Hands, Cedric George

Place of Birth: Geelong, VIC

Date of Birth: 29 September 1894

Enlistment Details: Wednesday, 6 August 1914

Address:
9 Church Street
Port Melbourne, VIC

Next of Kin:
Mrs Simmons (mother)
222 Rouse Street
Port Melbourne, VIC

Fate: Discharged

In 1915 Cedric was on HMAS Protector one of the first ships into the Cocos Is after the sinking of the Emden.

He was a member of the Royal Australian Naval Brigade from 1911 where his official number was 548.

After his service in WWI, Cedric was in the Royal Naval Reserve between the wars becoming an acting Petty Officer in 1932 and was promoted to Chief Petty Officer in 1935. He subsequently served in WWII in the Navy at the age of 45 in 1939 and was in New Guinea in 1944/45.

Cedric was an active member of the local Port Melbourne community. A member of The Royal Forresters Lodge, he coached naval reserve and local basketball teams. He worked at the Melbourne Harbour Trust as a diver’s assistant and at a local bicycle shop. He and his family moved into one of the early Bank houses in Williamstown Rd in 1928. He also belonged to the local RSL. Cedric was married to Amy Snook and they had two sons, Cedric and Kevin.

Information and photograph provided by Yvonne and David Hands

AIF Attestation Paper, 12 July 1915
Application for War Gratuity, 1923
Royal Australian Naval Reserve, Record of Mobilized Service, 1939

C G Hands is included in a list in the Standard newspaper of members of the Port Melbourne branch of the Australian Natives Association (ANA) who had enlisted during the first year of the war.

1915 ‘NATIVES FOR THE FRONT.’, Port Melbourne Standard (Vic. : 1914 – 1920), 7 August, p. 1. , viewed 30 Jul 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91165271