BROOKER Arthur Henry Edward

Family

William Henry Brooker married Florence Ellen Price on 7 July 1897 in Lismore. After a few years at Alstonville, William and his wife moved to Maleny which then boasted a small community of settlers and even fewer buildings. Their first child, Arthur Henry Edward had been born at Alstonville on 27 June 1898. He had been followed by a daughter Clara in 1901. After their move to Queensland, more children followed - William, Harold, Albert, Ronald, Douglas, and an adopted daughter.

Military context

From his enlistment on 28 June 1917 to Armistice on 11 November 1918, Arthur Brooker served in three battalions of the 4th Australian Division - the 52nd, the 51st and the 49th. He trained in Australia and England with the 52nd. Then, just when he was deployed at end April 1918 to join the battalion in the field, it was chosen for dissolution to reinforce other battalions. Through May and half July 1918, he was with the 51st but for much of that he was indisposed in hospital.

From mid July 1918 until it too was disbanded, Private Brooker served with the 49th, and this was a period of combat for the battalion. The Germans had launched a great Spring offensive in 1917 when the Russian Revolution eliminated the threat on its eastern front but, by August 1918, the Allies had blunted the advances and were ready to launch their own offensive. The 49th Battalion was among the units involved.

The 49th Battalion was disbanded on 9 May 1919.

Enlistment

Arthur Brooker enlisted at Brisbane on 28 June 1917 (his medical had been taken at Maleny two days earlier). He recorded his occupation as "dairy farmer". He was 5 feet 9 1/2 inches in height, weighed 150 pounds, of fair complexion, with blue eyes and fair hair. His religion was Church of England. He recorded his father William Henry Brooker of Witta via Maleny as his next of kin. Arthur had scars on his left thigh and right axilla. His service number was 3607 (the suffix A was added subsequently). When his Attestation was confirmed at the Rifle Range, Enoggera on 7 August, he was assigned to the 10th Reinforcements of 52nd Battalion.

Military Service

The troop train left Enoggera Camp, Brisbane on 29 October 1917 and two days later Private Brooker embarked at Sydney aboard HMAT A14 "Euripides". He disembarked at Devonport, England on Boxing Day 1917. That same day, he was marched in to the 13th Training Battalion at Codford on Salisbury Plain.

On 8 February 1918, he reported to the Group hospital with mumps and he was admitted for thirteen days. He returned to hospital on 23 March and was hospitalised for seven days with influenza. He was back again with an unexplained fever on 6 April. His hospitalisation was for six days and, on release, he transferred to the 12th Training Battalion.

On 29 April 1918, Private Brooker proceeded via Folkestone to France where he was marched in at the Base Depot at Etaples next day. On 4 May, he proceeded to join his unit. Rather than the 52nd, he was deployed to reinforce the 51st Battalion. The 52nd was about to be directed to disband to reinforce the other three battalions in the division.

Before Private Brooker could join his battalion, he was forced to report again to hospital. He was admitted at the 39th General Hospital at Havre on 13 May with an ailment yet to be diagnosed. Unremarkably for the times and circumstance of young men at war, the affliction proved to be quite common but difficult to cure quickly. He had been indisposed for 54 days when eventually discharged to the Australian Infantry Base Depot at Havre on 5 July.

Private Brooker no sooner marched out to join his unit when he was again transferred - this time to he 49th Battalion - on 13th July. The Allies launched their own offensive in early August and the 49th Battalion was among the units involved. It played an active role until the middle of the month, before moving to duties in the rear. The battalion was ordered forward for its last major operation in September and provided part of the 4th Division's reserve for the attack on the Hindenburg "outpost line" on the 18th September.

Armistice was declared on 11 November 1918.

On 6 December, Private Brooker presented to 13th Field Ambulance with a septic heel. He was taken to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station and thence to the 10th General Hospital at Rouen where he was admitted on 10 December.

In February 1919, Private Brooker had a recurrence of the ailment which had required his hospitalisation nine month earlier. On 28 February, he was evacuated from France to England and was admitted to the Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford. He was discharged to the Australian Depot at Parkhouse three days later but continued to present at Bulford for treatment for some weeks.

He departed from London on the "Port Napier" on 17 May 1919 (on the same voyage was Roy Cooke, also from Maleny) and disembarked at Sydney on 4 July. After train travel to Brisbane, he was discharged from the A.I.F. on 29 July.

After the War

Arthur Brooker was issued the British War and Victory medals.

In the Electoral Roll of 1925, Arthur Brooker was recorded at Witta where he was a "cream carrier". Every Electoral Roll until his death in 1977 recorded him at the same address - so too his wife Mabel (spelling variant Mabelle) until her death in May 1971.

Arthur Brooker married Mabel Susanna Power in Queensland on 26 June 1926. The couple had three children - Harvey Ostwald (1921-1987), Warren Ostwald and Owen David Ostwald.

Arthur's parents celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary at Maleny in 1947 with all sons in attendance. Arthur, Harold and Bert lived at Maleny, Ron in Brisbane, and Douglas and Bill at Gympie.

On 6 November 1949, Arthur's father died at Maleny and was buried at Witta cemetery. The Singleton community was advised in the "Singleton Argus" by his widow who was living at Brookside Cottage, Wootha Road, Maleny.

Mabel Brooker died in 1971 and Arthur in 1977. He was buried at Pinnaroo Cemetery, Brisbane on 29 November in the same grave as his wife Mabel - Portion 1c, Section 5, Grave 270. Ten years later, their son Harvey would be interred there also.

Arthur's brother, Albert (Bert) Durwood Brooker, served in the 2nd/8th Field Regiment in World War 2. Arthur's nephew (Bert's son), was a national serviceman during the Vietnam War and served in the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Royal Australian Armoured Corps. In 2014, he remains an active member of Maleny`s Returned Services League and the community generally.

Witta and District Roll of Honor, Maleny R.S.L. Memorial Hall, Bunya Street, Maleny

Soldiers' Memorial Hospital Maleny Roll of Honor, Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, Bean Street, Maleny

Shire of Landsborough Roll of Honour, Caloundra RSL, West Terrace, Caloundra

Australian War Memorial
National Australia Archives
Trove digitalised newspapers
Ancestry.com

Photos courtesy of Chris & Jocelyn Brooker.