LOOSEMORE FAMILY
SAPPER JOHN LOOSEMORE
5366 – 1st Tunnelling Company
Gympie, Queensland was the birthplace of John Loosemore on September 10, 1875 the son of William Henry and Ann Duncan (nee Auchterlonie) Loosemore. He married Clara Naomi Gerler on July 30, 1906. Two years later his occupation was a miner living at Inglewood Hill, Gympie, Qld. In 1913 their residence was at Victory Street, Gympie and he was still mining but three years on they were at New Farm, Brisbane, Qld.
The assistant foreman applied to enlist for service abroad at forty-years of age at the Recruiting Depot in Brisbane, Qld on March 5, 1916. The next day passed the medical examination and his Attestation Forms give particulars of his height of 176cms (5ft 9½ins), weight of 59kgs (130lbs) with a chest expansion of 82-89cms (32-35ins). Complexion was fair with blue eyes testing to good vision and light brown hair. Presbyterian was his religion. Next-of-kin was his wife Mrs Clara Naomi Loosemore of Mark Street, New Farm, Brisbane, Qld and allotted three-fifths of his pay to support her and their children.
Basic training took place at Enoggera camp Brisbane from March 28 with the 11th Depot Battalion until May 7, 1916 then relocated to the Miners’ Depot for further instruction until June 23 when he was sent to the Miners’ Training Camp at Seymour, Vic. A promotion to the rank of Lance Corporal was granted and he was assigned to the September, 1916 Reinforcements to the Tunnelling Companies with the regimental number 5366. Before embarkation his rank reverted to a Sapper.
On September 30, 1916 Sapper Loosemore was one of 168 volunteers who departed from Melbourne, Vic as the third Reinforcements to the Tunnelling Companies on the troopship HMAT A23 Suffolk. The ship arrived at Fremantle on October 10 and departed the same day. The South African port of Capetown was reached on October 30 and after an overnight stay left the following day. The vessel arrived at Dakar, West Africa on November 15, 1916 staying in the harbour until November 20, 1916. After 64 days at sea the voyage terminated at Plymouth, England on December 2, 1916 and they marched in to Perham Down’s camp for further training for the front.
The Reinforcements embarked from Folkstone on board the S.S. Arundel for France on New Year’s Day, 1917 and entered the next day the Aust General Base Depot.
Sapper Loosemore was assigned on January 12, 1917 to the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion which was an advanced section of the Base Depot that organised works near the lines and through duties, usually of ten days duration, would accustom the reinforcements to war conditions before being assigned to a company in the field.
On January 27, 1917 he was taken on strength with the 1st Tunnelling Company in the field.
He went sick to the 47th Divisional Rest Station on March 21 for treatment of dental caries remaining for two days and discharged then rejoined his unit on March 27, 1917. A few days later on April 2 he spent the day in hospital again.
He entered sick the 70th Field Ambulance on April 18, 1917 being diagnosed with mumps requiring a transfer to the 7th General Hospital at St Omer. He was admitted with debility after mumps to the 7th Convalescent Depot in Boulogne and after five days moved to a Rest Camp on May 26, 1917. On June 2 he returned to the A.D.G.B. at Rouelles then went before a Medical Board in Havre on September 12, 1917 and classed as ‘PU’ (permanently unfit). A Report was issued on October 3, 1917 ‘still at A.G.B.D.’ and two days later he returned to England diagnosed with V.D.H. (valvular disease of the heart). The following day he arrived at No. 2 Command Depot Weymouth to await his voyage home.
Sapper Loosemore embarked from London on the H.T. A32 Themistocles on November 5, 1917 to return to Australia for discharge due to D.A.H. (disordered action of the heart). His wife would have been notified by Base Records of his impending return mid-way through the voyage. The ship arrived in Sydney, NSW (2nd M.D.) on January 3, 1918 and he disembarked to return to Brisbane, Qld (1st M.D.) soon after.
In the Saturday issue of The Queenslander on January 12, 1918 reported of the homecoming the soldiers received:
Military Discharge was issued due to medical unfitness (D.A.H.) in Brisbane, Qld on February, 17, 1918. He was granted a pension from the following day of £2/5/- per fortnight and his wife Clara received £1/2/6 per fortnight which was sent to Mark Street, New Farm.
Sapper 5366 John Loosemore, 1st Tunnelling Company was issued with the British War Medal (22423) and the Victory Medal (21763) for serving his country.
Their residence in 1925 was Victoria Parade, Wooloowin, Brisbane and he worked as a clerk.
A Statement of his Service was sent to the Repatriation Department on April 6, 1927.
In 1943 they still resided at Victoria Parade and Bauman Street, Wooloowin.
John Loosemore passed away at Currumbin Beach, Qld on April 23, 1948 at the age of 73 years. The following notice appeared in The Courier-Mail on Saturday May 1, 1948:
The following is his extract which appeared with his photo in the book Queenslanders Who Fought in the Great War:
Other members of his family also served.
TROOPER / SAPPER THOMAS LOOSEMORE
2472 – 2nd Light Horse / 1st Signal Squadron
Thomas was born in Gympie, Qld on July 11, 1886. In 1908 he was a miner at Inglewood Hill, Gympie and by 1913 was a postal assistant at Ilfracombe, Qld.
At the Recruiting Depot in Brisbane, Qld the twenty-nine year old Postmaster applied to enlist on January 5, 1916 and passed his medical examination. Personal particulars taken show he was 178cms (5ft 10ins) tall, weighed 59kgs (130lbs) with a chest expansion of 86-94cms (34-37ins). Fresh described his complexion with good vision from his blue eyes and fair coloured hair. A distinguishing mark was a scar on his right wrist. Protestant was given as religious faith and his mother Mrs Ann Duncan Loosemore was next-of-kin at Inglewood Hill, Gympie.
Enoggera camp was the venue for his basic training from February 2 until March 13, 1916 with the 11th Depot Battalion. A transfer to the Depot Signal Company followed until April 7 when he was assigned as a Signal Trooper with the 17th Reinforcements to the 2nd Aust Light Horse Regiment.
He embarked on May 5, 1916 from Sydney, NSW on the troopship A10 H.M.A.T Karro.
Taken on strength on June 23, 1916 with the 1st Light Horse at Tel-el-Kebir was quickly posted for duty with the Camel Corps on July 2, 1916 and two days later posted to the Signallers.
Headquarters at Anzac Training Centre in Moascar granted a promotion to Temporary Corporal on August 17, 1916.
Was detached on February 5, 1917 to attend the Signal School at Alexandria and reverted to substantive rank while the Trooper attended the School. On March 9 he went to the 1st Signal Squadron Anzac M. Division and on April 3 was taken on strength with E.E.F.
On December 30, 1917 returned to Base Signal Depot in Alexandria and joined the unit as from January 1, 1918. On February 16 went to the 1st Signal Squadron in the field remaining until Peace was declared.
He was granted leave to Egypt on December 22 and returned on December 31, 1918. He went to Moascar to await his return to the UK on March 5, 1919 and embarked from Port Said on March 27 on board H.T. Mulwa for the United Kingdom to enjoy ten percent of his time there on leave which was granted from April 12 until May 12, 1919.
Taken on strength in London on May 11, 1919 he marched in to No. 1 Group camp at the Reserve Brigade Aust Artillery in Heytesbury. On May 29 he left for Longbridge Deverill to embark for home.
The H.T. Aeneas left England on May 31, 1919 with Trooper Loosemore on board for the return voyage to Australia. His mother was given advice by Base Records on June 26 that her son had was on his way. He arrived in Melbourne, Vic (3rd M.D.) on July 12, 1919 and left to return to Brisbane Qld (1st M.D.).
Military Discharge on the termination of his period of enlistment took place on August 28, 1919 in Brisbane, Qld.
Thomas married Robina Jane McMaster on March 29, 1920.
From 1919 until 1925 he is listed as Postmaster at Cooroy, Queensland before accepting a transfer to Cambooya on the Darling Downs, Qld. Registered at Woodford in 1936 as Postmaster and in 1943 a Postmaster residing at 102 Bonney Avenue, Wooloowin, Brisbane, Qld.
For serving his country Trooper / Sapper Thomas Loosemore, 1st Light Horse / 1st Signal Squadron received the British War Medal (16992) and the Victory Medal (16597).
Thomas Loosemore died on February 17, 1948 in Brisbane aged 62 years. The Courier-Mail on Wednesday February 18, 1948 published these notices:
In the book Queenslanders Who Fought in the Great War his photo and paragraph appeared:
SISTER MARY ANN LOOSEMORE
Staff Nurse – Australian Army Nursing Service
Mary Ann Loosemore was born on August 21, 1888 in Gympie, Qld.
The Queenslander on Saturday January 3, 1914 published the following of Mary Anne’s nursing success:
She had spent eight months since September 7, 1916 working as an Army nurse at Enoggera Clearing Hospital in Brisbane when she applied for Sea Transport duty with No. 3 Section. Declared medically fit for service on April 16 at the Camp Hospital, Attestation Forms were completed on April 27 and May 1, 1917. Next-of-kin listed was her mother Mrs Ann D. Loosemore of Inglewood Hill, Gympie, Qld.
The transport A47 Marathon departed Sydney, NSW on May 10, 1917 for England and the ship docked at Devonport, Eng on July 20, 1917. The next day she was attached to the 2nd Aust Auxiliary at Southall for hospital duty. She was granted furlough on July 31 until August 4 then returned to work. Four days later she was attached to St Albans Hospital until September 9 then detached for return to Australia on sea transport duty.
At Southampton Docks on January 18, 1918 she arrived from France and reported to A.I.F. Headquarters in London following detachment from the 3rd Sea Transport Section. After furlough left to take up her attachment with the 2nd A.A.H. at Southall until detached and on April 3, 1918 she proceeded to France and reported for duty with the 74th General Hospital. Three days later was sent sick to the 72nd General Hospital suffering from tonsillitis remaining until she returned to duty on April 24, 1918.
On June 26, 1918 was admitted injured to the 72nd General Hospital suffering synovitis right knee joint and discharged to duty with the Aust Nursing Service on July 5, 1918.
Leave to England was enjoyed from August 21 until September 6, 1918 and two days later proceeded to the Nurses’ Home at Abbeville, France for re-posting to the 3rd Aust. General Hospital until October 5, 1918 when she returned to England.
Duty on this occasion was at the 1st Aust Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield until admitted on October 16, 1918 with Influenza (slight) to the Australian Sisters Hospital 12 Southwell Gardens and took up duty again on November 6. News that Peace had been declared was heard while here.
Again she was admitted to 12 Southwell Gardens, South Kensington on December 3, 1918 for another slight case of Influenza. Granted sick leave to recuperate during the Christmas period from December 18 until December 31 when she was detached from all attached duties and marched out for return to Australia.
Sister Loosemore departed England on transport H.T. Ulysses on January 18, 1919 and docked on March 4, 1919 in Melbourne, Vic (3rd M.D.) and then travelled by rail to Brisbane, Qld (1st M.D.) arriving on March 19, 1919. News that she was returning home was issued to her mother by Base Records on February 28, 1919.
Military Discharge was issued in Brisbane, Qld on April 18, 1919 on the termination of her appointment.
A farmer named Cecil Rankin Crowther became Mary Anne’s husband on April 6, 1921.
For her service abroad Staff Nurse Mary Ann Loosemore, Aust Army Nursing Service was entitled to wear the British War Medal (29738) and the Victory Medal (28017).
They lived at “Mountside” Cambooya, Darling Downs, Qld until they retired to Paddington, Brisbane.
The Brisbane Courier on Wednesday, October 13, 1926 published a snippet of interest from their district:
Mary Anne’s husband passed away in February, 1954 and these notices appeared in the newspaper:
Mary Anne Crowther was still living up to 1964.
A paragraph and photo attributing the nursing sister’s war service featured in the book Queenslanders Who Fought in the Great War:
2nd CLASS WARRANT OFFICER WILLIAM ALFRED LOOSEMORE
676 – 25th Battalion
William Alfred Loosemore was born on February 28, 1892 in Gympie, Qld. Early military service was gained with the Junior Cadets. In 1913 he was working as a clerk and residing at 128 Hardcourt Street, New Farm in Brisbane, Qld. He had studied by overseas correspondence and was a Junior Assistant Clerical Engineer.
At twenty-three years of age he was the first brother to enlist for active service abroad at the Recruiting Depot in Brisbane on March 15, 1915.
After passing the medical examination he was accepted and forms of Attestation were completed giving details of his height of 181cms (5ft 11¼ins) and weight 61.3kgs (135lbs) with a chest expansion of 79-87cms (31-34ins). Complexion was fresh with grey eyes and brown hair. Vision tested to good. A distinguishing mark was a birthmark on his right hip. Religious denomination was Presbyterian and next-of-kin was initially his father Mr William Henry Loosemore of Inglewood Hill, Gympie but changed to his mother at the same address when his father died.