ABRAMAM/OBERMAN, Leo

Leo Abramam was Jewish by birth,  born in Goldingen, Latvia, part of the Russian Empire. He was the son of Philip (Feisel) Oberman and his wife, Rachel Chauka Greenblat and brother to Sara, Maxim and Jacob. The family arrived from Russia on board the Koningen Louise  on 13 December, 1915, disembarking at Fremantle. He enlisted from Melbourne on 28 January, 1916, and gave his aunt, Lena Aberman, in Perth as his next of kin. By then his father was dead and his mother's address unknown. He was 5ft. 4.25 ins. ,with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. He embarked on HMAT Euripedes on 4 April 1916, and the Embarkation Roll gave his address as 117 Powlett Street, East Melbourne. [This address does not exist, the numbers jump from 107 to 121].

Apart from native born Australians, Russian volunteers were the fourth largest nationality, after the British, New Zealand and Canadian servicemen, to serve in the AIF: 1,026 Russian born servicemen enlisted; 160 died in action, while anther 15 died of wounds. 

Leo Abramam landed at Etaples, France with the 5th Battalion, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel David Wanliss.  He became ill with mumps on 19 June, 1916, and was placed in hospital. He did not return to the Battalion until 30 July, thus missing Pozieres, but on 20 August 1916, he was wounded in action during the last phases of the battle of Mouquet Farm, receiving a gunshot wound to the arm. He was treated at No. 26 General Hospital Etaples, before returning to his Battalion at the Western Front. He was with the 5th Battalion when it fought in the Somme Offensive from 1 July-November 1916, at Ypres in May 1917, and the battle of Bullecourt, May 1917.

He was made Acting Corporal 10 January, 1917, but held the rank for only a month before reverting to Private. On 22 July, 1917, he was  returned to Australia for Home Service, due to flat feet. He was discharged on 4 October 1917. After the war, he made his home in Adelaide giving his occupation in 1924 as a manufacturer of robes. The business, Broadway Manufacturers Ltd.,  was a family one, with his brother Max and sister, Sarah working there. The company was publically floated on 27 November, 1918. Leo Oberman was naturalised in 1926 and married his wife, Sophie. They divorced on 22 February 1963. Leo Oberman died in Adelaide on 5 January, 1969.