carting road making materials, operating snow ploughs, using sledges to evacuate casualties through the mud, providing transport for postal deliveries, repairing unit equipment, and operating ad hoc pack transport units.

Lewis was heavily involved at Armentieres from April to July and then Pozieres, Moquet Farm, Guedecourt and Flers from July to November.
They then moved to the holding line in the Somme where they spent Christmas 1916 before taking a major part at the Hindenberg Line in February and March and then the 1st and 2nd Battles of Bullecourt in April and May.

They were then rested and didn’t take part in the Battle at Messines and Lewis was granted 2 weeks leave to England on the 2nd of July.
He then rejoined his unit and they were next involved in the 3rd Battle of Ypres at Menin Road in September and the Broodeseinde Ridge in October.

They were then moved to the holding line for the Flanders Winter in and Lewis was granted 1 weeks leave in Paris on the 8th of December.
Their next major involvement came in March and April at the defence of Amiens.

On the 1st of May 1918 Lewis was transferred to the Australian Army Service Corps (AASC) Training Depot at Parkhouse near Tidworth, England.
He was then posted to Fovant and attached as Permanent Cadre of the AASC until he was posted back to the AASC Training Depot near Tidworth, on the 27th of November.

On the 9th of December he was transferred to the Reserve Brigade Australia Artillery (RBAA) Camp, which was now also being used for personnel who had enlisted before June 30th 1915 and were awaiting embarkation back to Australia.

Lewis embarked from England on board HT Berrima on the 2nd of January 1919, disembarking in Adelaide on the 15th of February.

Lewis was discharged from the AIF on the 11th of April 1919 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War & Victory Medals.
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WW2

At the age of 57, Lewis enlisted into the 2nd AIF on the 16th of January 1941 in Keswick and was allotted the service number S1408 with the rank of Lance Corporal.
He listed his brother Harold, of Crafers, as his next of kin.

On the 11th of April he was promoted to Corporal and then on the 28th of May he was promoted to Sergeant and detached to duty at Loveday Italian & Japanese POW Camp 9.
On the 8th of December he was admitted to Camp Hospital for 3 days suffering from Tracheitis.
Lewis was then promoted to Staff Sergeant on the 24th of January 1942 promoted to Staff Sergeant
Lewis was discharged from the 2nd AIF on the 23rd of December 1944.