Alfred James Eggins and Maurice Raymond Eggins of Coopernook, New South Wales
Alfred James Eggins and his brother, Maurice Raymond Eggins (my maternal grandfather - born in Coopernook, NSW) shortly before they each travelled to fight in France in 1915.
Alfred James Eggins was killed in one of that last major battles in April 1918 in France
Alfred
James and his sister, Sylvia, whom I met in the late 1950s as Aunty Sylvie, with
her hubby, Uncle Ern, at a Christmas lunch
at Pop and Nanna's at Avalon.
I recall Pop around 5pm on Christmas Day walking Uncle Ern and Aunty Sylvie 200m
down Nth Avalon Rd to the bus stop on Barrenjoey Rd for them to travel back to
the Eastern Subs.
A snippet of a postcard that my maternal grandfather, Maurice's mother, posted to Maurice who was serving his country in France.
Part of a postcard that great uncle, Alfred Eggins. mailed to his mother from France.
Letter from Alf's Commanding Officer sent to Alf's mother after Alf's death in April 1918
Above three pictures of Alfred’s Cenotaph in the Mitchell Island Cemetery taken by a local, Paul P_dley, in mid Feb 2024
Above is my maternal grandfather, Maurice Raymond Eggins, who survived WW1. Otherwise I would not be here. Nor would my two children. We all called him Pop. He was a pleasant, cheerful chap.
Above is a pic of Nanna & Pop
and my mother (their daughter) holding her 5th born, Rosemary at the entrance
sundeck at Killara, circa 1957.
Nanna &
Pop were exceedingly loving grandparents.
We were lucky to draw them as grandparents. Not everyone is that lucky.
Alvin McHugh who died aged 19 in France
in Sept 1917
Lost medals of fearless WWI flying ace find
home at war memorial