FOR more than 100 years now, the Korumburra Cenotaph has stood as a reminder for our people to pause and remember the sacrifices of past generations of our local families.
For many of those families it was, and still is the only local memorial for lost sons, fathers, and brothers.
There are 232 names displayed on its granite faces.
Within those names displayed there are 17 sets of brothers commemorated. Losing one son to a war would be bad enough, how terrible then to lose multiple sons.
Of all the names commemorated, one set of brothers stand out. Not just because these boys were local sons who gave their lives in the service of their country, but because their service was so significant that they were both recognised for bravery, distinguished and meritorious service.
Such is the story of the Lousada brothers. Three of the Lousada brother enlisted for service in WW1, sadly, two would lose their lives.
Edward and Beatrice Lousada had nine children and originally were living in Melbourne before moving to Warragul, then Toora before moving to Kardella.
Three of their sons; Aubrey, Barrow and Cecil enlisted to serve in WW1. Two of their sons, Barrow and Cecil never came returned home.
Sgt Aubrey Lousada
Sgt Aubrey Lousada (49 Bty of the 1st Field Artillery Brigade) was the first to enlist. He enlisted at Moonee Ponds on August 18, 1914, and given that the recruiting depots had only opened on the August 10, this was indeed and early enlistment.
Aubrey enlisted into the artillery, and he served initially at Gallipoli, where he was wounded. He recovered from his wounds and went on to serve throughout the Western Front. By the end of the war Aubrey was a Sergeant. Following the war, Aubrey returned to Australia and by December of 1918 he had been discharged from the AIF. In 1967 he was living in Silkstone Road, Korumburra where he finally applied for his war service pension. Sadley no photos of Aubrey could be found for this article.
Gunner Cecil St Leger Lousada
Next in enlist was Cecil Lousada. He was the youngest of the Lousada brothers to enlist and enlisted on May 4, 1915. Cecil Lousada was born in Warragul and was working as a clerk when he enlisted. He appears to have grown up in the Korumburra area and lived there with his family. His enlistment papers indicate that he was in Rochester when he enlisted on May 14, 1915.
He left Melbourne on July 16, 1915 on HMAT Demosthenes and landed in Egypt in late August where he completed his training. Initially Cecil was posted to the 21st Battalion and he was at ANZAC by September 1915, where he served with his battalion in the later stages of the Gallipoli campaign.
His father stated that he was in the second last party to leave ANZAC. Cecil disembarked at Alexandria from Mudros on January 10, 1916, and on the 6th of February he reported sick with parotitis. He was then sent to No.4 Hospital Train to Ismailia. He also had a case of mumps.
He remained in hospital until he was discharged to duty. Cecil re-joined his unit at Moascar on March 8, 1916. On March 20, 1916 he joined the British Expeditionary Forces and left Alexandria, arriving in Marseilles on March 27, 1916. Cecil served with his battalion at the front and survived some of the fiercest fighting of 1916. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on September 2, 1916, in Belgium.
On December 9, 1916 Cecil was transferred to the 5th Division Artillery Headquarters as a gunner. Then on January 5, 1917 to the 53rd Battery of 14th Field Artillery Brigade. He returned to the 5th Division Artillery Headquarters on a temporary posting on April 2, 1917. Cecil was granted leave April 23, 1917 and returned to the unit on May 7, 1917. He served with the headquarters at the front and between September 23 and November 12, 1917. He had been responsible for the production of operational orders and clerical work for the entire 5th Australian Division Artillery Headquarters. This was a job that would normally have required several men to achieve.
Cecil was promoted to Corporal on September 11, 1917. He then reverted to the rank of Gunner on April 1, 1918, as his posting to the 5th Division Artillery Headquarters ceased. Cecil returned to the 14th Field Artillery Brigade, where he was wounded on April 10, 1918, dying later that day.
By April 10, 1918, the 114th Howitzer Battery of the 14th Field Artillery Brigade had moved to the north of Corbie to support the 14th Brigade of the 5th Australian Division. It had set up sections of its 4.5-inch Howitzers and by April 10 was registering targets and preparing to fend off any possible German attack.
The 14th Brigade Australian Field Artillery’s diary indicates that this unit sustained no casualties on April 10 but on April 11 four men were wounded when a shell prematurely burst in the breach. It is highly likely that this is how Cecil Lousada received his wound. Cecil was evacuated to 11th Australian Field Ambulance at Querrieu where he died. He is buried at the Querrieu British Cemetery, France.
Decorations: For his actions of October 25, 1916 where Cecil was awarded a Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) "for conspicuous gallantry and devotion in volunteering to carry water across open ground, and through an extremely heavy barrage of artillery fire, to severely wounded men. He later displayed great bravery as a stretcher bearer, exhibiting a fine example of endurance and soldierly spirit”.
In November 1918, he was posthumously awarded a Meritorious Service Medal (MSM). The recommendation for the award includes "This NCO - devotion to duty and meritorious service, without previous experience, is worthy of special recognition”. This was in recognition for his service when working with the 5th Division Artillery Headquarters from September to November 1917.
Private Barrow Helbert Ellis Lousada (M.M.).
The last and the oldest of the Lousada brothers to enlist was Barrow Lousada. He enlisted on July 12, 1915 and at the time was farming in Kardella South. Barrow enlisted into the infantry and served with the 21 Bn, as part of the 2nd Div.
Service History: Barrow Lousada enlisted on July 12, 1915 and embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Moldavia on October 5, 1915. He was taken on strength at Tel-el-Kebir on January 7, 1916, where he joined the British Expeditionary Force at Alexandria on March 19, 1916 and sailed for France. He disembarked at Marseilles on March 26, 1916. Barrow took part in a raid on enemy trenches on the night of 24/25 April 1916. For this action he was awarded the Military Medal. He was later killed in action on August 26, 1916 at Mouquet Farm, France. He was gazetted the Military Medal (MM) posthumously on October 27, 1916 for bravery in a raid at Fromelles in 1916.
Decoration Citation: “On the night of 24/25 April, 1916 at Fleurbaix (Fromelles), this man and Pte E Sparks were on duty in an advanced listening post. On hearing shots and subsequent cries for help they proceeded to the spot in no man’s land and found that a patrol of ours (1 Officer, 1 N.C.O and a private) had all been wounded, the N.C.O fatally. They carried the N.C.O in, having great difficulty in getting him through our wire owing to his heavy weight. On reaching our sally post a heavy fire was opened on them but they managed to regain the trench without further difficulties.”
Red Cross Investigation: Corporal McLure wrote on April 14, 1917: “He was in A Coy IV Pl. He was killed by a piece of shell practically instantaneously when we were attacking near Moquet Farm. We had to retire not being able to obtain our objective. I saw him killed myself, the attack took place about 5 O’clock in the morning.”
Unit/Formation Activities: The 6th Brigade (including the 21 Bn) was the left brigade of the 2nd Australian Division, holding the line and strengthening its position after the earlier advances at Pozieres. On the August 26 at 0100 hours, D Company moved from Sausage Valley to the Quarry and A company moved from Tom’s Cut to the same quarry.
At 0445 hours, A & B Companies plus two platoons of C & D Companies attacked the closest enemy positions. This attack was on the western side of Mouquet Farm and was only partially successful. Two enemy strong points proved to be very strong.
Barrow Lousada was most likely killed between the jumping off point and the objective. He has never been identified and has no known grave. He is commemorated at Villers-Bretonneux.
Remembrance
You will find Cecil and Barrow Lousads’ names remembered at the Korumburra Cenotaph, St Pauls Anglican Church Records Korumburra, Toora Memorial and Toora Hall Honour Roll, Korumburra and District Honour Roll, Former Shire Office Honour Roll.
ANZAC Day 2024
Korumburra RSL will be conducting its annual Dawn Service in Coleman Park Korumburra commencing at 5.45am. This to be followed by a mid-morning service at 10.30am. All welcome. Lest We Forget!
Contributed by Tony Moon for Anzac Day 2024.
