DAYBORO DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC Est. 2004
Dayboro Remembers: Private Herman Ernest Otto Buhmann
Dayboro Remembers: Private Herman Ernest Otto Buhmann
Herman was born at Mt. Pleasant on 13th November 1893 to parents Conrad Johann Fredrick Buhmann and Christina Maria Augusta Leffer. His father, Conrad Buhmann, was one of the early pioneers of Mt. Pleasant.
Herman was born at Mt. Pleasant on 13th November 1893 to parents Conrad Johann Fredrick Buhmann and Christina Maria Augusta Leffer. His father, Conrad Buhmann, was one of the early pioneers of Mt. Pleasant. Conrad Buhmann selected his first property on 31st March 1879, only 18 months after his arrival in Moreton Bay on the Charles Dickens on 4th September 1877, having sailed from the Port of Hamburg, Germany. Conrad married Christina or Christianne (there are a number of spellings) on 24th February 1881 and brought his bride to Mt. Pleasant where they raised a family of nine children, their first child born in 1882, having only lived for ten days.
Herman Buhmann married Florence May Flynn on 10th February 1915. Their daughter, Bertha May Buhmann, was not quite 14 months old when he enlisted on 3rd March 1917. He was only 23 years of age himself. His brother Carl had enlisted on 19th November 1914, anglicising his name to Charles Bowman (see May 2015 Dayboro Grapevine). Herman was a member of the 25th Infantry Battalion.
He embarked aboard the A20 Horarata, leaving Sydney on 14th June 1917, arriving Durban, South Africa on 9th July and disembarking in England on 27th August 1917. After completing his training at the end of January 1918 he was sent to France. He marched out to his unit in the Escoevilles Sector on 3rd February 1918 and was taken on strength on 5th February. The Battalion moved into Belgium during March and then back to the Amiens Region, Somme Valley, France. By June 1918 they were in the front line.
On the morning of 4th July the 25th Battalion was at Villers-Bretonneux. Their orders were to attack and capture the enemy trench. This objective was successful but sadly Herman was killed during the attack. Lieutenant McComb stated “I saw Buhmann of C Company hit. I think by machine gun bullet but I don’t know where he was hit. At Villers-Bretonneux near the main road just after the hop over – one of the best men we had and a good rifle shot.” Herman Buhmann is buried in Crucifix Corner Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux, Somme, France.
Herman’s widow Florence remarried in November 1920. Their daughter Bertha married James Edward Brennan in 1939. Sadly Bertha died in Brisbane on 22nd May 1948 at only 32 years of age.
Dayboro Remembers 1915 – 2015
Copies of this book prepared by the Dayboro War Memorial Association are available at “Dayboro Cottage” at a cost of $30.00. Also a reminder to those people who have ordered copies of the book and have not collected them yet – they are set aside for you at “Dayboro Cottage” so could you please call and collect them. “Dayboro Cottage” is open from 10.00am to 3.00pm daily.
Ambulance Centenary: 2016 will see the centenary of the establishment of an Ambulance service in our district and the Local Ambulance Committee has plans afoot for this celebration. A Sub-Committee of the Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade was formed in 1916 with Senior Bearer Arthur John Tyson occupying a rented cottage which was used both as his residence and the Q.A.T.B. Sub-Centre. Just five years later, in December 1921, approval was given for Dayboro Sub-Centre to become a Branch Centre meaning Dayboro became a self-governing centre taking responsibility for its own finances.
William Harold (Bill) Tomkins, Superintendent at Dayboro Ambulance July 1926 to November 1933.
If you have any photographs or other memorabilia that would assist the Local Ambulance Committee with its centenary celebrations, could you please let me know.
Carmel Bond, President – Ph: 3425 1717 (h) or 3425 2032 (Dayboro Cottage)
Email: carmel.bond@bigpond.com or ddhs4521@gmail.com
Web: www.dayborohistoricalsociety.com.au *
