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WW1
Brakey, Alfred Charles
He was killed in action 7th November 1917 and is commemorated in the Bedford House Cemetery. WARATAH SOLDIER'S DEATH By the last mail Mr. and Mrs. C. Brakey of Waratah received particulars of the death of their son, Pte Alfred Charles Brakey, who was killed in action on November 7. Another son, Signaller Albert Brakey, writes: I regret I have to write you this sad letter to inform you of poor Alf’s death. He was killed in action on November 7 on the Ypres section. It was our first time in action. I had only left Alf about five minutes and went towards the front line. He was following some little distance behind when shell came over and killed him and Company Sergcant-Maior Bradshaw. Alf died a noble death, and never suffered a moment's pain. He was carrrying a stretcher to carry in the wounded, and as he was hit he fell back with the stretcher on his shoulders. How he fell made me think of the way our Saviour fell with his cross upon his shoulders. The night before we went right up to the line, Alf asked me for my pen and said he thought of writing home, remarking, 'It may be the last letter they will get from me.' He seemed to know, that he was going to be 'knocked’ and so did Sgt.Major Bradshaw. They are buried side by side and a nice cross has been erected on each of their graves. It has been n blow to me and I know how you will feel at home but never mind, God knows best. Try and look on the bright side of things and think that Alf died a hero. I was in the front line from November 7 till the 11th. Mr Lineker the officer I came away with came round to the trench, and expressed his sympathy with me and said “Cheer up my boy, it is bad; but it is all in war. 'Tis a cruel war.' -We are now spelling. My old mate, Jack Cartwright joined up again last night. I was pleased to see him; he is a good pal. One of my mates, George Camm, has died of wounds. I don't think much of this country ; there is no place like Australia It is God’s own country, and will always do me, if I- have the luck to return. We had General Birdwood to inspect us to-day. He distributed a lot of medals won by the boys on the battlefield. On the night previous to his death Pt. Alf Brakey wrote home and in the letter he said; We are now if the firing line, and as you know things are never too good here, but considering the very trying circumstances we are not faring badly. We are in decent dugouts, and as comfortable as we could expect to be in war time. A soldiers life is not a bed of roses, therefore we have to be thankful for small mercies. The food we get is very good only bit light on at times. We had steak for tea to-night, and we always get bacon for breakfast, but no eggs — the fowls have left off laying! We often get bully beef, and perhaps, if we are lucky, a tin of pork and beans by wav of a change. Apple pie and plum puddings are right out of the question. I had a real good hot bath this evening the first for eight days, and I can tell you I feel the benefit of it. The enemy has been shelling our position this last few days, but no damage of any consequence has been done. Our artillery is bombarding the enemy trenches at night and I am in my little dugout listening to it at the same time trying to scribble these fews lines also keeping my head well down which is the first thing a soldier has to learn to do otherwise he would have no head at all The weather has fined up again which makes the transportation of food munition etc that much easier In the wet weather much difficulty and hardship is experienced in getting provisions to the line. I do not like France or Belgium as much England. Owing to the war France and Belgium are in a deplorable state especially Belgium which is nothing but a mass of ruins. You could not imagine what it is like without seeing it. Faming is carried out on a large scale in France, more so than in England and some lovely crops are grown Women and young girls are mostly employed in the fields, and it is marvellous the amount, of work they can do.
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Born 29th March 1886 Rocky Cape Tasmania the
son of Charles and Annie Ellen Brakey (nee Boys) and
married to Bertha Elizabeth Columbine he embarked
Adelaide 10th February 1917 on board “HMAT
Seang Bee” with the 12th Infantry Battalion.