About Maurice Aarons

Maurice Aarons was born in Carlton, Victoria in 1880 to Lewis and Letitia Aarons and attended the Model School in Melbourne.  The Aarons family were a part of the Melbourne Jewish community and it’s probably from these connections that Maurice entered into a pearling partnership with Abraham Davis.

 

Broome Connection

Morrie moved to Broome around 1908 and with Davis operated a three pearling luggers; the Experience, Moa and Princess Mary. When Abraham Davis perished aboard the SS Koombana in 1912 Morrie continued with the pearling business and employed Abraham’s nephews, the Saunders, on his boats.

War Service

Morrie enlisted in the AIF in May 1915 and was assigned to the 16th Battalion, 6th Regiment which embarked at Fremantle in June 1915 and arrived in Gallipoli a month later. When the August Offensive began Morrie’s battalion were to launch attacks on their front to act as a diversion while the Allied troops at Sulva got ashore. The fighting went for three days and it was during this battle that Morrie lost his life.

Morrie was originally listed as missing until the following year when he was officially declared killed in action. His remains were never found and he is memorialised, along with over 4900 Australian and New Zealand servicemen who have no graves on the Australian Memorial to the Missing at Lone Pine.

Enlistment Details

Newspaper Articles

Other Online Resources

View Maurice Aarons at the National Archives of Australia
View Maurice Aarons at the Australian War Memorial
View Australian Red Cross Wounded & Missing Files
View Maurice Lewis Aarons at the Victorian Association of Jewish Ex & Servicemen & Women Australia Inc.