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Eric Kingsley Abraham was born
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Period: to
Eric Kingsley Abraham
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Eric Father died
Jabez died two months before Eric's tenth birthday. -
Eric Family moved to a far near Ipswich and his mother married George Henry Cooke
After Jabez's death the family moved for a time to a farm near Ipswich where Eric attended Ipswich Boys School for a time. Then in late 1910, Eric's mother Elizabeth married recently widowed George Henry Cooke, headmaster at Logan State School. -
George Cooke moved in with Eric Family
In January 1911 George Cooke moved with his new wife and family to take up a position as headmaster at Eumundi State School. Eric was enrolled at the school with his younger brother. He probably finished his schooling when he turned fourteen. -
Eric became a telephone operator and a member of the Eumundi Rugby League Team
After leaving school he became the first operator of the telephone exchange in the Eumundi Post Office about 1913/14. He could not have been very busy, in 1913, apart from the public telephone there were only two private lines in the town. The Oxley Library has a photograph of the Eumundi Rugby League team circa 1914. -
Ship sailed
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he disembarked the ship
from Suez, then went to England. -
transferred to Engineering Training Depot at Parkhouse
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his twenty three year old brother Jabez had died of wounds
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Eric headed for France and arrived at Abbeville
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taken on strength (as a sapper) of 5th Division Signals Company in the field
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Abraham Enlisted
He was a postal assistant at Boonah when he enlisted. -
Eric was ill with bronchitis and pleurisy.
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he embarked at Rouen on the Aberdonian for England and Two days later he was admitted to the Bethnal Green Military Hospital.
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Eric was transferred to the 3rd Australian Military Hospital at Dartford.
Eric was transferred to the 3rd Australian Military Hospital at Dartford. This hospital was for the treatment of war-related nerves and neuroses. However Eric seems to have spent only 11 days there. -
a new Overseas Training Brigade was formed at Perham Downs, England.
a new Overseas Training Brigade was formed at Perham Downs, England. Eric was sent there on day one. -
Eric left Folkestone for France.
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Eric commenced three weeks leave in England
Eric commenced three weeks leave in England, before rejoining his unit in France for the last month of the war. He stayed in France for the next few months. During this time he was detached from his unit for a six week period to attend the Australian Corps Central School. -
He arrived back in Southampton.
He arrived there to engage for two months in what was described as non-military employment. He attended an advanced telegraphy course, still being paid at full military rates. -
He rejoined the 5th Division Signal Company
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He embarked for Australia on 23 June 1919 aboard the Orita
He embarked for Australia on 23 June 1919 aboard the Orita -
Returned to Australia
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He disembarked in Sydney
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He was discharged from the A.I.F. in Brisbane.
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Eric married Enid Ruth Hunter
He married Enid Ruth Hunter in 1923. The couple were to have two daughters. Ruth and family accompanied Eric in his various appointments in Queensland, New Guinea, New South Wales and Canberra. -
Eric qualified as an accountant
He added to his talents by qualifying as an accountant in 1929. The web site www.anzacday states he worked "for the Taxation Office, the Prices Commission, the National Insurance Commission, and retired as the Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Department of Health, Canberra." -
Eric wife Ruth passed away
After Eric's retirement the couple lived at Buderim Queensland for fifteen or more years. After Ruth's death about 1980, Eric returned to Brisbane, where he lived in comfortable obscurity until the 1990s. Then interest in Anzac Day celebrations began to focus on the steadily reducing number of World War One diggers. Alphabetical lists of surviving diggers were prepared for each Anzac Day with the Abraham name at the head of the list. -
he was one of four diggers who visited Villers-Brettoneux in France for the 80th anniversary of the World War One armistice.
Eric had the right temperament for public acclaim. He was very approachable, happy to reminisce and had a good repertoire of stories. He featured prominently in many Anzac Day Parades. In 1998 he was one of four diggers who visited Villers-Brettoneux in France for the 80th anniversary of the World War One armistice. On that occasion he was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour of France. -
He received the 80th Anniversary Australian Remembrance Medal
More awards were to come. In 1999 he received the 80th Anniversary Australian Remembrance Medal. -
He collaborated with Glen Farne Sang, and wrote "A Dungaree Digger"
Eric was also feted as the last of the Dungaree diggers. In 1999, in collaboration with Glen Farne Sang, he wrote "A Dungaree Digger" subtitled "The War Memoirs of Eric Kingsley Abraham, the last original Dungaree". This was published by the Department of Veterans Affairs. -
he received the Centenary Medal
Then in 2002 he received a medal relating to his longevity rather than his military service, This was the Centenary Medal, issued to those living Australians who had been born before Federation in 1901. -
Eric Kingsley Abraham Died
At age 104, Eric died on 20 March 2003 at the RSL nursing home at Pinjarra Hills. Two days later he was given the honour of a State Funeral at St. John's Cathedral, Brisbane. His final resting place was Balmoral Cemetery where his father had been buried ninety five years earlier.