Montague Charles Brickell

Story:
Montague Charles Brickell was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 18th July 1896, the son of Hannah Laura Brickell (no father was registered).  He lived mainly with his grandparents in Shaftesbury during his early years as his mother was in service and living away from home.  He emigrated to Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, and enlisted there on 30th January 1914 but was not embodied until 24th February 1915 when he joined the 5th Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force as a Private (Service No. 1509).  He saw service in Gallipoli, Egypt, France and Flanders during which time he had many visits to various hospitals - one for a gun shot wound in the hand sustained at Gallipoli where he was treated at the 19th General Hospital .  He saw service in France for the last time with the 46th Battalion after which they were posted to the UK where he was discharged on 31st August 1919 and returned to his Shaftesbury address at 17 Bell Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset.  He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1914/1915 Star.   The 1921 Census shows him visiting the Howell family in Tisbury, Wiltshire, where he was described as a Relief Manager for Joseph Frisby Ltd, a boot and shoe retailer. He went on to marry Mabel Howell in Blandford, Dorset, on 2 Sep 1923. From 1934 to 1937 had moved to Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, where he managed a shoe shop and became very active in the British Legion.  By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 47 High Street, Wincanton, Somerset, and was working as a Manager of a Retail Shoe Shop as well as being a Special Constable. Sometime after he moved to 18 Granville Road, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset, and he died there on 25th February 1969.