By MATT NICHOLLS
THERE are many amazing people in Armidale’s long history, but few achieved as much as George Frederick Braund.
However, his story is still largely unknown in Armidale and he is almost regarded as the city’s forgotten soldier.
Braund was killed at Gallipoli on 4 May, 1915.
He was just the second NSW Member of Parliament to be killed in the line of duty in World War I.
Before his death at age 48, Braund had lived a remarkable life.
He was 15 when his family boarded the ship Potosi in 1881 and migrated to New South Wales from England.
The Braunds lived in Sydney for eight years before moving to Armidale in 1889 after purchasing John Moore and Co., turning it into F. Braund and Co.
As a young man, Braund was a talented sportsman, excelling at boxing, fencing and rugby union.
He represented NSW at rugby in 1888.
Upon his father Frederick’s death in 1900, Braund took over the family firm.
A year later, when Federation was achieved, an attempt was made to have Armidale chosen as the site of the federal capital.
Braund, as part of the Armidale Federal League, pushed to have Gostwyck, near Uralla, as the nation’s capital.
The idea never gained legs at a higher level.
However, Braund’s influence locally grew stronger as he became one of the major players in Armidale.
He was a magistrate, president of the chamber of commerce, a member of the public school board and a director of the New England Building Society and the Armidale Pastoral and Agricultural Society.
In 1910 the Liberal Party invited Braund to contest the federal seat of New England, but he declined because of family commitments.
Three years later, the state seat of Armidale became vacant after sitting member Edmund Lonsdale was tragically hit by a car.
Braund put his hand up for pre-selection and won convincingly before defeating Labor candidate John Lewis Eather in a landslide.
His service in parliament was cut short by the outbreak of the Great War (World War I) in August, 1914.
Braund and fellow MP Edward “Ted” Larkin, immediately enlisted.
They were the first two Australian politicians to sign up for active service.
On 8 September, 1914, the Speaker of the House farewelled them with these words: “We know both Lieutenant-Colonel Braund and Sergeant Larkin will fight like Australians, and if need be, die like Australians; but we pray Providence will spare them both to return to the sunny soil that gave them birth.”
Sadly, neither Braund nor Larkin would return to Australia’s “sunny soil”.
