War Heroes from the Georges River

War heroes from the Georges River

Remembrance Day this year marked 100 years since Germany signed the Armistice Agreement which would finally end the Great War.

On November 11, Australians across the country paused to remember the 416,000 courageous Australians who served and sacrificed during World War I.

Two of these men, brothers John and Roy Bowmaker from Hurstville, enlisted in 1915, aged just 20 and 21. Sadly, John died on 22 September 1915, from injuries sustained at Gallipoli on 13 September 1915.

Roy’s granddaughter, Margaret Morris, describes Roy as a hardworking, well-respected member of the community.

“Roy was proud to serve his country. I think he was only in Gallipoli a few days before his brother John was killed. John was the younger brother

and Roy's mother had asked Roy to take care of John,” said Margaret.

“Roy was wounded and sent to England to rehabilitate. Whilst he was in hospital he met Annie Holden who was a British volunteer there.”

“They soon married and had nine children altogether, including four sons, who all served for Australia in WWII and survived.”

Roy returned home to the Georges River area in 1917, where he was well-known in the community as the Ferry Master of the Lugarno Ferry.

Turella resident Thomas ‘Tom’ Lawrence Burns, also enlisted in 1915, and served as a bugler in the 18th Battalion.

Described by his relatives as a “popular, quiet, hardworking, kind, determined and generous” man, Tom showed great bravery and mateship during the war. He received

a gunshot wound to his knee in Gallipoli in August 1915, and after he recovered in London, rejoined his battalion in France in June 1916.

Tom was wounded again by a gun at Pozieres in August 1916 and was discharged as medically unfit, returning to Australia in January 1917. Fiercely determined, Tom re-enlisted, and rejoined the war in August 1917.

“They soon married and had nine children altogether, including four sons, who all served for Australia in WWII and survived.”

Tom served until the war’s end and returned to Australia in 1919, where he married. Tom was a popular member of the Georges River community and did not let his war injuries slow him down, joining the newly-formed St George Rugby League Club in 1921.

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