Mr Eric (Abe) ABRAHAM (20
April 1898 - 20 March 2003, aged 104 years)
A well-known figure in recent years, leading ANZAC Day
marches in Brisbane, Abe was one of the 'Dungaree Diggers'
who volunteered for service in World War I. Among notable
battles he participated in, were the Somme,
Villers-Bretonneux and Le Hamel. In 1998 he returned to
France and was invested with the Legion of Honour. He was
given the honour of a State funeral in Brisbane.
Abe had a successful career in the public service in
Australia. Newspaper accounts of his life almost
completely ignored his New Guinea connection. Arriving in
Rabaul in 1922, he was Postmaster there until leaving in
1934 due to the ill health of his wife. Roma Bates, our
co-Patron, knew him well and recalls the Post Office
shared a bungalow with AWA and Abe lived there as well. In
those days Morse Code was the main method of communicating
with outstations. Abe taught Roma how to use the Morse
code key so that she could send messages to her husband
Charlie. He was a guest at Roma and Charlie's wedding. Abe
was a keen tennis player and always a popular figure at
parties. Roma attended his 100th birthday bash in
Brisbane.
Two daughters, seven grandchildren and eleven great
grandchildren survive him.
Pat Johnson (Una Voce - June 2003)
