SI0912
CORNELL, John
| Service Number: | 1533 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 October 1915, Served in England & France |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 4th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company |
| Born: | Mount Gambier, South Australia, 20 April 1878 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Mount Gambier Public School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Fireman & Engine Driver |
| Died: | Keswick Military Hospital, Keswick South Australia, 12 August 1924, aged 46 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
North Road Cemetery, Nailsworth, South Australia Path 29 North, Plot 4202. Gave is unmarked. Tenure expired 03.12.2016 |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Oct 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Corporal, 1533, 4th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company, Served in England & France | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 May 1917: | Involvement Corporal, 1533, Railway Unit (AIF), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: '' | |
| 11 May 1917: | Embarked Corporal, 1533, Railway Unit (AIF), HMAT Shropshire, Melbourne | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Corporal, 1533 | |
| 29 Jan 1920: | Discharged AIF WW1, Corporal, 1533, 4th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Paul Lemar
John the son of William Robert CORNELL & Bridget BOYLE and was born on the 20th of April 1878 in Mount Gambier, SA.
William and Bridget were married on the 13th of July 1875 at the residence of the Catholic Priest in Mt Gambier, SA.
His father was the son of John CORNELL & Mary HAYMAN and was born on the 15th of November 1846 in Staverton, Devon, England.
His mother was the daughter of Michael BOYLE and was born in Ireland.
John was the second child born into the family of 5 children; 1 boy and 4 girls.
John’s father had arrived in Portland, Victoria with his parents and siblings on board the Emma Eugenia on the 8th of July 1852.
His father had been employed as an engine driver on the South Eastern Railways since 1879.
John and his siblings were all born in Mt Gambier and attended the Mt Gambier Public School.
His father transferred to Terowie in September 1900 and then his mother died on the 17th of September 1902 in Terowie, SA.
After leaving school John gained employment as a Fireman with the South Australian Railways.
John married Margaret May BALDWIN on the 18th of June 1910 in Stirling, SA.
Margaret was the daughter of Edward Ernest BALDWIN & Catherine Mary Theresa RYAN and was born on the 31st of December 1884 in Milang, SA.
Margaret was five months pregnant when they married.
They made their home in Gray Street, off North Terrace, in Adelaide.
They welcomed their first daughter; Marjorie Jean, on the 23rd of October 1910, followed by Dorothy May on the 1st of June 1913in Narnia Nursing Home, South Terrace.
At the age of 37 John enlisted into the AIF on the 5th of October 1916 in Adelaide and was allotted the service number 1533 and appointed to A Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Exhibition Camp.
He was then transferred to B Company then to the Reinforcements in Mitcham Camp.
After 5 weeks he was transferred to the Railway Unit and was then posted to the 4th Section, Railway Unit on the 1st of February 1917.
John was transferred to Royal Park, Victoria on the 23rd of February 1917 with his unit and they were due to embark on the 8th of March so all their kits equipment was sent to Port Melbourne, but their embarkation was cancelled at the last minute due to raiders in the Indian Ocean and they returned to Royal Park.
Sadly, whilst John was here Margaret died on the 10th of March 1917 in Unley and was buried in the North Road Cemetery.
It is unclear if John was allowed leave to come back for her funeral.
Their 2 little girls remained with John’s sister Florence; Mrs Horace Coulls Down, of 133 Jefficott Street, North Adelaide.
He changed his next of kin to his brother in-law; Horace Coulls Down, of 133 Jefficott Street, North Adelaide
John embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A9 Shropshire on the 11th of May 1917, disembarking in Plymouth on the 19th of July. He then proceeded to France where he remained until the end of the war.
John embarked from England on the 11th of May 1919 on board HMAT Borda, disembarking at Outer Harbour, Adelaide on the 24th of June at 11:30am.
John was admitted to No 7 Australian General Hospital at Keswick suffering from Albuminuria (Kidney Disease).
He was finally discharged medically unfit, on the 29th of January 1920.
John died on the 12th of August 1924 in the Keswick Military Hospital and his funeral left the residence of his sister Florence, 113 Jeffcott Street, North Adelaide, the following day and he was buried in the North Road Cemetery; Path 29 North, Plot 4202, with his wife.
His grave is UNMARKED and the site expired 02.12.2016.
John apparently has a memorial in The South Australian Garden of Remembrance, Centennial Park – but this is yet to be confirmed.
In 1931 both their daughters were living at 22 Hurtle Square with Mrs F J HANCOCK.
Military Service
At the age of 37 John enlisted into the AIF on the 5th of October 1916 in Adelaide and was allotted the service number 1533 and appointed to A Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Exhibition Camp.
He listed his wife as next of kin.
He was then transferred to B Company on the 1st of December and then to the Reinforcements in Mitcham Camp on the 9th of January 1917.
After 5 weeks he was transferred to the Railway Unit and was then posted to the 4th Section, Railway Unit on the 1st of February 1917.
John was transferred to Royal Park, Victoria on the 23rd of February 1917 with his unit and they were due to embark on the 8th of March so all their kits equipment was sent to Port Melbourne, but their embarkation was cancelled at the last minute due to raiders in the Indian Ocean and they returned to Royal Park.
Sadly, whilst John was here Margaret died on the 10th of March 1917 in Unley.
He changed his next of kin to his brother in-law; Horace Coulls Down, of 133 Jefficott Street, North Adelaide
On the 23rd of March John and his unit were transferred to Broadmeadows Camp, 11 miles from Melbourne.
John embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A9 Shropshire on the 11th of May 1917. They arrived in Fremantle on the 15th and remained there for 7 days before steaming to Rottnest Island.
They then continued to England via Sierra Leone, disembarking in Plymouth on the 19th of July.
From here they were entrained for Bordon Camp in Hampshire arriving on the same day and the whole unit was placed into isolation the following day, due to a Mumps epidemic which had broken out on the troopship during the voyage.
It took eleven weeks before all their unit was out of isolation and they could complete further training. Whilst here they were attached to the Royal Engineers at St Lucia Barracks and renamed the 35th Australian Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company.
John and his unit marched out of Bordon on the 4th of October 1917 and proceeded to France, dropping anchor the following morning at 6:15 am in Le Havre.
From here they were entrained to Audruicq Camp in miserably cold weather and camped under canvas.
They remained here in November and December and were involved in workshops, engine shunting and fatigue parties.
In January 1918 they were transferred to Peronne and whilst here John suffered from severe Eczema and on the 17th he was admitted to the 35th General Hospital in Calais.
After 2 months in hospital he rejoined his unit on the 20th of March and this same day they were given instructions to revert their name back to the 4th Section, Railway Unit and the following day they moved back to Audruicq Camp.
In April they relocated to Dunkerque Docks & the triage shunting yards and handled the supplies and the wounded on the Ambulance transport trains.
They remained here until the end of the war playing a most vital part in firstly, the evacuation of wounded soldiers and then after the armistice was signed on the 11th of November, their role turned solely to evacuating all the troops home to England.
On the 14th of November John gained 2 weeks leave in England and then returned to France, only to be returned to England a few weeks later and transferred to No 3 Camp in Codford awaiting his embarkation home.
John embarked from England on the 11th of May 1919 on board HMAT Borda, disembarking at Outer Harbour, Adelaide on the 24th of June at 11:30am.
John was admitted to No 7 Australian General Hospital at Keswick suffering from Albuminuria (Kidney Disease).
He was finally discharged medically unfit, on the 29th of January 1920.