Colin Hearder Cramond
Stephen LearmonthColin was born on the 22nd of August 1880, at Warrnambool, Victoria. His parents were John Glass and Frances, (née Hearder). He was one of fourteen children, although at least two died as infants. Colin’s father had come out to Australia from Scotland in 1852 looking for gold. Being unsuccessful, he established a drapers store in Warrnambool with James Dickson. When Colin was four years-old, the family moved to Melbourne where his father became managing director of Ball & Welch. The family settled into a large mansion in Orrong Rd named “Merville” and became active in the establishment of the Armadale Presbyterian Church. During the early stages of his life Colin completed his education at Caulfield Grammar School.
In 1903 Colin was living in Wilson St in Horsham and working as a bank clerk. Six years later he moved to Walwa and found employment as a bookkeeper. Tragedy struck the family the following year when Frances died of shingles and John of diabetes on the 30th of December. The following year “Merville” was sold and the children, now all grown up, went their separate ways.
On the 25th of January 1915, Colin enlisted in the AIF at Broadmeadows, Victoria. He was given the Regimental Number 534 and was put on strength as a Trooper with B Squadron of the 8th Light Horse. As both of his parents had passed away in 1910, Colin put his sister, Mrs. Clare Hinds, as his next of kin.
Upon enlistment, Colin was a single, 31-year-old grazier from Armadale in Victoria. He stood 5 feet 3 and a half inches tall (160 cm) and weighed 9 stone 10 pounds (62 kg). His complexion was given as medium, eyes dark brown, and hair dark brown. Colin had four vaccination marks on his left arm.
Colin embarked on the HMAT A16 Star of Victoria on the 25th of February 1915, sailing from Melbourne, Victoria. The trip would take him across the Great Australian Bight to Fremantle, on to Colombo, in Ceylon, before finally disembarking at Suez, at the southern end of the Suez Canal, in Egypt.
The 8th Light Horse embarked at Alexandria for Gallipoli on the 16th of May 1915. Upon arriving at ANZAC Cove the 3rd Light Horse Brigade (the 8th Light Horse was part of this) was attached to the New Zealand and Australian Divisions. The 8th formed the first two waves for the Brigade's disastrous attack at the Nek on the 7th of August 1915. Colin was initially posted as “missing” after this engagement but this was soon altered to “killed in action”. He has no known grave.
Colin is remembered on the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, the Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing, the Walwa WW1 Roll of Honour, the Tumbarumba District Roll of Honour, and the Corryong War Memorial. For his service during the war he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.
