Martin Sextus CONNELL

Badge Number: S13564, Sub Branch: Glenelg
S13564

CONNELL, Martin Sextus

Service Number: 1971
Enlisted: 31 August 1914, Pontville, Tasmania
Last Rank: Driver
Last Unit: 6th Field Artillery Brigade
Born: Inveresk, Tasmania, 11 August 1892
Home Town: Launceston, Launceston, Tasmania
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Cabinetmaker
Died: Inveresk, Tasmania, 15 January 1951, aged 58 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Carr Villa Memorial Park, Tasmania
Location A8, Grave Number 288 [1/1]; Name given as Martin Xystus CONNELL, age as (58)
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World War 1 Service

31 Aug 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Pontville, Tasmania
20 Oct 1914: Involvement AIF WW1, Driver, 1971, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Hobart embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: ''
20 Oct 1914: Embarked AIF WW1, Driver, 1971, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , HMAT Geelong, Hobart
21 Mar 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Driver, 1971, 6th Field Artillery Brigade , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Malwa embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
21 Mar 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Driver, 1971, 6th Field Artillery Brigade , RMS Malwa, Melbourne
11 Nov 1918: Involvement AIF WW1, Driver, 1971
21 Aug 1919: Discharged AIF WW1

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Biography

My great-uncle Martin was born and died in the family home at 47 Dry Street, Inveresk (Launceston). He is the only son of John CONNELL and Margaret (Mag) nee CAHILL, and the younger sibling of his sister Mary (Molly) who married Arthur Cyril Tuck FLETCHER. After his marriage - on 6th October 1921 - he also lived at Irvine Street, Inveresk (Launceston), and at Glenelg (Adelaide) in South Australia. There was only one child of the union - Martin John CONNELL, who was born at Inveresk in 1922.

Martin served two stints overseas: he was an original Anzac - enlisting on 31 Aug 1914 - in his first period of service, and later was a driver in the 3rd Field Artillery Brigade. He returned to Australia to recover from trench fever then went back to France where he served with the 6th Field Artillery Brigade. He was discharged from hospital in England and returned to Australia and discharged on 21 Aug 1919.

Martin was an alcoholic - probably a result of his wartime experiences. He separated from his wife in about 1931. Later, at the suggestion of his brother-in-law, Sid Fletcher, he returned to Launceston and took up work building trams. - Anthony Fletcher

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