Sapper John Quinn

SAPPER JOHN QUINN

247 – 1st Tunnelling Company

Born in Waverley via Sydney, NSW in 1864 John Quinn was the son of Michael Quinn, a bus proprietor and his wife Bridget nee McNamara. His siblings were Michael, Margaret, Mary and Sarah Quinn and he was educated at St Patrick’s School in Sydney. He was a blacksmith by trade and a miner working at the Rosewood Diggings in the Rockhampton district, Queensland from 1905.

At the Central District Recruiting Depot in Rockhampton, Qld on November 24, 1915 he deleted several birthdays as the forty-eight year old applied to enlist for active service abroad. Passing the medical examination personal particulars taken show he was 182cms (5ft 11ins) tall and weighed 73.8kgs (161lbs) with a chest measurement of 94cms (37ins). His complexion was dark with brown eyes and slightly greying hair. Roman Catholic was his religion. Next-of-kin nominated was his sister Mrs Mary Kent of Belmore Street, Burwood, Sydney, NSW.

The Mining Corps was completing its establishment phase when John arrived at Casula Training Camp, near Liverpool, NSW. He was assigned to the No. 1 Company with the regimental number 247 in the rank of Sapper.

At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.

The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.

Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.

Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board.

On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.

The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.

The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.

Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.

A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.

A month after his arrival in France Sapper Quinn was sent sick to the No. 2 New Zealand Field Ambulance on June 12, 1916 with Hyper of Lymph Glands. Two days later he was admitted to the No. 3 Convalescent General Hospital in Boulogne and on June 16 embarked to England on the hospital ship St Denis. He was admitted two days later in the No. 2 Southern General Hospital, Bristol (Bishop’s Knoll Section)

On August 17, 1916 he was transferred to the 1st Aust Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield Park. While there he was assessed by a Medical Board on August 28, 1916 and his Statement of Case reads:

Disability: Malignant Glands

Date of disability: April, 1916

Origin of disability: France

Essential facts: About 18 months ago he had portion of his lip removed because he had a

sore which would not heal up. Doctor said it was cancer. After nine weeks

in France he noticed swelling on the left side of neck. Sent back to Bristol

hospital where he had swelling removed. Wound healed by second ?

Cause: Prior to enlistment

Present condition: A large adherent scar on left side which has increased in size. Cervical

glands are enlarged. He has been finding difficulty in swallowing. Severe

pain at night, shooting pains in head and eyes. Age 54.

Operations: Yes, two operations one lip and glands of side neck.

Finding: Permanently unfit for general service and unfit for home service.

Approved: 1/9/16.

On September 9, 1916 Sapper Quinn departed Southampton on board the hospital ship Kanowna for his return to Australia for discharge due to Malignant Glands. His berth for the voyage was a double tier berth. Next-of-kin was advised by Base Records on September 27 that he was returning home.

A copy of his records was made for War Pension and the Assistant Adjutant General’s office on October 17, 1916.

The ship docked in Sydney, NSW (2nd M.D.) on October 28, 1916. He was due to return to Brisbane, Qld (1st M.D.) as arrangements had been made for him to enter No. 6 Aust General Hospital on November 1, 1916 but perhaps due to his condition was admitted to the No. 4 Aust General Hospital at Randwick, Sydney, NSW.

Details of Medical History taken on October 31, 1916 at Randwick Hospital were:

Disability: Malignant glands of neck

Date of disability: 17/8/16 according to A.M.B. 178

Origin of disability: Prior to enlisting had tumour cut from lip.

Essential facts: Was operated in Queensland 2 years ago for tumour of lip – excised.

Recurrence in glands of neck Sept 15. Operated in English hospital it

reoccurred again. Then was inoperable.

Caused by: Malignant disease of neck

Present condition: Sloughing inoperable malignant nodes left side on neck.

Special treatment: Operated in England

Operation: Nodes removed but recurred.

The attending Doctor E.R.A. Alexander’s medical notes while in Randwick Hospital were:

Inoperable, nodes on sloughing malignant tissue in left out-maxillery & carotid regions

Gradually became weaker and weaker till death on 21/12/16.

John Quinn died with his relatives present at 5.15 p.m. on December 21, 1916 aged about 53 years.

His cause of death was certified as (1) Malignant disease of neck (2 months); (2) Asthenia of Toxaemia.

Commandant of the 2nd Military District, Brigadier-General Ramaciotti sent a telegram the following day informing Base Records of the death of Sapper John Quinn, 1st Tunnelling Company of Malignant Jaw and his relatives were present. A day later the Staff Officer for Invalid and Returned Soldiers formally advised Base Records of his death.

Arrangements by the Lieutenant-Colonel O.C. of the hospital had been made for the next day of his Military Funeral to leave No. 4 Aust General Hospital, Randwick at 2.30 p.m. for the Waverley Cemetery, Sydney, NSW.

His death was announced in the Sydney Morning Herald on Friday December 22, 1916:

Family Funeral arrangements were published the following day Saturday in the Sydney Morning Herald:

The late soldier was interred in the Roman Catholic Section of the Waverley Cemetery with the service conducted by the Rev Paul Fleming.

Documents relating to the death of Sapper Quinn were sent to Base Records, Melbourne, Vic on December 29, 1916 which contained certification of his cause of death.

Brigadier-General Ramaciotti forwarded further documentation certifying the registration of his death on January 27, 1917 from Victoria Barracks, Paddington, Sydney to Base Records.

A booklet and circular were forwarded to his next-of-kin on January 12, 1920 and a reminder followed on November 27, 1920.

For serving his country Sapper 247 John Quinn, 1st Tunnelling Company was issued with the British War Medal (35040) and the Victory Medal (34786).

Under the Deceased Soldiers’ Act of 1918 Base Records wrote on November 29, 1921 to his sister Mrs M. Kent of Belmore Street, Burwood inquiring if her brother’s parents were still living or an elder brother or sister for disposal of the late soldier’s medals. No reply is recorded.

The Headquarters, 2nd Military Base was requested on March 22, 1923 by Base Records of the above situation as they were desirous of any information on his next-of-kin. As a result on May 25, 1923 A.I.F. Branch Medals (2nd M.D.) wrote to the Editor of the Sydney newspaper requesting a notice be placed in the news column for the next-of-kin of Sapper John Quinn to communicate with their office in Melbourne, Vic with regard to war medals. As no reply was received they were marked ‘medals untraceable.’

Mrs Margaret Kennedy at 16 Rae Street, Randwick, NSW wrote to Base Records on July 19, 1923 regarding her brother’s war gratuity. Her letter was sent to the District Finance Office in Brisbane, Qld (1st M.D.) and a card acknowledging this was returned to her the following day.

With a family member in contact Base Records wrote to Mrs Margaret Kennedy at 16 Rae Street, Randwick, NSW on August 1, 1923 requesting the eldest next-of-kin of her brother John Quinn for the disposal of his war medals. Mrs Kennedy replied on August 8, 1923 that she was his eldest sister and eligible as their parents and brother were dead. His War Medals were sent by registered post (1681) on August 21, 1923 along with the pamphlet ‘Where the Australians Rest’, the Memorial Scroll (597145) and the Memorial Plaque (597145). Writing the next day his sister requested and enclosed stamps for the pamphlet ‘Graves of the Fallen’ which was posted on August 31, 1923. The medals were receipted by his sister on August 22 and the Memorial Scroll on September 10, 1923.

Mrs Kennedy again wrote a letter on September 10, 1923 inquiring about her brother’s war gratuity which was forwarded to the District Finance Office in Brisbane (1st M.D.) and five days later a card advising this was returned to her.

LEST WE FORGET