Complex sentence: Rupert Major Downes was born on 10 February 1885 in Mitcham, South Australia, the youngest of fifteen children of Colonel Major Francis Downes, a British Army officer, and his wife Helen Maria, formerly Chamberlin, only five of whom survived to adulthood.
Split into simpler sentences: Rupert Major Downes was born on 10 February 1885 in Mitcham, South Australia. He was the youngest of fifteen children of Colonel Major Francis Downes--a British Army officer--and his wife Helen Maria, formerly Chamberlin, only five of whom survived to adulthood.