ANZAC Day Blog Challenge 2014: Introduction - A Mother's Love

Nothing compares to a mother's love. 

Can you imagine the prospect of losing your children?  Not once, not twice, but three times?

My Great Grandmother, Edith Geyer, was a very strong lady with great intestinal fortitude!

Edith Geyer during better times
Horsham c 1924

One month after the death of her husband to typhoid fever in May 1899, Edith (who was pregnant) was faced with the prospect of the family being torn apart as she did not have the means to support them.  However, with great strength of character and the aid of the local community of Nhill, she was able to keep the family together.  You can read more about Edith here.

Source: trove.nla.gov.au
The Horsham Times, Tuesday 13th June 1899, page 3

In 1901 , "being in poor circumstances", Edith decided to move the family to Mildura, "having heard that any child however small who could pick fruit off a tree, could earn 4/ or 5/ a day".  We cannot imagine the voyage.  The family were only hours from perishing. You can read about their amazing journey and tale of survival  here.  Did you notice that history was repeating itself?  In more ways than one!

Times were improving - Edith Geyer, her children and first grandchild
1911
Back: Arthur, Melville, Lloyd and Ernest
Front: Sophie, Edith Geyer (nee Bound)  Lil and  Mabel holding Eva Pilgrim

Then as things had started to improve and life was looking up for Edith and her family, World War 1 threatened to break her family apart again.  Her three youngest boys Lloyd, Melville and Ernest would all fight on the Western Front in France and Belgium.

We cannot begin to imagine how Edith must have felt.  She had no control.  She had struggled through adversity since she was born.  She had nearly lost her children twice before.  Through her perseverance and hard work, times were improving.  But would her world be ripped apart?

You can read more about Edith's three ANZACs by clicking on each of their names;
 Lloyd Morris Geyer
Melville Geyer
Ernest Theodore Geyer

You can read more Anzac Day Blogs here