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Harry remained in the Army for the first few years of married life and it is presumed that Isabella continued to live with her family during which time Ollie and Esther were born.

In 1912 Harry completed a Veterinary Course in Aldershot which was to prove very useful in his future career.

In 1913 Harry returned to Civilian Life and joined the Army Reserves. The family Harry, Isabella and baby Esther left Scotland and settled in Easton, Suffolk where Harry was employed as blacksmith on the Duke of Hamilton’s Estate. While living in Easton, Esther’s brother Harry was born and both children were christened in the local Parish Church.

Being on the Reserve list, when World War 1 was declared in 1914 Harry was immediately called up and sent to France.

My Mother often told how her father Harry said one of his proudest moments was standing in front of King George V on the battlefields in France but being embarrassed because his toes were protruding through his army boots. For three months he had no means of washing or changing his clothes. One of his most treasured possessions was a brass tin presented to him Christmas 1914 which had a picture of Princess Mary on the lid together with the names of the Allies, and contained tobacco and cigarettes.

Soon after Harry was called up his son Harry was born in 1914 and Lady Hamilton sent a telegram to Harry in France to give him the news.

At the end of the war Harry, with his growing family, left Hawick. They were posted to Grantham in Lincolnshire, then to Woolwich before embarking on a great adventure their journey to Egypt in 1924.

EGYPT

When Esther, was 11 years old in 1923 she passed an examination giving her entrance to a Higher School Education. However, she could not really avail herself of this privilege as her Father was given a posting to Egypt in 1924 and the whole family went with him.

They sailed from Southampton in the S.S. Marglen on December 19th. 1924 and the journey took two weeks. For five days they saw no land but on the way they called at Gibralta and Malta.

The soldiers had cabins separated from their families but each day Harry took his family up on deck to get some fresh air. Isabella never got undressed at night as she said - just in case she was very nervous for the whole two weeks. The children had games organised for them to keep them occupied and my Mother recalled leaning over the edge of the boat and watching the flying fish leap out of the water.

When they passed through the Bay of Biscay nearly everyone was sea-sick and my Mother recalled this vividly.

Christmas was celebrated during the journey and my Mother said the Army provided a wonderful day for the families. She could remember Father Christmas climbing up over the side of the ship onto the deck with a sack full of gifts for all the children.

Finally they docked at Port Said and were transferred onto small boats to be taken to the shore. Esther remembered small boys swimming out to the boat and passengers throwing coins into the sea for the boys to dive in and pick up. They then boarded a train and took what seemed to Esther, as a child, a long journey. They were met off the train by Army horses and wagons which took them to a wooden house which was to be their temporary accommodation for the first six months in Egypt.

After these first six months they were allocated a flat No. 1 Talbot Block at Abbassia 3 miles from Cairo. There were 52 flats in all on two floors the ground floor being used for storage. Here they had flush toilets, showers and electric lights a new experience and a luxury for the family

Because of the hot climate Isabella had a lead casket and each morning she filled this with ice to keep the food cool. Water was kept cool in a ‘chatty’ an earthenware vessel of a design unchanged since Bible times.
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This may be the daughter of Ellen Brook before she married John Hills. There is a record for a Maud Frances Brook born June quarter 1882 in the Maidstone district - Volume 2a Page 705
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Listed as son of Mary Coates in the 1851 and 1861 census records
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Was hit and killed by a milk truck while changing the tire on the family car. Maggie was pregnant with Susan Ann at the time. The car was full of kids and Ruby was one of the kids.

Source: Spud Sturdevant Sr. - 10-15-2004
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Regimental Serjeant Major HERBERT GOLDING COUSINS

250020, 10th Bn., Essex Regiment
who died age 35
on 25 October 1918
Son of Walter and Elizabeth Cousins, of Stoke-by-Nayland, Colchester; husband of Sarah Hannah Cousins, of C. W. and E. Cottage, Regent St., Rowhedge, Colchester.
Remembered with honour
PREMONT BRITISH CEMETERY