John Kiely

John Kiely

Personal Information
Date of Birth	c1898
Place of Birth	Galbaly, Limerick, Ireland
Death	20 Jun 1962
Place of Death	Victoria Park, Western Australia, aged 62
Age at Enlistment	18 years, 5 months
Description	5'5" (1.65m) tall ; 134lbs 60.781 kg ; fresh complexion ; grey eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Dairy hand
Religion	Roman Catholic
Address	Maddington, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Roger Kiely
Military Information
Reg Number	[ 7496]
Date of Enlistment	12 Feb 1917
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	16th Battalion, 25th Reinforcement, transferred to 44th Battalion, and 11th Light Trench Mortar Battery.
Date of Embarkation	29 Jun 1917 ‒ 25 Aug 1917
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A30 Borda
Date of Return	5 Jan 1919 ‒ 20 Feb 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A61 Kanowna operating as a Hospital Ship
Fate	Wounded in action 27 Aug 1918 Returned to Australia (medical)
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Arrived in Australia with his family on 20 Dec 1911 aboard the RMS Orontes from London.

War Service

Entered camp on 12 Feb 1917, and was allocated to the 25th reinforcement draft for the 44th Battalion. Following basic training he travelled with them to England where he was sent first to the 4th Training Battalion at Codford, and then on 3 Nov 1917 to the 13th Training Battalion to prepare for France and Belgium.

On 4 Dec 1917 John proceeded overseas to France through Southampton to reinforce the 44th Battalion, and on 10 Dec 1917 he was taken on strength by them in an area between the River Douve and the River Lys. However, his stay with them was brief as on 12 Jan 1918 he was detached to the 11th Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery which was training near Bailleul.

Ill with influenza, he was seen by the 11th Field Ambulance on 10 Jul 1918 and admitted to hospital with the 5th Casualty Clearing Station on 10 Jul 1918. John was able to rejoin the Trench Mortars on 1 Aug 1918, before being wounded in action on 27 Aug 1918. Again treated by the 11th Field Ambulance, this time he was sent to the 37th Casualty Clearing Station with wounds to the spine and back. Placed on an Ambulance Train he was transferred to the 1st Australian General Hospital in Rouen on 29 Aug 1918 and evacuated to England on 1 Sep 1918, he was admitted to the 4th Southern General Hospital in Plymouth suffering with Neurasthenia the next day.

On 20 Sep 1918 John was transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield, before being sent home to recover. John was discharged by the 5th Military District on 2 Oct 1919.

Post War

Electoral Roll entry: 1958 at 17 Clydesdale street, Victoria Park, retired