gympieregionallibraries

Lewis Harder Dean

Gympie Regional Libraries are honoured to be the custodian of Lewis Harder Dean collection, which includes Mr Dean’s wallet, diary and photographs.

From Gympie, Lewis Harder Dean enlisted 3 June 1916 and became a stretcher bearer for the 41st battalion in WWI. He sailed to Europe on the Hororata and kept a diary which details his journey to the battlefields.

Read his diary here!

While he was in Villers Brettoneux, he was struck with shrapnel in his chest where he happened to keep a leather wallet. The wallet deflected the shrapnel and saving a young Lew Dean. The hole in the wallet can still be seen today.

Wallet – showing shrapnel hole
Wallet saved digger’s life – Gympie Times Thurs 25 April 1987 pg 6 (part 1 of 2)
Wallet saved digger’s life – Gympie Times Thurs 25 April 1987 pg 6 (part 2 of 2)

Lew Dean continued his service after convalescing in England and eventually returned to Gympie where he joined the ambulance service. He was awarded a MBE in 1975 for his services to the community.

Gympie Ambulance – Lew Dean

The entire Lewis Harder Dean collection can be seen on our library catalogue.