ANZAC Day Blog Challenge 2014: Introduction - A Mother's Love

Nothing compares to a mother's love. 

Can you imagine the prospect of losing your children?  Not once, not twice, but three times?

My Great Grandmother, Edith Geyer, was a very strong lady with great intestinal fortitude!

Edith Geyer during better times
Horsham c 1924

One month after the death of her husband to typhoid fever in May 1899, Edith (who was pregnant) was faced with the prospect of the family being torn apart as she did not have the means to support them.  However, with great strength of character and the aid of the local community of Nhill, she was able to keep the family together.  You can read more about Edith here.

Source: trove.nla.gov.au
The Horsham Times, Tuesday 13th June 1899, page 3

In 1901 , "being in poor circumstances", Edith decided to move the family to Mildura, "having heard that any child however small who could pick fruit off a tree, could earn 4/ or 5/ a day".  We cannot imagine the voyage.  The family were only hours from perishing. You can read about their amazing journey and tale of survival  here.  Did you notice that history was repeating itself?  In more ways than one!

Times were improving - Edith Geyer, her children and first grandchild
1911
Back: Arthur, Melville, Lloyd and Ernest
Front: Sophie, Edith Geyer (nee Bound)  Lil and  Mabel holding Eva Pilgrim

Then as things had started to improve and life was looking up for Edith and her family, World War 1 threatened to break her family apart again.  Her three youngest boys Lloyd, Melville and Ernest would all fight on the Western Front in France and Belgium.

We cannot begin to imagine how Edith must have felt.  She had no control.  She had struggled through adversity since she was born.  She had nearly lost her children twice before.  Through her perseverance and hard work, times were improving.  But would her world be ripped apart?

You can read more about Edith's three ANZACs by clicking on each of their names;
 Lloyd Morris Geyer
Melville Geyer
Ernest Theodore Geyer

You can read more Anzac Day Blogs here

ANZAC Day Blog Challenge 2014: Part 1 - The First of Three sons to embark

Melville Geyer was a handsome young man with blue eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion, when he enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on Monday 5th July 1915. Service Number: 2370.

Melville, also known as Mel or Mick, was 21 years old and would have been very strong, being a Blacksmith's striker. My grandmother always referred to him as "Uncle Mick" so I will call him Mick also.

He was the first of Edith Geyer's boys to leave the shores of Australia, bound for the War, firstly in Egypt then in France.

Source: http://trove.nla.gov.au/
The Horsham Times, Friday 9th July 1915, page 4

Within days, Mick had left Horsham, where he lived with his mother and siblings, Soph, Lloyd, Ern and Lily, to commence training at Seymour.

Melville Geyer was born at his parents home at Rockley Street, in nearby Nhill on 8th February 1895.  He was the 5th of 7 children of Edith Geyer and Edward Ernest Edmund Geyer.  He was four years old when his father died from typhoid in 1899.

On the 29th September 1915, Mick was one of 1106^ young men to board the RMS Osterley at Melbourne.   Another young man on the same voyage was my paternal Grand Uncle, Robert John Jones, who I have written about previously.   Mick was my Great Grand Uncle on my mothers side of the family.  I can't help but wonder if these two young men crossed paths while on the journey?  They would have had no idea that in about 100 years time,  their grand niece would be writing about them!

RMS Osterley
My maternal Great Grand Uncle, Melville Geyer, and my paternal Grand Uncle,
Robert Jones, both left Melbourne on the 29th September 1915, arriving in Egypt.

Mick and two of his three sisters, Soph & Lily Geyer
1915

Within 12 months of leaving Australia, Mick sustained injuries on 23rd August 1916 in France, "Gun shot wounds to his right arm and right knee severe".  He was immediately moved to a "Gas Clearance Station" for the initial operation^^^ and then transferred to England (several different hospitals).   

His defense records show that Mick was arrested 31st July 1917, fined "forfeiture of 70 days pay" and sentenced to "undergo detention for 60 days".  His crime was "Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline" as he falsified leave records (and then denied it).  I believe that there is more to this story than is written in the records.   Mick's younger brother, Ernest, was "gassed" in Belgium in June 1917 and it seems that Mick may have exaggerated (or maybe he was unaware of) the seriousness of his brother's injuries, as he wanted to go and check up on him.   Or did he know what was about to happen to his younger brother?

Mick was enlisted to the 23rd Battalion, 5th Reinforcement. The 23rd Battalion lost 686 soldiers and 2317 were injured^^.  The Battalion lost 90% of the original members at the battle of Mouqet Farm (maybe this is where Mick was injured?).  However, Mick was one of the lucky ones.  Private Melville Geyer returned to Australia on the 17th February 1919 aboard the HMAT A35 Berrima and was discharged as medically unfit (bad knee) on 11th April 1919.

Mick Geyer
1915

Source: http://www.flotilla-australia.com/
HMAT A35 Berrima

He was the first of Edith's boys to leave for war and the first to return.  Perhaps the pioneering overland journey that he and his family took when he was a child, and he wrote about years later,assisted to prepare him for survival?  

You can read more about the family by clicking on the links;

Mother:  Edith Geyer

Brother:  Lloyd Geyer

Brother:  Ernest Geyer

The Pangs of Thirst by M Geyer (A family's remarkable journey overland from Nhill to Mildura in 1901)

^ According to Embarkation rolls on Australian War Memorial website http://www.awm.gov.au/

^^  Source: Australian War Memorial website http://www.awm.gov.au/

^^^ Source: www. firstworldwar.com - "It was found that the sepsis and gas gangrene of wounds could be avoided if effective operation was performed within thirty-six hours of their infliction and all dead an injured tissue removed, in spite of the extensive mutilation incurred."

You can read more Anzac Day blogs here

ANZAC Day Blog Challenge 2014: Part 2 - Greeting from Across the Sea

Lloyd was the eldest of three brothers to serve in World War 1, but he was the last of the brothers to enlist. He was 22 when he took the Oath on 18th July 1916;

Source: National Archives of Australia
www.naa.gov.au

The youngest brother, Ern, had embarked for overseas service two months prior and another brother, Melville (aka Mick), had enlisted 12 months earlier.  A further brother, Art, who was the eldest of the four brothers, remained at home to assist their mother and sisters.  He had wanted to enlist too but was medically unfit.    His mother, Nurse Edith Geyer, must have been very thankful that he remained at home!

Lloyd Morris Geyer (spelling according to his birth certificate) was born on the 9th November 1893 at his parents home at Rockley Street, Nhill.  He was 5 years old when his father died.

Children of Edward Ernest Edmund Geyer and Edith Geyer (nee Bound)

Lloyd Geyer embarked for overseas service aboard the HMAT A71 Nestor,
from Melbourne, on the 2nd October 1916.
Source http://alh-research.tripod.com/ships_lh.htm

Lloyd Geyer (undated)
I am not sure if this was taken during his time in the Senior Cadets
(as he looks so young) or prior to leaving to go overseas in 1916.

A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Across the Sea 1916
Silver Leaves (appear to be Silver Leaf Protea from Africa)
Christmas Greeting from Lloyd Geyer to his sister Mabel Pilgrim (nee Geyer).

For the sake of those I dearly love,
And in the cause of Liberty,
I've left my southern sunny home,
And crossed the wide and trackless sea.

Heaven guard and bless you, dearest one,
Whilst I in foreign lands may roam;
Though I am absent in the flesh,
My tenderest thoughts are of my home.

Good luck to you whilst I'm away;
I know the parting cost you pain;
My earnest prayer from day to day is
GOD BE WITH YOU TILL WE MEET AGAIN.

France

13/12/18

Dear Mabel, 

     Just a few lines to let you know that I am quite well 

hoping these few lines find you all the same.

This is one of our Bat'n cards and the names on the inside is where we have been boxing on their is more to add to it yet.  I am miles away from no where at present.

Well I must close now with the best Love from your loving brother

Lloyd xxxx




The 57th Battalion fought at Sinai, Messines, Fromelles, Corbie, Somme, Ville sur Ancre, Lagnicourt, Villers Brettoneux, Bullecourt, Polygon Wood, Peronne and Harbonnieres.
505 were killed and 1253 wounded.

Lloyd Geyer
Source:  The Geier Family
 History Book  2005

Lloyd's service record (Service Number 2652) is shorter than those of his siblings as he did not suffer any serious injuries or commit any misdemeanors.

He left England on 24th July 1919 aboard the HMAT A41 Bakara, which arrived in Melbourne on Saturday the 27th of September 1919.

He was back at work as a blacksmith assistant in Horsham  prior to his discharge on 11th November 1919, one year after the war had ended.

Source: http://trove.nla.gov.au/
The Horsham Times, Tuesday 30 September 1919, page 5

The War was over and two of the three brothers had returned home to Horsham but there was still no word about the youngest brother, Ernest.   Not knowing would have been terrible for the family.

You can read more about the family by clicking on the links below;

Mother:  Edith Geyer

Brother:  Lloyd Geyer

Brother:  Ernest Geyer

The Pangs of Thirst by M Geyer (A family's remarkable journey overland from Nhill to Mildura in 1901)

You can read more Anzac Day blogs here

ANZAC Day Blog Challenge 2014: Part 3 - He was keen to go to War....but what changed?

Of the three brothers to go to World War 1, Ernest Geyer intrigued me the most.  I still don't know his story and probably never will, which is probably why I remain curious. 

Ernest Geyer was born 22 November 1897 at Nhill, Victoria.  He was the youngest son of Edward Ernest Edmund Geyer and Edith Geyer.  His father died before he turned two years of age.   He was only four years old when the family took a dangerous wagon journey from Nhill to Mildura.  In addition to nearly dying of dehydration, he also nearly drowned (that's one extreme to another!).  You can read more about the journey here.

Ern atttended Winiam State School for a time as he is remembered on their World War 1 board of honour, while his brothers are not. 

Ern Geyer (Number: 1293) is pictured in the bottom right corner.

The Geyer family did not live in Winiam but in nearby Nhill.  However, Ern's big sister Mabel Geyer married James Pilgrim in 1907 and lived at Winiam.  Ern would have been 10 years old.  Therefore it is probable that he lived with his sister and brother in law (my Great Grandparents) and attended Winiam State School.

Source;http://trove.nla.gov.au/
The Horsham Times, Friday 28 October 1910, page 6

Source:http://trove.nla.gov.au/ 
Nhill Free Press, Friday 5th May 1916 , page 2 

In 1910, he fell from a horse and badly injured his knee.  In September 1915, Ern was in a critical condition with seven perforations of the bowel as a result of a shooting accident where a friend shot him at close range with a pea rifle.

It was felt that his injuries could have prevented him from enlisting but he  "put in 8 months of wheat lumping to give it a test, and decided that it was all right, so (I) went and enlisted straight away".  He was 18. He had previous experience with the military in the Victorian Rangers, 73rd Infantry.

Source: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ 
Nhill Free Press, Tuesday 3 July 1917,  page 2

Ern embarked aboard the HMAT Ascanius A11 from Melbourne on the 27th May 1916 as part of 39th Battalion (D Company).   On the 7th June 1917 he was wounded in action in France (gassed).   He was then in and out of hospital and wrote to his mother, an extract of the letter was published in The Horsham Times on Friday 21 December 1917, page 7 and is repeated below;

GASSED, BUT CHEERFUL. 

Ern Geyer

The following are extracts from a Ietter received from Signaller E. T. Geyer and sent to his mother and sisters :-"Somewhere in France." My unit is back in our old billet that we left for the line. When we were here before everyone was glad when word came that we were going away, but everybody was more than pleased when we arrived here. All the boys were tired out when we arrived. We came in motor lorries. We left our camp in the afternoon and marched in easy stages to the line, which was shell holes. Old Fritz started dumping his spare ammunition along our track as we were going up, and continued to do so while we were lying waiting for the magic words. "Over the top, boys."  As I was lying, in my shell hole waiting, and his shells were lobbing close around me, 1 thought, "You'll get paid back shortly, and with compound interest too" 

When our guns opened, and we hopped out, his guns seemed as though the gunners had left them. I looked back several times, and the sky-line was a blaze of light from our superb artillery, which was pounding men and pillboxes into pieces small enough to go into match boxes. Our boys are as good as our guns, for they wander along quite unconcernedly behind our barrage with cigarettes and pipes going. When I was at home, and used to see pictures of prisoners coming in with their hands up, I used to think that they were faked for the purpose, but after seeing some coming down to us with a Red Cross flag flying and their hands up, I can see it is no fake but reality! 

We dug a new front line in what had been Fritz's lines that morning, and made ourselves as much at home as circumstances would permit. We were relieved after some hours and were very glad to get out and get a spell. Our cooks were busy when we arrived dishing out a hot stew; soup, tea and cheese sandwiches, which were very acceptable. We were out for a spell when, in the afternoon, we got a move on for a camp nearer the line, where we stayed for a day and a night. We went up in the night, and Fritz started to dump his ammunition along our track. We didn't have so long to wait for our guns to open up on him. I was in reserve with the rest of the Sigs., and was in a --, which Fritz knew the range of to a yard, and he could dump his ammunition quite close enough to cover one in mud, but could not quite hit anyone. I had a little trench dug on to the end of another that some of the boys had dug, and shell explosions used to cause the mud to fall on to my back. Once when I put my hand into my overcoat to get a smoke , l pulled out a handful of mud.

We were relieved in small parties, and no one in my party knew the way out, with  the result that we got lost, and were wandering among the shell holes. In looking for the track I got into a bog, and sank to my hips, and was powerless to get out without the aid of the other lads. It was quite a common thing for the word to come forward to halt, as someone was bogged. 

When we got out our [cookers] we were going again with a good hot meal, which put fresh life in to one. The mud was coated half an inch thick on my clothing as high as the waist. I looked in a glass, and   discovered that my face had a thin coat of dirt mixed in with my beard.   Don't worry about my being gassed. I do not feel any ill effects of it, and my chest is as good as ever.

It is uncertain what happened but according to defense records, Ern disappeared 9th June 1918.  Letters were returned and communication with Ern ceased.  A court of enquiry found him illegally absent and he was discharged under desertion on 27 April 1920. Maybe the accident prone young man decided that four (or more) near death experiences were enough?  Or perhaps at 21 years of age, he was enticed by a young lady?  How did he get to America?  Or was it Canada as rumoured?  I would love to know!

The Horsham Times, 25 December 1923, p 5

Ern arrived home 5 years after the war ended.

His mother had not heard from him for  "6 years or more" until she inserted an advertisement in the Chicago Tribune. (What made her believe that her son was in Chicago?  Or did she put advertisements in papers around the world?).  She received a reply from a lady who knew Ern and she soon contacted him and as a result he returned to Australia. 

The Geier Family History book states that Ern"travelled to America, where he became a 'Fuller Brush' salesman, then worked for a construction firm, then for the Cadillac Motor company and finally joined the U.S. Army Air Force at Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  He served with 11th Bombardment Squadron, Langley Field, and attained the Rank of Sergeant" .

Other newspaper articles repeat this information and I can see that his mother wrote to him at Langley Field.  However, I have yet to confirm any other details.  I think that I may have located him living in Winnebago, Illinois in 1920 but cannot be certain it is him.

I feel that I must point out that Ern served in the 14 Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps during World War II.     

Christmas 1924 the entire family gathered together, including Edith's grandchildren.  What a wonderful gathering that would have been.  The questions that I would have!  If only time machines existed!

Edith Geyer with her Children - Christmas 1924 @ Horsham
Back:  Lily, Sophie, Mabel
Front:  believe it is Ern, Mick, Edith, Lloyd and Arthur

You can read more Anzac Day blogs here

A family's remarkable journey overland from Nhill to Mildura in 1901

The amazing story below was found while I was scouring through newspapers on Trove, researching the Geyer brothers (my Great Grand Uncles) for an Anzac Day blog.  The character recognition listed the author as M. Ocyer rather than M. Geyer, which is why it had not been discovered previously.  You can imagine my reaction when I started to read it, as I immediately recognised it as the story of my Great Great Grandmother, Edith Geyer, and her children.  This is only part of Edith's story of adversity and courage, which can be read here.

The article was written by my Great Grand Uncle, Melville Geyer, who would have been 6 (closer to 7) years of age at the time of the journey.

Source:  http://trove.nla.gov.au  (click here to view article)
The Horsham Times, Tuesday 1st September 1931, page 6

OVERLAND TO MILDURA

Waggon Trip from Nhill 30 Years Ago

THE PANGS OF THIRST. 

(By M. Geyer.)

The following is a description of a trip by waggon to Mildura from Nhill: It was in November, 1901, that Mrs. Smith (Edith Geyer), a widow with a young family of seven children - four boys and three girls - the eldest 13 (my Great Grandmother, Mabel) and the youngest two (Lily), decided to seek a living in Mildura, having heard that any child how ever small who could pick fruit off a tree, could earn 4/ or 5/ a day. 

Source: http://trove.nla.gov.au
Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), Saturday 24 June 1899, page 26

Being in very poor circumstances she looked about for means of cheap transportation and heard of a Mr. Brown going to Mildura with his 5-horse team and waggon to look for work on the Mildura railway line. He agreed to take Mrs. Smith and family and her delicate brother (Abel Bound, who was later declared insane) up for the sum of £5. The route we were to travel was marked out for us by a friend, who had gone a few weeks previously. We left Nhill on (Saturday) November 16 and made for Jeparit, Lake Hindmarsh and Hopetoun. Then Mr. Brown decided to slip the line to Mildura instead of the other way. We crossed from Hopetoun to Minapin, now Lascelles, at that time a wine shanty and tents. A beautiful lot of pines grew where we camped overnight, but we did not have much sleep because of the noise of the drunks and the yelling of the woman who kept the shanty. 

We never took provisions or horse feed for long trips, as we were told there was plenty on the way we should have gone. We started up the line next morning; there was no road, just a stretch of white drift sand, and we toiled on all day, finding no water and having only our water bags full, which were soon empty.  We camped at Woomelang, where there were no houses, only another shanty and drunks. Mother went to the woman at the hotel to buy a drink of water for the baby, who was crying for a drink and she said, "No. I won't give you or sell you water. I pay to get it carted here. I'll sell you wine." But that was no good to baby. Next morning we moved on again,  but we were still without water and it was beginning to tell on the horses. 

Source: http://trove.nla.gov.au
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Thursday 5 December 1901, page 6

In the evening it was a joy to behold a large dam that had over flowed its banks. Just as we drew in and the men went to fill the water bags, 300 railway workers, with horses and drays, pulled in on the other side. They would not allow the men to fill the water-bags. Our driver and uncle told them they were going up the line to look for work, carting provisions from one camp to another or any other work they could find, but the men told them there was no room for them on the line. They told our driver there was a large tank about two and a half miles further on and grass up to the horses' knees. Mother and the children never showed themselves out of the waggon while at the dam. So off we went without water, expecting to find it at the next tank. Mother and uncle walked, one each side of the track so as not to miss the tank. The children by this time had cried themselves to sleep for the want of a drink. 

Although it was bright moonlight, there was no sign of any tank or water. Towards morning, however, a tank was sighted, and oh what a sigh of relief came from us. There was a wild rush to it, but what a disapointment when it was reached, for it only held about a cupful. The driver had first dip: then my uncle pushed him aside and dipped up what he could with a tea spoon and gave the children a few precious drops each; mother and he going without. (Perhaps it was just as well it was not full or we would have suffered from over drinking.) 

Then we pushed on again, travelling all day without water. Men may have their fancies for pets, but give me a dog, for men have not half the sense of a dog when it comes to finding water. Our dog, Bruce, used to jump up in the waggon and look up into our faces, as much as to say, "Please do give me a drink," but when he was told there was no water, he would just jump down. One evening he was missing from behind the waggon. We had just started off again in the morning, when he came and jumped into the waggon, the first time he ever did it while we were on the move. Uncle said, "Look out, he's gone mad." But he was sopping wet; he jumped down again, ran back to the edge of the scrub and started to bark. The men grabbed the water-bags and followed him. The dog led them to the tank we were looking for. Then we took the horses out and gave them a well-needed and earned drink and a bit of a feed. We boiled the billy and had a longed-for cup of tea, thanks to Bruce. Had it not been for the dog finding the water, we could not have lasted the day out, nor could have the horses. 

1901 Journey Route (approx 300kms over a week)
Less than 4 hours today.
Source:  Google maps

By this time we had reached the drift sand; the horses were knee deep in it. (Could this have been what is now known as Wyperfeld National Park, which is renowned for pines and sand drifts?)  The journey was telling on the horses, which were on short rations, as there was no place where we could buy feed of any sort for them. Our water-bag was the only thing we had to carry water in. Uncle by now could see how things were going, so he used to hide the bag and serve it out with a tablespoon. On we went, mother and uncle walking and keeping on the look-out for tanks; empty ones greeted us every 30 miles. I will never forget our approach to the Seven Sister Hills (the dread to motorists to-day). There was a fire raging on both sides of us; the heat and smoke were some thing unbearable. However those poor horses lived through it, God only knows. All the wild animals of the bush were fleeing along the track: dingoes, kangaroos, rabbits and even snakes going for their lives. 

Day was closing in on us, but still we toiled on. There was no water for the horses which were up to their girth in drift sand, swaying and moaning as they hauled their load, with their tongues hanging out; it was pitiful to hear them. Mother put the children to bed and continued to walk, although her feet were sore and blistered. As we were going over the third hill the waggon struck a root and all but capsized. Then the king bolt struck a stump and held fast. The driver wanted to hook the horses on behind the waggon and pull it back but mother and uncle hung on to the horses heads and would not allow him to move them another step that night. The animals were unyoked, and all the feed the five horses had that night was a small dish of chaff and 25 [lb] of flour. 

The men decided to walk on and see if there was any other track over the hills. Mother sat in the waggon ringing a bullock bell so as they would not wander away and get lost. Back they came towards morning. There was no other road. The men snatched a hasty meal and a few hours sleep. Then we were up at daylight. with hills in front of us and we stuck fast on a stump. The eldest boy (Arthur) had to crawl under and chop the stump off so as we could clear the axle of the waggon: this done, we tried cutting a fresh track around the hill, but this was impossible. There was only one thing left, go straight over the top. To do this everything had to be unloaded and carried up to the top of the sand-hill, then loaded in after the team reached the top. Then down to the bottom, unload again and carry up to the top: this was done till the hills were crossed. It was as much as the horses could do to pull the empty waggon over the sand-hills. 

An unlabelled photo from a family album is reminiscent of the Geyer's journey; the landscape, wagon,  billy and  the dog.
The Geyer's dog, Bruce, located water and saved the family's life.
Edith and the children, hid in their wagon whenever they neared groups of men (primarily railway workers).

Up till now we had been following along the track where the railway line was going to be put through. Mother and uncle decided not to follow this track any further. We met a man on horseback and he said, "If you see the[last]sign of a track leading off this one, follow it, but if you miss it, goodnight, because you will die of thirst." Mother walked one side of the track and uncle on the other. Mother noticed the track (only just a faint wheel-mark) so she waved to uncle and he rushed over, grabbed the leaders' heads and turned the outfit into it. Once in there was no hope of getting out for it was impossible to turn the team in the dense scrub. The driver swore and cursed, and threatened not to move another step. Mother and Uncle hurried on, leaving the driver to have his swear out. 

On the way mother climbed a leaning tree and on looking out above the other trees she could see horses and the bank of a lake. She was so overcome with joy that she just slid down, lay on the ground and cried as if her heart would break. Uncle tried to comfort her, told her to try and keep up and not to give in just yet as we may find water any hour now. She couldn't speak, only pointed up the tree. He climbed up and saw the lake and ran back to the driver yelling, "Thank God we are saved. There is water ahead. We're saved. We're saved." We hurried on, or rather what we thought was hurrying, as the poor horses had no hurry left in them by now. We reached the lake. which we found was Lake Hattah. When we were nearing it we could see hundreds of men and horses camped on the bank. Our men took the water-bags to get them filled, mother and the kiddies hiding in the waggon. The men were met with the head ganger (and if this man is still alive to-day, or any of the other men that were there, they can bear me out as to the condition we and the horses were in). Mother's and uncle's tongues were swollen to the roof of their mouths. The ganger said the man who passed us before had called in and told him that we were on the way and that we should be at the lake about 10 o'clock in the morning. If we were not there by that time, we would have missed the turn off and perhaps be dead by night. The ganger had just formed a search party to go out for us. We reached the lake about 5 o'clock. The ganger ordered the men away with the command not to touch the water. It was agony to see the lake full of water and not allowed to have a drink. The ganger had ordered the cook to boil the billy and make us a drink of tea. We had to shift our camp about half a mile away from the water. Later he brought over the tea and only gave us each half a cupful and it was over an hour before we got another half cup: then another half hour and so on till we had quenched our thirst. 

Edith's "delicate brother"
Abel Bound, who was
instrumental in saving
 the family.

The horses were looked after by some of the other men of the camp. The poor beasts, they only got a quarter of a bucket of water at a time until their kidneys worked. The horses did not get any food for some time. Afterwards they received a well-earned feed of chaff, bran and oats. 

He told us to camp for the night, but uncle told him he would rather push ahead on account of his sister and the kiddies. The ganger said. "Leave that to me. You can sleep in safety." He sat on a stump with a loaded revolver and said he would shoot to kill if any man moved towards the waggon. He sat there all night and kept guard. He told us that had we missed the turn-off and if we could have lasted out, we would have had to go through to Mildura before we got water. 

 We were on the move again at sun rise and we will never forget the beautiful sight we saw. There were thousands of birds of all colors feeding on the seeds under the pine trees. We went from Lake Hattah across to Culcairn Station and camped for the night on the river bank. There was nearly a drowning fatality there. My young brother (Ernest) walked in for a paddle, and only took one step, when down he went into the river; the peg-mark showed 16 feet above summer level. My sister (believe this was Mabel as I seem to remember this story being told by my grandmother) had the presence of mind to lay on the bank and grab him by the hair and hold on till my uncle and the driver came over and pulled him out. 

Kulkyne Station c 1900
Source: http://museumvictoria.com.au/ 
Reg No: MM002690
I believe that Melville was referring to Kulkyne Station (written as Culcairn Station), near Hattah.

We called at the manager's house and inquired the way. He told us not to attempt to cross the billabong near the station, but to go two miles further down stream, as there was a safer crossing. He and his daughter had been into Mildura the week before and the water was running through the bottom of the gig. Our driver was pig headed: he would not go back. The manager told him to take out a horse and ride across and try the stream, but, no, he could drive over all right. 

Just before we came to the river, the whip came off; it was a God-send that it did. Uncle fixed the whip and got out on the shafts of the waggon to drive the leaders, so that the driver could keep the back pair up. In they went, with the water rushing over their backs. How those poor horses swam and pulled the load behind them will always remain a mystery. The water filled the waggon, everything getting sopping wet, also mother and us children. Uncle had his work cut out keeping the leaders going and balancing himself on the shafts. All you could see of the horses by the time we reached the middle of the stream were their heads. If anything had have happened we would have been all drowned in the swift-flowing stream. We got across safely and decided to camp there that day and dry our bedding, clothing, etc. as we could not make Mildura that day. When we came to have a look round, all our pots, pans, buckets and other things we had stored under the waggon were gone in the river. 

My Great Grandmother, Mabel Geyer (the eldest child of Edith Geyer), picking olives at Mildura
circa 1902-1903 - aged 14 or 15

We spent the day roaming round watching the goannas, and they were there by the hundreds in all sizes from infants in arms to ones up to six feet in length. We started out next morning (Sunday) for Mildura, the land where milk and honey were supposed to be flowing. We arrived there in the afternoon in time for tea. 

The heat and flies were something terrible all the way up; flies are bad in Egypt, but nothing like they were going up that track. When we left Nhill they told us that there were tanks every 30 miles apart; no doubt the tanks were there all right, but they were sunk down in the ground. The kangaroos, dingoes, rabbits and other animals, driven by the fire, plunged in to these and were drowned, so you can guess what the smell was like. 

We saw Mildura at its worst. First came the heat wave and scorched every thing; then the year following came the locust plague which stripped every thing. Things were bad and we were advised to leave, and we did. They told us Mildura was going broke, so we took the train back to Lascelles, then on by a covered van and three horses on a much better track. 

We have the pleasure of stating we were the first white family to travel over land from Nhill to Mildura.

They made it!
Edith Geyer with her children and first grandchild - 1911
Back: Arthur, Melville, Lloyd and Ernest
Front: Sophie, Edith Geyer (nee Bound), Lily and Mabel holding Eva Pilgrim (my grandmother)

It is more than 100 years since that remarkable journey. I am very thankful that my Great Grand Uncle,  Melville Geyer, returned from the war and told the story for future generations to applaude and recognise their struggle and courage.  I am in awe!

You can read more about Edith and her ANZACs by clicking on their names;

Edith Geyer (nee Bound)

Lloyd Geyer

Melville Geyer

Ernest Geyer

"One of the nicest gardens in the Wimmera"

Try to imagine this photo in colour!

James Pilgrim's Garden at Winiam
Unknown child

In 1888 Alexander Sutherland wrote in the Book Victoria and its Metropolis about  "The People of Victoria, who are making a difference"

"Pilgrim , James, Winiam , was born in Essex, England, and was apprenticed

to the trade of stonemason , but meeting with an accident had to give

it up and took to gardening and farming . Coming out to Melbourne in 1862,

he tried digging at Castlemaine for four months, after which he went to

Adelaide and followed gardening and farming for four years. He carried on

farming operations on his own account at Cockatoo Valley for seven years

and at Wasley's for a similar period. Returning to Victoria in 1882 he

selected 320 acres of land in the parish of Winiam, where he has also purchased

35 acres ; he crops 200 acres and has an average yield of wheat of 12

bushels to the acre. Mr. Pilgrim, who has had charge of the Winiam

post-office for some time , has one of the nicest gardens in the Wimmera,

 fruit trees, grape vines and flowers growing luxuriantly".

James Pilgrim (kneeling in centre) and family member in the orchard at WIniam.

Unfortunately, the photo above is not good enough quality to positively identify each individual pictured.  My Great Great Grandfather, James Pilgrim, settled at Winiam in 1882 and notes indicate that it took five years to clear the land and prepare the orchard.  The trees look quite young so I would guesstimate that this photo was taken in the late 1880s or early 1890s.

1904 Country Directory
James Pilgrim and his two eldest sons (twins Bob & Bert, who were 21) were listed

Every generation since James has had a "greenthumb" but I didn't inherit that gene!

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You can read more about James Pilgrim here and here

Seeking Sylvie

My grandmother collected cards for the "nips" to look at when they were unwell.  This folding postcard was among my grandmothers possessions.

Photographic Souvenir of Albury
Dear Eva
With Love
Sylvie Lord Xmas 1929
Gulson

Albury, NSW, Australia on Google Maps 2014

Eighty Years later, I was working in Albury and decided to take photos of the images contained in the postcard.  Most of the scenes pictured in the postcard in 1929 still exist today.  The bridge over the river Murray is different as is the old hospital, but otherwise I was able to replicate the photos.

Albury  1929 vs 2009
Soldiers Monument
Avenue, Botanical Gardens

Albury 1929 vs 2009
High School
Regent Theatre

Source:  www.trove.nla.gov.au
The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 8th February 1928, page 10

The school cost £26,000 to build in 1928

Albury 1929 vs 2009
Dean Street from Monument Hill

Albury 1929 vs 2009
Post Office and Globe Hotel

Albury Botanical Gardens
1929 vs 2009
The statue above has been moved as it is facing the opposite direction..  In the top photo, Monument Hill is in the background but in 2009 the statue is facing Monument Hill.

I then started to wonder more about Sylvie Lord, who sent the card to my grandmother as I had seen the name elsewhere.  I soon located a photo of her that my grandmother had taken;

"Digging out a fox burrow at Roy's
Lorna Pilgrim, Uncle Bob Pilgrim, Sylv Lord, Uncle Bert Pilgrim
Aug 1931"

Then there are other photos of Sylv Rowett.  Is Sylv Lord the same person and Sylv Rowett? 

Do you think that these photos are also the same person?  

My grandmother (centre) is 12 years old.

Dorrie Westendorf, Eva Pilgrim, Sylv Rowett
1922 Winiam Sunday School Concert - Little Pansy Faces

Eva Pilgrim & Sylv Rowett
Almondale
1929

Sylv must have been proud of her new car as my grandmother also had a photo of it.

Sylvies new car - Tallangatta
1928

The first three photos were taken in the Nhill area, which today is about a 7 hour drive from the Albury area.  Tallangatta, where the above photo was taken, is near Albury so it seems that my grandmother's friend moved away to the Albury area or holidayed there?  Or was she originally from the Albury area but in the Nhill area temporarily?

I wondered if the word "Gulson" on the postcard was a clue?  Gulson is a car yard near Canberra but then I also found the following:

Source: www.ancestry.com

Could this be the same person who was friends with my grandmother in the 1920s?  

Sylvia Gulson (nee Lord) was born in Mitta Mitta (near Tallangatta) and lived in the Albury area until at least 1980, according to Electoral Rolls.  Francis was not listed in 1980.  Could Sylvia have remarried and taken on the surname Rowett later in life?

In researching, you should never jump to conclusions but it can be useful to follow up hypotheses,  assumptions and clues to confirm or discount information.  If Sylvia was a blood relative, I would continue to search and order the marriage certificate to find more information.

It would be good to share the photos with a family member of Sylvia.  Maybe one day someone shall read this and contact me for copies of photos.

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