The Baumann Family at Home

Oscar’s older brother, 2561 Private Walter Oscar Baumann, enlisted on 16 October 1915 shortly after Oscar. Walter also went to Egypt but on 15 May 1916 he developed an inguinal hernia and was evacuated to Australia for an operation. He arrived in Melbourne on 22 July - unaware that his brother had been killed two days prior - and was eventually discharged in January 1917 for medical reasons. It was one of Walter’s Bowman descendants who offered a sample that led to his identification.

The family placed memorial notices in the newspaper on the anniversary of his death and it is clear that Oscar always remained in the memories of his parents and his eight siblings - Minnie, Henry, Johanna, Olga, Walter, Elsa, Rudolf and Emma – and their families.