Andrew Stillman Gavel (1834-1916) (b. Gavelton, Yarmouth Co., Nova Scotia) Grandsons WWI Ralph Gavel (1896-1965) (b. Mithowra, New South Wales) Service No: 4791 Rank: Private 53rd Battalion, Australian Infantry WWI Father: William Stillman Gavel (1855-1934) Grandfather: Andrew Stillman Gavel (1834-1916) Andrew Alan Gavel (1883-1959) (b. Echuca, Victoria, Australia) Rank: Private Australian Home Service Corps WWI Father: William Stillman Gavel (1855-1934) Grandfather: Andrew Stillman Gavel (1834-1916) William Peters Gavel (1893-1966) (b. Mathoura, New South Wales, Australia) Rank: Corporal Service No: 1811 17th Battalion, Australian Infantry WWI Father: William Stillman Gavel (1855-1934) Grandfather: Andrew Stillman Gavel (1834-1916) Sidney John Gavel (1894-1916) (b. Mathoura, New South Wales, Australia Rank: Lance Corporal Service No: 3502A 53rd Australian Infantry Battalion WWI Killed in Action Father: William Stillman Gavel (1855-1934) Grandfather: Andrew Stillman Gavel (1834-1916) Grandsons WWII Ralph Gavel (1896-1965) (b. Mithowra, New South Wales) Enlistment: Paddington, New South Wales Service No: N69505 Rank: Private Australian Citizen Military Force - WWII Next of Kin: Dorothy Gavel (Wife) Father: William Stillman Gavel (1855-1934) Grandfather: Andrew Stillman Gavel (1834-1916) Great-Grandsons WWII William Edgar Gavel (1918-1943) (b. Leeton, New South Wales, Australia ) Rank: Corporal Service Number: NX52469 2/19th Battalion, 2nd Australian Imperial Force - WWII POW - Thailand (died of illness) Father: Alan Andrew Gavel (1884-1959) Grandfather: William Stillman Gavel (1855-1934) Great-Grandfather: Andrew Stillman Gavel (1834-1916) Sidney Roy Gavel (1914–1976) (b. Griffiths, New South Wales Rank: Private Date of Enlistment: August 18, 1913 Place of Enlistment: Melville, Western Australia Australian Army Transport Platoon (1942-1946) Next of Kin: Christine Gavel (Wife) Father: Alan Andrew Gavel (1884-1959) Grandfather: William Stillman Gavel (1855-1934) Great-Grandfather: Andrew Stillman Gavel (1834-1916) Eric Gavel (1924-2003) (b. Leeton, New South Wales Enlistment: Sydney, Australia Service Number: 73490 Royal Australian Air Force - WWII Next of Kin: George Miller Gavel (Father) Father: George Miller Gavel (1885-1946) Grandfather: William Stillman Gavel (1855-1934) Great-Grandfather: Andrew Stillman Gavel (1834-1916) Leslie Sydney Gavel (1923-1995) (b. Leeton, New South Wales Rank: Private Service No: NX140855 Enlistment: Gingin, Western Australia Age at Enlistment: 22 2nd Australian Imperial Force -WWII Father: George Miller Gavel (1885-1946) Grandfather: William Stillman Gavel (1855-1934) Great-Grandfather: Andrew Stillman Gavel (1834-1916) George Stillman Gavel (1909-1983 (b. Deniliquin, New South Wales) Enlistment: Dubbo, New South Wales Service No: NX146386 Rank: Private 1/12 Infantry Battalion, 2nd Australian Imperial Force Next of Kin: George Miller Gavel (Father) Father: George Miller Gavel (1885-1946) Grandfather: William Stillman Gavel (1855-1934) Great-Grandfather: Andrew Stillman Gavel (1834-1916) Great-Granddaughters - WWII Jean Evelyn Gavel (1924-2017) (b. Leeton, New South Wales) Date of Enlistment: Enlistment: Paddington, New South Wales Service Number: Nf443194 Australian Womens Army Service - WWII Next of Kin: Andrew Allan Gavel (1883-1959) Father: Alan Andrew Gavel (1884-1959) Grandfather: William Stillman Gavel (1855-1934) Great-Grandfather: Andrew Stillman Gavel (1834-1916) Hazel Blanche Gavel (1921- (b. Leeton, New South Wales) Date of Enlistment: Enlistment: Paddington, New South Wales Service Number: Nf455018 Australian Womens Army Service - WWII Next of Kin: Mary Gavel (Mother) Father: George Miller Gavel (1885-1946) Grandfather: William Stillman Gavel (1855-1934) Great-Grandfather: Andrew Stillman Gavel (1834-1916)

George Miller Gavel (1831-1916) (b. Gavelton, Yarmouth Co., Nova Scotia) Grandsons -WWII Randolph George Gavel (1906-1997) (b. Mundindi, New South Wales Service No: N353235 Place of Enlistment: Dubbo, New South Wales 2nd Australian Imperial Force - WWII Next of Kin: Ruth Gavel (Wife) Father: Frederick William Gavel(1866–1946) Grandfather: George Miller Gavel (1836–1917) Colin Frederick Tempest Gavel (1908 - 1995) (b. Condobolin, New South Wales Service No: N350785 Australian Citizen Military Force - WWII Next of Kin: Marie Jean (Wake) Gavel (Wife) Father: Frederick William Gavel(1866–1946) Grandfather: George Miller Gavel (1836–1917) Wallace Alfred Gavel (1910-1955) (b. Condobolin, New South Wales) Service No: N350786 Enlistment: October 31, 1936 Australian Citizen Military Force - WWII Next of Kin: Sylvia Mary (Smith) Gavel (Wife) Father: Andrew Roland Gavel (1870-1958) Grandfather: George Miller Gavel (1836–1917) Granddaughter - WWII Dorothy Anne Gavel (1918-2011) (b. Strathfield, New Souith Wales) Date of Enlistment: December 15, 1942 Enlistment: Paddington, New South Wales Service No: Nf445408 Rank: Corporal Australian Womens Army Service - WWII Next of Kin: Alfred Hatfield Gavel (Father) Father: Alfred Hatfield Gavel (1874-1958) Grandfather: Grandfather: George Miller Gavel (1836–1917)

Gavelton, a small community in Yarmouth Co., Nova Scotia, north of Tusket, was an area that was known as Tusket Lakes. The first Gavel, a Loyalist, arrived in 1785. The community that grew around his land holdings and his descendants became known as Gavelton. Over subsequent years the Gavels descendants moved to various places in Yarmouth and Digby counties, to Saskatchewan, British Columbia in western Canada, the United States, and to Australia. The Australian Connection: Two brothers, George Miller Gavel, born on August 18, 1931, and Andrew Stillman Gavel, born on May 13, 1834, were the two eldest sons of Andrew Gavel (1803-1853) and Hannah (Crocker) Gavel (1806-1848). The two boys went to sea and served on a ship owned by their uncle, the brother of their mother. In 1852 their ship arrived in Melbourne, Australia, during the gold rush and the crew, including George and Andrew, went to Bendigo and Ballarat, sites of the gold diggings.(1) Both boys would remain in Australia. On April 8, 1854, Andrew Stillman Gavel married Sarah Jane Allan at Kyneton, Victoria, Australia. His brother served as a witness to the marriage. Andrew and Sarah had ten children. In 1857, George Miller Gavel married Ann Elizabeth Thomson (1832-1914)) in Victoria, Australia. George and Ann had twelve children. Many of the descendants, grandsons, and granddaughters, great-grandsons and great granddaughters of George and Andrew Gavel would serve in the military forces of Australia during both World War I and World War II. A grandson of Andrew was killed in action during WWI, and a great-grandson would die as a Prisoner of War in Thailand in WWII. Wartime Heritage has identified the following sixteen military service descendants.

Bendigo Creek in August 1852. Artist S.T. Gill

Sources: Australian Military Records Gavel Family Genealogy Records (1) The Argus (Vol. 16, No 2, Summer 2004)