David R. Brokenshire
History
David Roskelly Brokenshire was born in 1897. His father was James Job Brokenshire.[1] He served during World War One in the 6th Field Ambulance Corps, joining on 10 February 1915 at Ballarat, and fighting at Gallipoli. At the time of his enlistment he was an 18 year old ironfounder.
On 08 February 1915 David Brokenshire's father, James Job Brokenshire, wrote:
- 316 Ligar St
- Ballarat
- 8th February 1915
- I the undersigned hereby consent to my son David Roskilly Brokenshire joining the Ambulance Corps of the Australian Imperial Force.
- James J. Brokenshire.[2]
On his return to Ballarat, he became a Returned Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen’s Imperial League of Australia Ballarat branch board member, which established a scholarship in his honour.[3]
He was the first Returned Serviceman’s Bowling Club president and in an obituary the club wrote of him: “the tougher the task, the more difficult the problem – the greater did ‘Brokie’ revel in solving it”.[4]
Legacy
World War One service recognised on the Ballarat Avenue of Honour and the Austral Works Honour Roll.
The poplar tree planted for David Brokenshire was one of 64 removed in December 2014 for Western Link Road works. His daughter, Betty Brown, replaced tree number 478 in honour of David Brokenshire on 16 March 1915 when she replanted an oak in closer alignment to the original avenue trees. The first tree in Mr Brokenshire’s name, an English ash, had to be removed after getting sick, while a replacement elm tree also failed to grow, replaced in 1997 by the poplar tree. Betty Brown described her father as a “loving, kind and caring family man” and said “grandfather’s tree” – as it was known in the family – held deep sentimental value.The family visits the tree annually and have generation photos taken at the site.[5]
See also
Notes
References
- ↑ NAA: B2455, BROKENSHIRE D R
- ↑ NAA: B2455, BROKENSHIRE D R
- ↑ Replanting the Avenue of Honour tree - http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/2949312/betty-replants-fathers-tree/?cs=61, accessed 17/03/2015.
- ↑ Replanting the Avenue of Honour tree - http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/2949312/betty-replants-fathers-tree/?cs=61, accessed 17/03/2015.
- ↑ Replanting the Avenue of Honour tree - http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/2949312/betty-replants-fathers-tree/?cs=61, accessed 17/03/2015.
Further Reading
External links
Replanting the Avenue of Honour tree - http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/2949312/betty-replants-fathers-tree/?cs=61
--Beth Kicinski 14:11, 17 June 2013 (EST); --Clare K.Gervasoni 14:01, 17 March 2015 (AEDT)