Born 1891 in Manchester, Lancashire, England [20] [21]
Son of bookbinder Asa BROOKS and Sarah Elizabeth SMITH [20] [21]
He was one of at least seven children with older siblings Arthur, Lilian, Archie and Henry, and younger siblings Mabel and Asa [20]
In 1901 he was living with his parents and siblings at 56 Hutton Street in the Manchester suburb of Moss Side in England [20]
As a 19 year old farmhand he departed London, England on the steamship Ophir on 31 March 1911 [203]
After a voyage of just over a month he arrived on the Ophir in Fremantle, Western Australia on 2 May 1911 [70]
Labourer in Coomberdale 1914-1916 [50]
Resided in Carnamah in 1916 [30: item 6512190]
Unsuccessfully applied to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force on 10 January 1916 but was rejected due to defective vision [30]
In 1917 he was a Labourer and his address was care of Mrs Emily HEGGIE, Henry Street in the Perth suburb of Cottesloe [30]
Enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) in Perth on 9 April 1917 [30: item 3130309]
Upon enlistment he was 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighed 126 pounds and had brown eyes, brown hair and a fresh complexion [30]
Gave his next of kin as his mother, whose address was 20 Brenders Road in the Manchester suburb of Withington in England [30]
He underwent training and served at Blackboy Hill, Karrakatta and Rockingham in Western Australia [30]
Appointed to the 33rd Reinforcements of the Australian Imperial Force's 10th Light Horse Regiment on 13 March 1918 [30]
Embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia for active service abroad on the steamship Ormonde on 13 March 1918 [30]
After further training in Egypt he was transferred to the 3rd Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron 27 June 1918 [30]
Trooper 3648 in the Australian Imperial Force's 3rd Machine Gun Squadron in Egypt and Syria during the First World War [30]
He was hospitalised due to illness in Damascus, Syria on 9 October 1918 and died six days later from malignant malaria [30]
Died 15 October 1918; buried Damascus Commonwealth War Cemetery in Sabara, Damascus, Syria [17]
His mother received his British War Medal, Victory Medal, Memorial Scroll, Memorial Plaque and his personal effects [30]
The personal effects comprised of a cigar case, two testaments, two wallets, photos, letters, his identity disc and two badges [30]
His name appears on Carnamah's Roll of Honour and on the Carnamah War Memorial [35]
Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Sydney Brooks' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 14 October 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/sydney-brooks [reference list] |
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