Date of birth: 07/10/1891

Place of birth: Newport, Victoria, Australia

Last known residence: Gardenvale, Victoria, Australia

Profession: Blacksmith

Religion: Church of England

Country: Australia

Force: Australian Imperial Force

Rank: Lieutenant

Service number: 269

Enlistment date: 16/04/1915

Enlistment place: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Units:  —  Australian Pioneers, 2nd Bn.  (Last known unit)

Date of death: 19/09/1917

Place of death: Dikkebus, Belgium

Cause of death: Died of wounds (D.O.W.)

Age: 25

1914-15 Star Medal

British War Medal Medal

Mentioned in Despatches Honourable mentioning

Victory Medal Medal

Gilbert James Furnell was the son of Frederick and Bridget (Dalia) Furnell. He was born around 1891 in Newport, Australia, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. He lived in Gardenvale, Victoria and worked as a blacksmith. He enlisted in the Australian Army on 16 April 1915. Initially, he was part of the Australian Naval Bridging Train. By this time, he had already served four years of service in the Australian Engineers, rising tot he rank of sergeant. In August 1916, he was transferred to the 2nd Pioneer Battalion, where he eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant. Later, in December 1916, his elder brother Frederick Furnell also joined the Australian Army. He was in the 1st Australian Light Railway Operating Company.

Gilbert died on 19 September 1917, aged 26, from injuries sustained earlier that day. According to his father, Gilbert was having dinner with his brother Frederick, who was visiting, and several others in a hut near Swan Château. A shell hit a tree and exploded. Frederick, then 30, died shortly after the explosion and Gilbert was wounded in the head, right leg and right arm. According to his father, Gilbert died four hours later in a dressing station after being evacuated by the 1st Australian Field Ambulance.

Presumably Gilbert died at the main dressing station at Dikkebus, where the 1st Australian Field Ambulance had been based since early September 1917. Gilbert was also buried at Dikkebus in The Huts Cemetery (plot VI, row B, grave 14). His brother Frederick is buried at Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery (plot II, row A, grave 7).

Frederick Furnell  Brother

2nd Australian Pioneer Battalion, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 14/14/16). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used

First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, FURNELL G J). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SessionTimeout.aspx Sources used

Roll Of Honour (Austarlian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCDIG1068867). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used

Unit embarkation nominal rolls, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM8). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=079f8a61-5b46-4afc-a39b-1bbb1b65b1ac

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7440158

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/156246

The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=105726