Aubreyhad served as a mounted machine gunner in German West Africa (Namibia). At the end of that campaign he returned to his post in the civil service in Johannesburg. One evening he met an officer who told him there was an urgent need of experienced machine gunners in German East Africa. He asked for half-pay leave, but was turned down as so many of the staff had volunteered for service in France. He took unpaid leave and volunteered, but instead of East Africa he landed up in the South African Infantry in Flanders. In March 1918 he was severely injured, dying of his wounds shortly afterwards. He is buried in the Wimereux Cemetery, Flanders.

Joan Dianne Fitz-Patrick