Edward Earnest Westbrook was born in Brisbane on 31st August 1887 and one of five children to parents George and Barbara Anderson (nee Main). The family lived in the Kin Kin area where both father and son worked as carpenters; they also had extended Westbrook family living at Cooroy who had emigrated in 1915. Edward was a single man who stood 5ft 3 inches tall, weighed 8st 6Lb with fair complexion, blue eyes and auburn hair. Following enlistment in Brisbane on 13th August 1915, just two weeks short of his 28th birthday, he went into camp at 11th depot battalion, Enoggera as private until February 1916 when assigned to 'B' company, 41st Battalion. He was in camp at Bells Paddock until 29th February when reassigned to 3rd Division Cyclist Company and it is with this company that he departed for overseas. He sailed aboard A64 'Demosthenes' from Sydney and disembarked at Plymouth and into Australian Cyclist Training Battalion. His military service also saw him serve with 47th and 48th battalions on the front line at Ridgewood, Frenchencourt and Dernancourt and illness also played a part as he would spend lengthy stays in hospitals in France recovering from Bronchial Catarrh. At Frenchencourt, where the task was digging trenches, conditions were tough for the men as there were insufficient tents so some men slept in the open and although it is not known if Edward was one of these when he became ill and evacuated to 2nd General Hospital at Havre and subsequently diagnosed with trench fever. Following the armistice troops were systematically moved to England to await transport home and Edward arrived back in England in April 1919. His name was on list 279 for embarkation aboard 'Port Napier' which sailed on 12th May 1919 and disembarked troops in Sydney on 4th July 1919. Edward was discharged from service in Brisbane on 21st August 1919 and returned to his civilian job as a carpenter. On 15th October 1921 Claudina Effingham Gray, a 33 year old Scottish cashier, accompanied by her mother and sister departed from England aboard 'Osterley' for the voyage to Australia and disembarked at Melbourne. Records show Edward and Claudina as married by 1925 and living at 'Claudville' Emily Street Highate Hill, Brisbane an address they would always keep. One son was born to the couple and in 1936 all three sailed to England aboard the ship 'Baradine' for a six week stay. Edward returned to England again in 1956 at the age of 68, to visit Westbrook relations at Northern Road, Hedgen End. Edward died at the age of 83 and was buried at South Brisbane Cemetery on 3rd June 1970 (plot 8-301), Claudina died in 1977.