Brothers leave a broken home, never to return

THE service records of the Australian soldiers of World War I reveal a range of social issues, not unlike those of today.

When they enlisted in 1914, New Town brothers Hector and Robert Lord were giving financial support to their mother, who would separate from their father after they shipped out.

Robert, 17, was also paying court-mandated child support of five shillings a week (50c) for an infant son who had been given up for adoption.

Both of these issues had an impact on the distribution of medals and war gratuities some years later, as neither brother would return from the war.

Hector was born in August 1894 and was a 20-year-old labourer when he joined the 12th Battalion in August 1914.

Robert declared he was an 18-year-old machinist, but his mother would later state he was under-age and she only gave him permission to join because he was continually being worried by the 19-year-old woman who said he had fathered her child.

The brothers both saw active service at Gallipoli, where Robert was killed in action at Hill 971 on August 8, 1915. With no known grave, he was initially listed as missing in action until a court of inquiry confirmed his death.

Hector was wounded a week after Robert’s death but survived the Gallipoli campaign. He was promoted to corporal in 1916 but reverted to private after being found guilty of carelessly injuring his hand.

Hector was killed in action near Chuignolles, France, on August 25, 1918, aged 24, when he used his body to cover an exploding bomb. He has no known grave.

Hector Edward Lord and Robert Stanley Lord are remembered at trees 499 and 264 on the Soldiers’ Memorial Avenue.