He only survived nine days at the front... Elder Harrah Oborn

Elder Harrah Oborn was born 12th april 1884 in Mount Barker - South Australia to David Oborn (1855-1928) and Agnes Craig (1859-1932).

He was educated in Mount Barker public school.

Like many working-class children of that era, he did not attend school until long after his teenage years in order to find work and contribute to the family finances.

Around the age of 14, he began an apprenticeship as a blacksmith with a local craftsman.

While developing his aptitude and professional skills, he also attended a few cadet training camps in order to acquire some skills in handling weapons and survival in the natural environment as well as to fill the need for adventure of young boys of this age .

In parallel with these experiences and in order to have a little fun, he also got involved in sport and proved to be a gifted sportsman, one of the best footballers in his region.

He was also known to be a jovial, helpful guy who never hesitated to help and joke with the people they met in professional and sporting settings.

After developing his knowledge and being active in the industry for 6 years, he was working as a balcksmith when the war broke out in the summer of 1914.

However, he did not express an immediate desire to join the army and preferred to continue practicing his profession by living under the family roof which he had never left until then.

However, the prolongation of the war well beyond the few months initially planned changed his future plans.

He decided to answer one of the calls for volunteers to join the army and fight on the Western Front.

He presented himself on 14th August 1916 at a recruiting office in Adelaide.

After passing his medical examination, he joined a training camp in the region where he followed basic military training including the use of small arms and rifles as well as a gas mask and first aid kit in the event of injury. or injured comrade to be treated.

He embarked 23rd December 1916 from Melbourne aboard RMS Orontes as a Gunner in 6th Field Artillery Brigade.

The crossing to follow seemed like the epic of a lifetime for this young man who had spent his entire life in his town of Mount Baker and who dreamed of adventures as a teenager.

During the long weeks at sea, often without seeing dry land, the men were exposed to inaction, boredom and homesickness.

In order to occupy the bodies and minds and combat these enemies of the soldiers, the officers organized regular exercises and fun and sporting activities on board such as wrestling, boxing and arm wrestling.

They also imposed collective chores like maintaining the ship's decks and preparing vegetables for cooking and individual chores like doing their laundry and taking care of their uniforms.

An enemy proved much more complicated to fight... Seasickness... which hit the stomachs of these men unaccustomed to long journeys hard and did not allow them to take advantage of the 3 copious meals served daily on board to allow them to gain strength in anticipation of the fatigue of the front.

The ship docked on February 17, 1917 in the port of Plymouth - England.

The men then joined No.3 Camp Parkhouse where they underwent physical training preparing them for the fatigue caused by long marches to the front, long sleepless nights and the heavy loads of shells and cartridge cases that the gun crew had to move.

He joined the 26th March 1917 at the Bulford camp in Salisbury Plain where he received training in how to establish an artillery position as well as how to coordinate the arrival of shells, firing and evacuation of shell casings.

They were also taught how to adjust the range of the cannon according to the location to be reached and how to camouflage a cannon to protect it from the sighting of enemy planes.

The men also learned how to handle and transport shells to avoid accidental explosions.

They also learned to protect themselves when the position was targeted by enemy artillery.

Elder did not follow this training for very long as he was admitted to hospital due to venereal disease on 6th April 1917.

After convalescing for about 2 months, he returned to Bulford camps on 2nd June 1917 and was appointed driver on 5th June.

After completing comprehensive training he was deemed ready and fit to join the front and embarked from Southampton 19th September 1917 bound for Rouelles - France.

He was incorporated there on 1st October 1917 in the second artillery division.

He arrived on the front as a driver in 5th Field Artillery Brigade - 105th Battery 19th October 1917.

If the preparation for the front took longer than for most of his comrades in arms, his survival in the combat zone was not very long.

Its battery was targeted by German artillery on 28th October 1917.

A shell exploded near Elder's position before he had a chance to take cover.

The blast from the explosion and the shrapnel gave him little chance of survival.

He was evacuated to a nearby aid station but his injuries were too severe for him to be saved.

He was 23 years old.

He rests in peace today in Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery.

Elder's picture from vwma.org.au

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