Cyril Jewell was born in New Zealand, but his father James was the publican at the Morang Hotel when he enlisted, although by the time his son was killed, he had taken possession of alternate licensed premises in Dandenong-road, Windsor.
Jewell embarked with 14 Infantry and served with the Battalion at Gallipoli, but after the evacuation, he was transferred to 12 Field Artillery Brigade, initially as a Gunner, but from June, 1916 as a Driver in France.
He was repatriated back to England in November, 1917 and admitted to hospital suffering from myalgia and then scabies (later adjusted to V.D.) and did not return to the front until June, 1918.
Jewell suffered multiple shell wounds to the legs, arm and shoulder near Hancourt, France on 26 September, 1918 and was transferred from 76 Field Ambulance to 20 Casualty Clearing Station where he died at 3.30 a.m. the following day.
His attestation suggests that while he was in an exempt area for the purposes of Compulsory Military Training, he had spent a year with the Arthur’s Creek Rifle Club.
He claimed to be single when he joined up, but as with a few other servicemen, it was later discovered that he was married, although in Jewell’s case, his widow does not appear to have become known to authorities until 1922 when war medals were being distributed. Registrations show here as Eva May Jewell (nee Baldwin) and the couple marrying in 1915 with a child Cyril junior born the same year.
There was also an Albert Leslie Jewell from Thomastown killed in action and others of the family name enlisted. Cyril’s birth in New Zealand unfortunately makes it difficult to determine whether the various families were related.
Link to the history of Cyril James Jewell
Link to the history of Albert Ernest Leslie Jewell
Link to ozsportshistory.com downloads for WW1
