LANCE CORPORAL DANIEL FREDERICK CORKERY 4748 – 3rd Tunnelling Company
Daniel Frederick Corkery was born at Ringarooma, Tasmania on 11 June 1896, the son of Daniel Edward and Margaret (nee Kay) Corkery.
Zeehan and Dundas Herald, Tasmania – Wednesday 24 February 1909: LYELL LOST IN THE BUSH. On Sunday, at about mid-day, a party consisting of Jack Venn and two boys named, Corkery left with the intention of visiting Lake Beatrice. Their non-return by 10 o'clock that same evening caused some anxiety to the parents. Later on Messrs Venn, Chapman, and Corkery went out to see what they could do, but were forced to return, as the night was dark. The boys, however, turned up at their homes at about 9 o'clock on Monday morning. They had evidently become 'bushed,' and had spent the night by the side of a warm fire.
The North Western Advocate and Emu Bay Times, Tasmania- Thursday 19 October 1911 FOR VALOR. ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY AWARDS. TASMANIAN RECIPIENTS. HOBART, Wednesday— Royal Humane Society awards were presented by the Governor to the following recipients to-day: — Bronze Medal. — John Henry Venn, Linda, Tasmania, miner, aged 17, who risked his life in attempting to rescue John William Harding, aged 18, and Henry Lodge, aged 17, and in rescuing Daniel Corkery, aged 19, from drowning in the King River, Gormanston, Tasmania, on February 27, 1910. Several young men had been bathing, when Harding and Lodge got into difficulties, and while struggling with one another sank. Venn dived in and separated them, but as Harding attempted to swim away Lodge caught him by the legs, and the three sank together. Venn came up alone, but at once dived again, and brought both the other boys to the surface. Once more he separated them, and Harding disappeared. Another lad, D. Corkery, had joined in the rescue, and was seized by Lodge, and they both sank. Venn dived again, and brought them both to the surface, and succeeded in getting Corkery to the bank, but Lodge sank, and was drowned. As soon as Venn reached the bank he fell exhausted, but subsequently re-entered the water, and endeavored unsuccessfully to recover Harding’s body.
A miner by trade, he signed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’ at Claremont, Tasmania on 13 February 1916, recording that he had been rejected for service with the School Cadets 5 years previously at Gormanston due to ‘lungs’.
A medical examination the same day recorded that he was 19 years and 7 months of age and stood 5ft 10ins tall. He weighed 133lbs, had a medium complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. He was of the Church of England faith.
He named as Next-of-Kin his father Daniel E. Corkery of Linda Valley, West Coast, Tasmania. This was later changed to his mother Margaret Corkery, of the same address.
He signed the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ on 14 February at Claremont, Tasmania, and was allotted Regimental number 4748 and the rank of Sapper. He was appointed to 5th Company Miners. Photos of Dan Corkery courtesy Lyn Phillips www.gravesoftas.com.au Daily Post, Hobart – Wednesday 16 February 1916: LATEST RECRUITS. The undermentioned men joined the CIaremont camp on Monday:— D. M. Spotswood, F. Rawson, R. Daniels, D. F. Corkery, O. M’Guinncss, J. T. Murtagh, A. J. Mansfield, L. F. Daley, M. J. Garland, E. Midwood, J. T. Miller, W. O. Jeffrey, V. N. Jeffrey, J. B. Jeffrey, R. T. Duffy, L. J. Sullivan, R. H. J. Witzermann, E. C. Howell, B. E. Hannon, G. A. Honslow, D. Bannister, W. T. Bannister, D. Billinghurst, R. White, R. Purdon, W. R. Bedford, H. W. Saunders, K. R. Cooley, W. J. Simmonds, A Rooney, W. C. Fazackerley, T. Ferguson.
He was transferred to No.5 Tunnelling Company on 28 April 1916 at the Miners Training Camp at Broadmeadows, Victoria. Daniel embarked at Melbourne on 25 May 1916 on board Warilda.
Two Sections of the Northern recruits to form the No.4 Company had embarked from Brisbane, Queensland early in May, 1916 aboard HMAT A69 Warilda for Sydney, New South Wales (NSW). Six officers and 152 other ranks (O.R.s) together with the 1st Reinforcements of fifteen other ranks made up the two sections. At Rosebery Park, Sydney, NSW they joined their Headquarters and two sections (8 officers & 153 O.Rs.) plus 1st Reinforcements consisting of one officer and seventeen other ranks for final training.
The 7713 ton transport departed Sydney, NSW on May 22, 1916 bound for Melbourne, Victoria, where the Headquarters and 3 Sections of No.5 Company boarded the transport. Two of those Sections, 8 Officers and 173 O.R.s, had been recruited in Victoria. The third Section, 3 Officers and 76 O.R.s, had been recruited in Tasmania. Also boarding in Melbourne were the 1st Reinforcements for No.5 Company; 17 men from Victoria and 8 from Tasmania.
The ship departed Melbourne on May 25, 1916 for Adelaide, S.A. where one Section of 3 officers and 76 O.Rs with 1st Reinforcements of 8 O.Rs, boarded Warilda to complete No.5 Company. Docking at Fremantle, W.A. on June 1, 1916 No.6 Company had been recruited in W.A. and the 14 Officers and 325 O.R.s, along with their 1st Reinforcements of 1 Officer & 32 O.Rs, were taken on board and Warilda departed the same day for the European theatre.
Durban, South Africa was reached on June 16, 1916 and Cape Town on June 21, 1916 while St Vincent completed the African ports of call on July 7, 1916.
Discipline was fairly good except at intermediate ports where soldiers going Absent Without Leave caused concern. The fifty-eight day voyage experienced remarkably pleasant weather and terminated at Plymouth, England on July 18, 1916. Four, Five and Six Companies comprising of 1064 officers and other ranks were entrained to Amesbury and Tidworth to begin training for the front.
From the Historical Record of No.6 Tunnelling Company: The Companies proceeded by train to Salisbury Plains. The new quarters in Perham Downs, Salisbury Plains were excellently appointed but in spite of this measles broke out in a neighbouring unit and spread to this Company causing a certain proportion to be quarantined from August 7th onwards. No rifles and few tools being available at Perham Downs very little technical training was carried out. The sojourn in England however allowed the men to become physically fit after the long sea voyage and to become acclimatised to far more rigorous weather than that to which they were accustomed. They also had ample opportunities of seeing and hearing trench mortars at work both by night and by day, and acquiring familiarity there with. General leave was granted in England on two occasions firstly for thirtysix hours on August 2nd and again for 4 days on August 21st.
Daniel was absent without leave from 2400 hours on 8 October until 1110 hours on 10 October. He was awarded 7 days Confined to Barracks and forfeiture of 2 days pay. He proceeded overseas to France on 15 October and marched in to the Australian General Base Depot, Etaples. He was placed in the Segregation Camp on 16 November, possibly due to illness.
Charged with creating a ‘nuisance in the lines’ on 21 December, he was awarded forfeiture of 7 days pay. Transferred from the Segregation Camp on 30 December, he was attached to the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company on 31 December 1916 and was taken on strength on 1 January 1917.
In May 1917 Dan’s father wrote to Army Records advising that both his sons after they enlisted had allotted portion of their pay to him and requesting the allotments be transferred to Mrs Charles Leeman, his eldest Daughter.
Daniel reported sick on 30 August 1917 and was admitted to the 18th Casualty Clearing Station with dental caries. He was transferred to the 4th Stationary Hospital at Argues for further treatment and re-joined his unit in the field on 9 September.
He was appointed Lance Corporal on 17 April 1918. Daniel proceeded on leave to Paris on 8 July, re- joining his unit on 12 July. On 9 September he was charged with creating a disturbance in the billets and was stripped of his rank, reverting to Sapper.
He was reported missing and wounded on 2 November 1918.
3ATC’s End of War Report: On 2/11/18, 4748 Spr. CORKERY D.F. was wounded and missing. Afterwards reported killed in action. This regrettable incident removed a young energetic and high spirited sapper from the ranks of the Tunnellers. He, with Sgt. Forsyth, was engaged in investigation work in forward areas, believed to be protected by advanced infantry patrols. They were fired on at close range and a sniper’s bullet found Sapper Corkery. He fell shot through the stomach, and insisted on Sgt. Forsyth leaving him knowing he was beyond assistance. Sgt. Forsyth when quite convinced there was no hope sought shelter followed by snipers fire.
[1005 CQMS Leslie Milo Forsyth MM, 3ATC, RTA October 1919.]
Red Cross files record: Corkery D.F. 4748 – Killed 2nd November 1918. “Buried by some English Soldiers and cross was put up, His Tunnelling Coy., Cpl. W. Williams 2101 took up Cross for grave. Sgt Forsyth was with him when killed. Informant: Brown 4993 W. 15th Harefield.
[1201 Sapper Wesley Williams, 3ATC, RTA August 1919. 4993 Corporal Lindsay George Brown, 3ATC, RTA April 1919.]
2nd & 8th November entries extracted from the diary of 5798 Sapper George Oxman, 3ATC:
Zeehan and Dundas Herald, Tasmania - 12 December 1918: KILLED IN ACTION Mrs C Leaman of Linda has been officially advised that her brother, Lance-Corporal Daniel Frederick Corkery, who was recently reported missing was killed in action on November 2nd. Corporal Corkery was just over 21 years of age, and enlisted at Gormanston on February 9 1916. He had two sisters, Mrs. C. Leaman and Miss Grace Corkery both living at Linda. One of his brothers, Private W. J. Corkery, paid the supreme sacrifice a few months ago, after four years' active service.
[Note: Mrs. C. Leaman (sic) was Frances Grace nee Corkery who married Charles Albert Leeman in 1913. Miss Grace Corkery was Grace Louiose Gertrude Corkery who married Edward James Sullivan in 1925.]
Examiner, Launceston, Tasmania – Monday 16 December 1918: Tasmanian Casualties KILLED IN ACTION. Lance-Corpl. D. F. CORKERY, Linda Valley, 2/l1/18 (previously reported wounded as missing). Commonwealth War graves record Daniel as the only Military Grave in St Maur Cemetery.
Grave photo courtesy Alain Tripnaux. Brodie helmet and photo placed by Alain, a local historian of Tournai, Belgium, who visited Daniel’s grave on 2 November 2018. Alain goes every year to commemorate the memory of the close British graves in three villages of the neighbourhood. One of the two red circles marked by Alain as war time graves with the one on the right believed to be Tribute card placed earlier by Richard Crompton of England, a Dan Corkery’s grave. relative of Leslie Milo Forsyth.
On 2 November, Sapper 5798 George Oxman’s party had swept across the Belgian border with the British at Rumes. He had been in and around the villages of Merlin and Bruyelle for a week waiting for the division’s next move across the Scheldt River. The Germans had flooded the ground on the western side of the river by blocking the lock at Antoing. On the eastern side of the river, the Calonne and Verger Rivers had been dammed with the detritus of destroyed bridges, causing extensive flooding. While the men were waiting, they took the opportunity to visit the surrounding villages, hunting out souvenirs and titbits to enhance their diet, poultry often the favoured object of their forays. In spite of this apparent freedom, movement in the area was not without peril.35 (sic)
Endnote 34 - “During one such souvenir expedition on 2 November, Sapper 4748 Daniel Corkery was spotted by a German sniper and killed”
Crumps and Camouflets – Australian Tunnelling Companies on the Western Front: Damien Finlayson – pp. 387 & 434
Daniel Frederick Corkery was a member of 3ATC from January 1917 until his death in November 1918. 3ATC first saw action at Boars Head in the lead up the Fromelles diversion ‘stunt’ of July 1916. The Company was allocated to the First Army and were engaged variously at Laventie-Fauquissart, Givenchy, Loos, Lens, Double Crassiers and Vermelles and other places on the Western Front.
On 27 November 1916 at the ‘Black Watch Sap’, Hill 70, an enemy camouflet (or a premature explosion, depending on different accounts) killed 20 members of the company. The next day 2 more members were killed in the same area by an enemy camouflet. The 22 members of 3ATC were buried in 14 adjacent graves at the Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension.
The Companies major effort was at Hill 70 where they constructed the extensive Hythe Tunnel system. The company was also heavily involved in road and bridge construction and the locating and clearing of enemy mines and booby traps. This continued for the company for some months after the Armistice.
On 23 February 1919 George Oxman and others walked into St Maur to see Dan’s headstone.
Photographs of Dan’s grave cross in St Maur Churchyard were sent to his mother at Wood Point, Victoria, on 28 April 1919 by Major Sanderson, the CO of 3ATC.
More photographs of Dan’s grave cross were sent to his father in December 1921 as was the Memorial Scroll and pamphlet ‘Where the Australians Rest’ on 30 March 1922.
The Memorial Plaque was sent to his mother on 28 November 1922 but the records suggest it was returned ‘untracable’. It was re-dispatched on 5 April 1924. Dan’s Victory Medal was sent to his Father on 22 January 1923 followed by the British War Medal on 28 March 1926.
The Roll of Honour form was completed by Miss Irene Vera Blyth, a cousin, of 5 Hobart Street, Inverary, Launceston, and returned to Base Records on 29 February 1931.
The Sydney Morning Herald - Saturday 23 July 1921:
ENGINEERS' ROLL OF HONOUR The Royal Engineer War Memorial Committee are arranging to deposit a roll of honour of all ranks of the Royal Engineers whose names were officially published as killed in action or died of wounds or disease in the war in the chapel of St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Engineer corps of the dominions, colonial, and Indian armies have been invited to deposit similar rolls of honour in St. Paul's, to be attached to that of the Royal Engineers. This invitation has been accepted in Australia. The roll will be inscribed on vellum and enclosed in a casket of Australian timbers to rest on a slab of Australian marble.
This extract from Tunnellers Roll of Honour included in profile with the kind permission of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul’s Cathedral, London
Photo courtesy of Robin Sanderson, Paris
Daniel Frederick Corkery's name is located at 26 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial. LEST WE FORGET
DRIVER WILLIAM JOHN CORKERY 3810 – 3rd Field Artillery Brigade
Daniel’s older brother, William (Bill) John Corkery, was born in 1892, also at Ringarooma.
He was working as a miner at North Lyell Mine when he was one of the 60 who escaped the initial fire which occurred in October 1912.
Of the men underground at the time of the fire, a further 64 were rescued over the following days. 42 men were never seen again. The Electoral Roll of 1914 records William John Corkery, Miner, living at Linda, Tasmania.
On 2 December 1914 he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) at Claremont, Tasmania. A Driver by occupation, he nominated his father, D. Corkery of Lyndda (sic) Valley as his Next of Kin.
He was posted as a reinforcement for the 3rd Field Artillery Brigade (3FAB) and left Australia aboard A54 HMAT Runic on 19 February 1915. On 4 April 1915 he became a member of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
On 8 August his leg was crushed and he was treated at No.1 Auxiliary Hospital in Cairo until 6 September when he was transferred to the Photos of Bill Corkery courtesy Lyn Phillips Convalescent Hospital at Helouan. www.gravesoftas.com.au
AWM Image ID: P08348.001 Tent lines near Alexandria. This photograph was sent to Frances (Fan) Corkery by one of her two brothers; 3810 Driver William John or 4748 Lance Corporal Daniel Frederick Corkery, both of whom were killed in action in 1918.
tunnellers.net: records indicate Dan never got to Alexandria – photo probably sent by Bill
On 9 September he was released to duty and was transferred to the 9th Battery. On 23 March 1916 he proceeded to join British Expeditionary Force in France, disembarking at Marseille on 29 March.
He was hospitalised with influenza on 22 January 1917 and was transferred to England on 16 February and admitted to the Reading War Hospital with myalgia.
He had furlough in England from 21 March to 5 April 1917 and proceeded overseas to France on 8 August, re-joining his unit in the Field on 20 August.
On 20 September 1917 he was wounded in action receiving shell wounds to his head and face. He was evacuated to England on 24 September and admitted to Bevan Military Hospital at Shorncliffe. He was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, on 10 October and granted furlough from 16 to 30 October.
William marched in to the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge-Deverill on 2 November and proceeded overseas to France on 23 November, re-joining his unit in the Field on 29 November 1917.
William John Corkery was killed in action on 18 September 1918 and was buried at Tincourt New British Cemetery, Tincourt-Boucly, 3½ miles from Peronne, at Plot 5 Row E grave 8. Zeehan and Dundas Herald, Tasmania – Tuesday 8 October 1918: LYELL Killed in Action Mrs. C. Leeman, of Linda, has received information to the effect that her brother, Private William John Corkery, has been killed in action. Private Corkery, who was 26 years of age, enlisted at Gormanston early in November, 1914, and saw service in the Gallipoli campaign. He was wounded several times, the most serious being an occasion on which his horse was shot from under him, with the result that he was pinned down by the animal, one of his spurs entering deeply into his thigh. He was a member of the Gormanston branch of the I.O.O.F., and his father, Mr. Daniel Corkery, formerly of Linda, now resides at Woods’ Point, Victoria.
Photo of headstone and Tincourt Cemetery by kind permission of The War Graves Photographic Project - www.twgpp.org
William John Corkery's name is located at Panel 12 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial.
LEST WE FORGET
On 8 January 1919 Dan’s Father wrote to Army Records lodging a claim for the deferred pay due to both his sons; 3810 Driver William John Corkery and 4748 Sapper Daniel Frederick Corkery.
Army Records replied that when the records were processed the payments would be made to him as their Next-of-Kin.
Zeehan and Dundas Herald, Tasmania – Thursday 18 September 1919 IN MEMORIAM. CORKERY. — In sad and loving memory of our dear brothers, Driver W. J. Corkery. 3810, who was killed in action on September 18, by a piece of shell, after three years and nine months' service; also Lance Corporal D. F. Corkery, 4748, 5th Tunnelling Co., who was killed in action in France, on November 2, after two years’ service. “Two of the Best.” In distant France he is lying, Killed by a passing shell; He was buried by his comrades, The boys who loved him well. He fought life's battles bravely, And always stood the test; Remembered by all who knew him, As one of Australia's best.
An Anzac Hero. We pictured his safe returning, We longed to clasp his hand; But God postponed our meeting, T'’will be in a better land. - inserted by their loving sisters and brothers, and brother-in-law, Linda.
In 2007, Kaye McNeall, niece of Dan and Will Corkery, visited their graves:
Kaye at Will’s grave at Tincourt, France and at Dan’s grave at St Maur, Belgium
© Donna Baldey 2018 www.tunnellers.net with the assistance of Peter Corkery great nephew of Dan & Will Corkery. Thanks also to Richard Crompton, relative of Leslie Milo Forsyth, and Alain Tripnaux, Tournai, Belgium.
Further research to be undertaken:
John Henry Venn (3204) enlisted in January 1916, trained with the Miners and was due to embark on Warilda with Daniel and the 5th Tunnelling Company when he was taken ill. He subsequently embarked on Hororata in November 1916 and served on the Western Front with the 2nd Pioneer Battalion. He was killed in action on 13 June 1918.
A brother George James Venn (3203) enlisted in August 1916 and also trained with the Miners before embarking on Hororata with John and serving with the 2nd Pioneers, returning to Australia in August 1919.
Another brother, Mark Reuben Venn (8077) enlisted in December 1917 and served with the 1st Divisional Train, returning to Australia in January 1920.
A fourth brother, Matthew Sylias Venn (607) enlisted in October 1916 and served with the 15th Machine Gun Company. He was killed in action on 15 December 1917.