Can You Help
19 Jan 2021 10:46 AMMark Boothman
Please share, someone somewhere may have an image of these brave souls as part of their family history. For some time, my office has been working with the Northern Gold Coast RSL Sub-Branch to produce plaques for our fallen WW1 diggers listed on our local war memorials.
We have almost completed the collection of local WW1 diggers. Recently we found two more images (thank you Queensland State Library Archives). Private John Terence Felician Guerin 49th Battalion Coomera and Private Archibald Dunlop Spencer 47th Battalion Coomera.
Therefore, we are seeking community help to find images of the last three diggers listed below. Please share this post as it would be lovely to complete this collection so their faces will never be forgotten.
We have searched Australian War Memorial, Veterans Affairs, National Archives, State Library of Queensland, Virtual War Memorial and National Library of Australia.
James William Bozier Barr:
Born at Coomera, Queensland
Enlisted: 25 September 1916 in Brisbane, Queensland
Occupation: Motorman
Unmarried
Age on enlistment: 25 years, 11 months
Received: 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal (received by mother Mrs Mary Jane Barr of Upper Coomera, Queensland).
Service number 3115
Rank: Private
Place of Association: Brisbane, Queensland
AIF Unit: 2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion
Died on 12 February 1919 in Belgium from illness (pneumonia)
The VWMA reports that Private Barr was Gassed in France in 1918, and died of Bronchial Pneumonia in Belgium in December 1919
Cemetery or Memorial Details: Charleroi Communal Cemetery, Charleroi, Wallonie, Belgium
James William Bozier Barr's name is located at panel 175 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial.
Digger: Private Sidney Claude Percival Lane
Born at Lismore, New South Wales
Enlisted: 4 October 1915 in Lismore, New South Wales
Occupation: Farmer
Unmarried
Age on enlistment: 19 years, 8 months
Received: 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal (received by father Mr Albert Lane, of Wyrallah, via Lismore, New South Wales).
Private Lane:
Service number 5411
Rank: Private
Place of Association: Wyrallah, New South Wales
AIF Unit: 9th Australian Infantry Battalion
Died on 22 August 1916 in France of wounds received in the field
Cemetery or Memorial Details: Warloy-Baillon Communal Cemetery Extension, Warloy-Baillon, Picardie, France
Sidney Claude Percival Lane's name is located at panel 56 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial.
Digger: Private William Robert Lefio
Born at Beenleigh, Queensland
Enlisted: 31 December 1915 in Brisbane, Queensland
Occupation: Labourer
Unmarried
Age on enlistment: 24 years, 3 months
Not eligible for war service medals. (passed away prior to leaving Australia)
Service number 5066
Unit: 26th Australian Infantry Battalion
Place of Association: Pimpama, Queensland
Died on 26 May 1916 in Freemantle, Western Australia from Pneumonia and Cardiac failure
Cemetery or Memorial Details: Buried in Fremantle Cemetery
William Robert Lefio's name is located at panel 108 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial.
If you could be of assistance, please contact my office 07 34450100 or theodore@parliament.qld.gov.au
