AN AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER'S LETTERS TO HIS FAMILY AT HOME IN SYDNEY IN WWII.
MEN OF THE 2/3 PIONEER BATTALION: GORDON SCHOMBERG
Posted by nellibell49 on June 29, 2009
GDay
My dad Gordon Schomberg was in the 2/3 pioneers and is still alive and living on the central coast N.S.W. I would be very interested in helping in any way I can. As the youngest child and dads girl I was the only one to follow in his footsteps, becoming a corp in signals corp at the old Kelvin Grounds Barracks. Please if I can help don’t hesitate to contact me.
Yours faithfully
J Schomberg
Daughter
dwil89 said
Hi There,
A group of us that are decendant of 2/3 Pioneer battalion diggers here in Melbourne march on behalf of the unit every Anzac day. There is a fur tree dedicated to the unit on the main walk to the shrine and we also every 12th of May hold a service there and at the eternal flame to commemorate the life and death of Bluey Mackey VC. We only have a couple of original serving diggers from the unit left and have been trying to build a network of decendants down here.
In september we will be making a pilgramidge to Cowra to try to find the last survivors of the unit and thier decendants in the hope that we can keep maintain and preserve the well known passion of the group.
Any help or contact would be much apriciated.
Darryl Wilson, 2/3 Pioneer Battalion Association – Melbourne Branch (or remnants there of).
nellibell49 said
Hi Darryl, I have passed your message on to Mark Glease whose grandfather was a pioneer. Keith Byrne. Mark has an interesting military record of his own.
I shall look forwards to hearing again from you and will post the dates of Cowra Visit etc and any other news you might have. Yrs Lynne.
Robyn MacDougall said
Hi
I have been trying to reach the 2/3 Pioneer Battalion Association but have been unable to find a contact. My father-in law Noel Eldershaw MacDougall passed away on 7th July at the age of 92. He fought bravely with the 2/3 Battalion after enlisting in Armidale with the Light Horse with Mr Peter Tindal, Mr Brian Hughes, Mr Mac McKenzie and Mr. Fitzgerald all of Grafton and was later transferred to Cowra. These men remained closest friends all their lives.
Mr MacDougall lived at “Marengo Ebor”, the property held by his family for over a century. He was a wonderful stockman and a gentleman – true legend in the area. No one knew the Chalundi bush like he did. He loved his land, his cattle and his horses (both work horses and racehorses) but unfortunately had to live in the Dorrigo Community Health Centre for the last years of his life. He was well looked after there but he always yearned for his bush and his dogs.
Mr MacDougall was married to Lesley Shannon (deceased) of Mackey and had three sons, Alister, Angus (deceased) and Graham and ten grandchildren. Kirsty, Peta, Henry and Stuart (Graham’s children), Minnie, Tim, Sarah and Harry (Angus’s children) and Scott and Ryan (Alister’s children)
A funeral will be held at the Anglican Cathedral at 10am Tuesday July 21st.
If you would like more information please contact me.
Regards
Robyn MacDougall
nellibell49 said
Hello Robyn, I shall try to find the phone numbers for the men who write the PIONEER Newsletter. I am sure they would like to know of your father-in-law’s passing. I knew Brian Hughes well when I was growing up and I am frequently in Ebor, Dorrigo and now live near Grafton. I would like to attend the funeral as a representative of My Dad and will do what I can to let the official Pioneers know. My condolences to you and the family. Yrs Lynne. P.S Thank you for the story. This iswhat my father was hoping we could gradually put together so that none of them is forgotten and so that their stories do not begin when the war began nor end when it ended. Yrs.
Simone Wood said
Reply for Peter Kennedy
Simone Wood said
RE: Sydny trip
We are actually heading to the Masonic Club at 169 Castleraegh Street Sydney on Monday 7th September (next week) for lunch. We had decided to meet with the Sydney fellas at their usual monthly meeting for lunch rather than all traveling to Cowra. Nicole and I are staying at the Masonic Club so can be contacted there, or at above e-mail. Sorry about the delay in responding, however, we had only just stumbled across this site as Daryl got us onto it. if you are still interested, please let us know, and once again apologies for the short notice.
Regards
Simone