Two books have been published recently that relate closely to the history of people connected with Broken Hill.
A Star on her Door: The Life and Career of June Bronhill
There isn’t a born and bred Silver City-ite who doesn’t know who June Bronhill is. And a great deal of the rest of the globe as well!
Some of the local community will have heard Don Mudie speak on Bronhill at a recent Society meeting. Many local people will have known her. So, you are in for a treat.
Beautifully written, and published by Wakefield Press, Adelaide, the paperback is now available for locals or tourists from the Hill’s Under the Silver Tree Bookshop at 29 Sulphide Street.
If you’re from ‘away’, as we say, the book (a paperback) is available from the publishers, Wakefield Press, Adelaide at approx $35.
The book is also available online from many regular online distributors of books, and both major and local bookshops.
The Purple Patch: History of the 3rd Field Company Engineers in World War One
The Purple Patch: History of the 3rd Field Company Engineers in World War One has recently been published by Darren Prickett.
The book is a Unit history of a WW1 AIF Engineering Unit. There is a strong Broken Hill connection with that Unit, and many members, either from or connected with Broken Hill, are mentioned very often throughout the book.
Two members of the unit in particular, Louis Avery and Tom Prince, appear prominently throughout as their diary/writings were used as source material during the research stage of the book. The other relevant Unit members are in the list below.
| Lt Avery, Louis Willyama ‘MM’ 21/08/14 – RTA 13/10/18 | Born – Broken Hill on 15/07/1891 NOK – father L.H.Avery of Broken Hill 21/08/14 – Enlisted Broken Hill |
| 6955 Dvr Batten, Bertram Leslie 21/08/14 – DOW 04/07/18 | Born – Ballarat Occupation – Carpenter, Labourer and Driver 21/08/14 – Enlisted Broken Hill |
| 8729 2/Cpl Campbell, Thomas Allan 23/02/16 – RTA 12/06/19 | Born – Yongala SA Occupation – Moulder NOK – mother Jane Grace Campbell of Broken Hill 23/02/16 – Enlisted Adelaide |
| 2336 Spr Day, Charles Edward 24/06/15 – DOW 26/09/17 | Born – Broken Hill Occupation – Bread Carter 24/06/15 – Enlisted Keswick SA |
| 6398 Spr Deslandes, Sydney Frederick 27/08/15 – RTA 23/07/18 | Born – Broken Hill Occupation – Carpenter 27/08/15 – Enlisted Adelaide |
| 52 Spr Dunstan, Victor John ‘MM’ 21/08/14 – RTA 23/10/18 | Born – Adelaide Occupation – Turner NOK – Charles Dunstan of Broken Hill 21/08/14 – Enlisted Morphetville SA |
| 64 Spr Ferguson, Charles Holly 21/08/14 – RTA 12/12/15 | Born – Whitton NSW Occupation – Carpenter NOK – mother Mrs Ferguson of Broken Hill 21/08/14 – Enlisted Morphetville SA |
| 45 CSM Gentle, Frank Barrier ‘MSM’ 21/08/14 – RTA 05/02/19 | Born – Broken Hill Occupation – Engine Locomotive Driver NOK – George Gentle of Broken Hill 21/08/14 – Enlisted Sapper |
| 65 Dvr Hardaker, Herbert 20/08/14 – RTA 03/12/18 | Born – Preston Lancashire England Occupation – Blacksmith 20/08/14 – Enlisted Broken Hill |
| 591 Spr Hogg, Walter James 08/03/15 – RTA 10/06/19 | Born – Broken Hill Occupation – Salesman 08/03/15 – Enlisted Infantry |
| 455 Spr Johnston, Harry Peter 02/12/14 – RTA 04/05/17 | Born – Melbourne Occupation – Engine Fitter NOK – father Joseph Johnston of Broken Hill 02/12/14 – Enlisted Oaklands SA |
| 67 L/Cpl Lawson, Roy Walter ‘MM’ 21/08/14 – RTA 15/09/18 | Born – Hill End NSW Occupation – Blacksmith 21/08/14 – Enlisted Broken Hill Died 1937 – Broken Hill |
| 1987 Sgt Matthews, Hubert Claude ‘MM’ 14/06/15 – RTA 13/04/19 | Born – Adelaide Occupation – Carpenter NOK – father Ethelred Leopold Matthews of Broken Hill 14/06/15 – Enlisted Keswick South Australia |
| 69 Cpl McDonald, Ross 21/08/14 – RTA 13/02/17 | Born – Sydney Occupation – Mechanic and Rope Worker NOK – John McDonald of Broken Hill 21/08/14 – Enlisted Morphetville SA |
| 70 Spr Mueller, Hulbert 20/08/14 – RTA 31/10/15 | Born – East Adelaide Occupation – Electrician 20/08/14 – Enlisted Broken Hill |
| 50 S/Sgt Owens, William Patrick 21/08/14 – DISCH 16/10/19 | Born – Broken Hill Occupation – Loco Driver NOK – father John Michael Owens of Broken Hill 21/08/14 – Enlisted Morphetville SA |
| 48 Spr Perkins, Harold William 20/08/14 – DISCH 23/07/19 | Born – Adelaide Occupation – Electrician NOK – father A.Perkins of Broken Hill 20/08/14 – Enlisted Broken Hill |
| 2566 Spr Pope, Albert Leslie 06/08/15 – RTA 20/11/18 | Born – Broken Hill Occupation – Asayer NOK – father Richard Warne Pope of Broken Hill 06/08/15 – Enlisted Adelaide |
| Lt Prince, Thomas Henry 20/08/14 – RTA 08/01/19 | Born – Homebush NSW Occupation – Civil Engineer 20/08/14 – Enlisted Broken Hill |
| 79 Spr Rooke, Denis Morley 21/08/14 – DISCH 23/09/15 | Born – Broken Hill Occupation – Carpenter 21/08/14 – Enlisted Morphetville SA |
| 54 Dvr Scott, William Gunn 20/08/14 – RTA 20/01/16 | Born – Broken Hill Occupation – Carpenter NOK – Catherine Scott of Broken Hill 20/08/14 – Enlisted Morphetville SA |
| 15488 Dvr Stapleton, John Rich 27/04/16 – RTA 16/06/19 | Born – Broken Hill Occupation – Labourer 27/04/16 – Enlisted Claremont Tasmania |
| 1999 Cpl Stephens, William Edward 10/09/15 – RTA 06/05/19 | Born – Broken Hill NSW Age – 23yr Occupation – Motor Mechanic NOK – sister Maud Foster of Perth 10/09/15 – Enlisted 28 Depot Blackboy Hill WA |
| 208 Cpl Tailor, William Francis ‘MM’ 15/08/14 – RTA 08/08/18 | Born – New Jersey USA Occupation – Labourer Married – wife Mrs Kate Tailor of Broken Hill 15/08/14 – Enlisted Blackboy Hill WA |
| 1990 Spr Taylor, George Henry 30/06/15 – RTA 12/05/19 | Born – Clare SA Occupation – Shoesmith Married – wife Evelyn Taylor of Broken Hill 30/06/15 – Enlisted Keswick SA |
| 53 L/Cpl Thomas, William John 21/08/14 – RTA 25/01/19 | Born – Edgerton Victoria Occupation – Turner NOK – mother Wilhelmina Kahle of Railway Town Broken Hill 21/08/14 – Enlisted Morphetville SA |
| 49 Spr Wood, Carl Clarence 21/08/14 – DISCH 19/06/19 | Born – Richmond NSW Occupation – Carpenter NOK – father Mr E.C.Wood of Technical College Broken Hill 21/08/14 – Enlisted Sapper |
The book (print only at this stage) is available through Big Sky Publishing (BSP), and Booktopia, Dymocks, QBD Books and Readings. The price through BSP is $34.99 but the price varies of course depending on each retailer and what sales they have going. The book can be purchased online through all of the above, but you can also purchase it in-store at Dymocks, QBD and Readings.
Darren Prickett can be contacted on 0422 725 037 and/or Prickett.darren@gmail.com
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Broken Hill Historical Society 