Sapper David Clohessy

SAPPER DAVID CLOHESSY 957 – 3rd Tunnelling Company

At Wangaratta, Victoria in 1872 David Clohessy was born to parents Thomas and Mary (nee Smith) Clohessy. His family followed mining to the Goldfields of Western Australia. From 1910 to 1912 he was a miner at Gwalia near Mt Leonora, W.A. and in 1915 was residing at Commonwealth Hotel, Meekatharra, W.A.

At the recruiting meeting at Meekatharra, W.A. on October 20, 1915 the forty-three year old miner applied to enlist for active service abroad and passed the preliminary medical examination. Attestation forms were completed which describe him as 179cms (5ft 10ins) tall, weighing 72.7kgs (160lbs) with a chest measurement of 102cms (40ins). Complexion was fair with grey eyes and dark brown hair, bald on top. A distinguishing mark was the missing first joint of his left thumb. Religious faith was Roman Catholic. Next-of-kin was his mother Mrs Mary Clohessy of Leonora, W.A. He signed and took the ‘Enlistment Oath’ at Blackboy Hill camp, near Perth on November 1, 1915.

Basic training commenced for Private Clohessy the same day with 34th Depot Battalion but was allotted four days later to ‘D Coy’ 4th Depot Battalion.

Recruiting for the Miners’ Corps had begun on December 1st, 1915 therefore Private Clohessy was placed for training at the Helena Vale camp at Blackboy Hill, W.A. with the newly forming Corps. The Unit’s title was the No.3 Company with a major portion of No.3 Company recruited by 2nd Lt. L.J. Coulter, A.I.F. who was sent from N.S.W. to W.A. for that purpose. They were made up to strength with 1 Officer and 274 Other Ranks and embarked from Fremantle, W.A.

No.3 Company recruits at Blackboy Hill, 3 December 1915 & on Parade - 16 December 1915 Photos courtesy Graeme Williams, grandson of 1202 Spr Charles Williams – 3ATC

On December 18, 1915 the company sailed for Sydney, NSW on board the troopship SS Indarra. His name appears on the passenger list which was published in: The West Australian Saturday December 18, 1915: INDARRA’S PASSENGERS The following passengers are booked to leave by the Indarra to-day: Messrs….D. Clohessy. Article abridged

On Boxing Day (Dec 26th), 1915 the Unit arrived in Sydney and marched into Casula Camp, near Liverpool, NSW. They were joined by the 4th Section of the Tasmanian Miners, bringing the establishment strength up to 15 officers and 349 Other Ranks under the command of 2nd Lieutenant L.J. Coulter. Mining Corps Units from all Military districts came together at Casula camp, near Liverpool, NSW to complete training as a Corps. Clohessy was assigned the regimental number 957 in the rank of Sapper and remained in No. 3 Company.

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 ship was reluctant to 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’.

Four sections of the No.3 Company were dispersed to various sectors for instructional training. Sapper Clohessy was assigned to No.4 Section and attached for duty in the field to the 254th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers. On December 18, 1916 the No. 3 Company was officially transferred to 3rd Tunnelling Company.

At intervals parties of officers and men had been sent to Mine Schools for training in Mine Rescue work, to become familiar with Proto Apparatus, and to become proficient in “listening” and he attended his course during March, 1917. He was to be Acting Second Corporal from March 31, 1917 until May 17 when promoted to 2nd Corporal, due to Corporal H.S. Jones being promoted. On September 8 he was to be Acting Corporal without extra pay due to the evacuation of Corporal McKay. Appointment to be Temporary Corporal came through on November 25 and later was promoted to the rank of Corporal on December 9, 1917.

Base Records wrote to Mrs M. Clohessy of Nerong Central, via Rutherglen, Victoria on December 5, 1917 acknowledging receipt of her communication of the 24th November inquiring about the soldier named D. Clohessy. Records clarified that the soldier returning was Private 1694A Donald Clohessy of the 9th (late 42nd) Battalion and according to their records his mother was Mrs Mary Clohessy of Rutherglen, Vic and had enlisted in Toowoomba, Qld. Also on record was Sapper 957 David Clohessy, Mining Corps, who enlisted in West Australia and gave his next-of-kin as Mrs Mary Clohessy, Leonora, W.A. The writer asked if she could kindly advise him if the next-of-kin was one and the same person or if she was identical with Mrs Clohessy whose name was shown on the records of the former soldier.

Service continued without injury or illness and he was issued on February 20, 1918 three Blue Chevrons to wear on his uniform for serving two years abroad. On June 29, 1918 at his own request he reverted to the rank of Sapper.

Leave from France was granted and commenced from October 28, 1918. While away, Peace was declared and he returned to duty on November 15, 1918. The Tunnelling Companies remained on the front as part of the Army of Occupation assisting with the rehabilitation of their district by clearing roads and bridges and defusing booby traps left by the enemy.

Orders were received on January 27, 1919 to prepare for demobilisation and return to the Base Depot. Sapper arrived at the Aust Infantry Base Depot on February 1 and two days later left for England crossing the English Channel and marched into the Aust Training Brigade at the No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny on February 4, 1919.

Sapper Clohessy departed England for home as an invalid on board H.T. Khyber on March 31, 1919. Base Records advised his mother on April 24, 1919 that he was on his way home. His name was listed among the returning soldiers in the:

Western Argus Tuesday May 6, 1919: RETURNING AUSTRALIANS Military Headquarters, Perth has forwarded list of names of troops returning by the steamships: S.S. KHYBER 957 Spr. D. Clohessy, 3rd Tunn. Coy; Article abridged

Further voyage details on the quarantine and later release were published in:

The West Australian Tuesday May 6, 1919: THE KHYBER INCIDENT Mr M. Donnes, president of the South Fremantle Branch of the R.S.A. gave yesterday what he contended was the correct version of the communication that was held with the soldiers on board the troopship Khyber, which was moored in the stream opposite F. Shed, and was flying the yellow flag. He said: “The men on the troopship wanted to know the position of things. They said they had some complaints to make about the ship, and asked me to get as close as I could. I got a dinghy and rowed out to them. I told them the position and they said: ‘If you want us we will get out the boats and come. I told them that the yellow flag was flying over the ship, and asked them, as that was the case, not to leave the ship under any circumstances whatever. I said the returned soldiers and the people generally would think more of them for staying on the ship while it was in quarantine.” Synopsis of the voyage Khyber draft of 1679, consisting of 214 West Australians, 139 South Australians, 449 Victorians, 73 Tasmanians, 543 New South Welshmen, and 261 Queenslanders, left Sutton Veny, England on 30th March, 1919, arriving at Liverpool the following day. Khyber sailed from Liverpool at 8 a.m. on 1st April, and reached Port Said at 11 a.m. on 10th April. Left Port Said on afternoon of 11th April, passing through Suez Canal the same night. Arrived at Colombo on the morning of 22nd April, and departed at 6 p.m. the following day. Sighted Fremantle at 10 a.m. on 3rd May, and left for Adelaide at 4 p.m. on 4th May, arriving at the latter port at 8 a.m. on 9th May. Departed from Adelaide at 7 p.m. on 10th May, and entered Port Phillip Heads on morning of 12th May. Left the same morning for Sydney, arriving there on 14th May 1919. The Western Argus Saturday May 17, 1919: RETURNED SOLDIERS THE KHYBER LIST At 10 o’clock this morning 24 men of s.s. Khyber will be released from quarantine, and they will arrive at E. Shed at 11 o’clock.

Military Discharge took place in Perth (5th Military District) on July 7, 1919 on termination of his period of enlistment.

He married in 1920 to Kate Galligan and news of their wedding was published in the:

Kalgoorlie Miner Wednesday July 7, 1920: SOCIAL NEWS Mr David Clohessy and Miss Kitty Galligan were married at the Westonia Roman Catholic Church last week. The bridegroom was a member of the 3rd Tunnelling Corps for over four years. Father O’Malley, of Southern Cross, officiated, and the ceremony was witnesses by a large and representative gathering of comrades and well wishers of the bride and bridegroom. After the marriage ceremony a goodly company of invited guests assembled at Mr Roger MacMinnimen’s home and wished the couple long life and happiness. By the evening express train Mr and Mrs David Clohessy left for Kalgoorlie, where they will probably make their home.

The British War Medal (8087) and the Victory Medal (8054) were issued to Sapper 957 David Clohessy, 3rd Tunnelling Company for serving his country.

From 1922 until 1925 their residence was Celebration City, W.A. with his occupation as a miner. His name appeared in the Mining Returns as follows:

Kalgoorlie Miner Saturday November 24, 1928: MINING RETURNS The following are additional mining returns for the month of October: FEYSVILLE Golden Hope, 3.54 tons for 7.87 oz: .9482 tons of concentrates for 13.77ozs Pernatty Central (D. Clohessy), .75oz. dollied.

A Statement of Service was issued from Base Records to the Perth Branch of the Repatriation Commission on January 18, 1929.

From 1931 onwards they are registered at 336 Piccadilly Street, Kalgoorlie, W.A. and he still worked as a miner.

They are reported at a social evening which appeared in the:

Western Argus Tuesday August 14, 1934: A LADY’S LETTER A very enjoyable evening was spent at the home of Mrs John Galvin, of Wittenoom Street, Kalgoorlie, to bid farewell to Mrs Jack Bell, on the eve of her departure for Mt Magnet. The guests were: Mr and Mrs Dave Clohessy. Article abridged

David Clohessy passed away on April 13, 1954 aged 81 years. Burial took place in the Roman Catholic section of the Kalgoorlie Cemetery.

Mrs Catherine Clohessy died on August 9, 1955 and is in the same section of the Cemetery. Image courtesy of Lorraine’s Cemetery Records Pages www.ozburials.com