Regimental number | 1230 |
Place of birth | Gippsland, Victoria |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Occupation | Timber worker |
Address | c/o Bunning Bros, Buckingham via Collie, Western Australia |
Marital status | Married |
Age at embarkation | 31 |
Height | 5' 8" |
Weight | 165 lbs |
Next of kin | Wife, Mrs A Cahill, Royal Street, East Perth, Western Australia |
Previous military service | Nil |
Enlistment date | |
Place of enlistment | Blackboy Hill, Western Australia |
Rank on enlistment | Private |
Unit name | 32nd Battalion, D Company |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/49/1 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong on |
The 32nd Bn (Headquarters, Signallers, A, B, C, and D Companies) embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on two ships, HMAT A2 'Geelong', on 18 November 1915, and HMAT A13 'Katuna', on 24 November 1915. The Embarkation Roll does not distinguish between these ships, and it is therefore not possible from the Embarkation Roll to ascertain on which ship an individual embarked. | |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 32nd Battalion |
Fate | Returned to Australia |
Discharge date | |
Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Embarked Adelaide, 18 November 1915; disembarked Suez, 18 December 1915. Found guilty, Tel el Kebir, 17 March 1916, of being absent from 1500 parade: awarded 24 hours' confined to camp, and forfeited 1 day's pay. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, 23 June 1916. Reported Missing in Action, Fleurbaix, 20 July 1916. Subsequently reported wounded (gun shot wound, right thigh) and taken prisoner. Repatriated; arrived in England, 3 December 1918. Statement by Cahill, Ripon, Yorkshire, 16 December 1918: 'My Battalion took part in the attack launched against the German positions near Fleurbaix on the evening of 19.7.16. We reached our objectives and spent the night digging in and consolidating a position in what appeared to have been a drain some distance beyond the enemy second line. Early next morning we found that the Germans had somehow during the night regained possession of their front line.They came along communication saps and bombed us out of the trenches. Four of us were captured together - two of us were wounded. That night I saw Capt. White and Lieut. Mills, of the 32nd Bn. Both were up at the front. Lieut Mills was wounded in the right hand. I spent the night at a Dressing Station some seven kilometres behind the enemy line. Next day I was taken to Douai where I was in Hospital for 14 days. I was next moved into Germany, being first at Dulman and then at Minden. From Dulman I was sent out "on command" to Celde, where we were laying the foundation for a line of light railway. There were about 18 Australians in this commando of about 25. I was also "in commando" at a cement fabrick at Glenerick. I was here when the Armistice was sugned, 11.11.18. We were all mustered at Munster 1. and sent into Holland by train[.] I crossed from Rotterdam to Hull by the "Willochra" on 3.12.18. [W]hile I was in Douai hospital Pte. Dan McKinnon of "D" Coy, 32nd Bn, died of wounds.' Found guilty, London, 9 January 1919, of being absent without leave, 10 am, 7 January, to 10 am., 9 January 1919: admonished, and forfeited 2 days' pay. Marched in to No 2 Command Depot, Weymouth, 10 January 1919. Commenced return to Australia on board HT 'Nevasa', 5 March 1919; disembarked Fremantle, 13 April 1919; discharged, Perth, 13 June 1919. Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal Death attributed to war service. |
Date of death | |
Place of burial | Karrakatta Cemetery |
Sources | NAA: B2455, CAHILL Peter |