DRISCOLL, Roy John
| Service Number: | 4455 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 August 1915, Enlisted at Newcastle, NSW |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Adelaide, South Australia, 5 July 1888 |
| Home Town: | Port Adelaide, Port Adelaide Enfield, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Port Adelaide State School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Wood Turner |
| Died: | V.D.H. (Valvular Disease of the Heart) Mitral, Burdon Military Hospital, Weymouth, Dorset, England , 17 March 1918, aged 29 years |
| Cemetery: |
Melcombe Regis Cemetery, Dorset, England Plot 11, Row C, Grave 3096 Chaplain was Rev W.E. Moorhouse of the Monte Video Camp and undertaker was John Brown of Bond Street, Weymouth and coffin was made of elm wood, |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 26 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4455, Enlisted at Newcastle, NSW | |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 4455, 3rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: RMS Osterley embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 15 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 4455, 3rd Infantry Battalion, RMS Osterley, Sydney |
Help us honour Roy John Driscoll's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Son of William Sydney Driscoll and Jessie Alexander of Hawthorn SA. Had previously resided at Alberton, SA. Brother of William Sidney Driscoll.
Medals - British Medal, Victory Medal
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Died on this date – 17th March …… Roy John Driscoll was born on 5th July, 1888 at Port Adelaide, South Australia to parents William Sydney & Jessie Driscoll (nee Alexander).
[Note: According to information provided by his mother for the Roll of Honour Roy John Driscoll was born at Alberton.]
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 26th August, 1915 as a 27 year old, single, Wood Turner from Exchange Hotel, Hunter Street, Newcastle, NSW.
Private Roy John Driscoll, Service number 4455, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on RMS Osterley on 15th January, 1916 with the 3rd Infantry Battalion, 14th Reinforcements & disembarked at Suez on 13th February, 1916.
On 29th March, 1916 Private Driscoll embarked from Alexandria on Troopship Transylvania to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force). He disembarked at Marseilles, France on 4th April, 1916.
He was attached to 1st D. H. Q. in France from 2nd November, 1916 & was classed P.B. (Permanent Base). (The Statement of Service form recorded “attached to 1st Anzac Hd Qrs. for permanent Base duties in Corps Area.”)
Private Driscoll returned to 1st A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) in France on 31st October, 1917 for return to Australia.
On 21st November, 1917 Private Driscoll was transferred to England from Havre. He was re-classified “B” by 1st Australian Divisional Medical Board (no date recorded). Private Driscoll was “Marked “C” (employed) D.A.D.O.S.” (no date recorded).
He was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot, Weymouth, Dorset, England on 22nd November, 1917.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire & also Dorset.
A Medical Report was completed on Private Roy John Driscoll, 4455, 3rd Battalion, on 22nd November, 1917 at No. 2 Command Depot, Westham, Weymouth. His disability was listed as V.D.H. which was pre-existing from Australia. “Has always been short of breath. Was turned down twice before being accepted for A.I.F. No rheumatic history.” His present condition was recorded as “Dysposea. Well marked aortic & mitral bruits. Pulse 132 low pressure.” The Officer in charge of the medical case recommended that Private Driscoll be discharged as permanently unfit. The Medical Board Finding was Private Roy John Driscoll was permanently unfit for General Service & permanently unfit for Home Service.
Private Roy John Driscoll was admitted to Military Hospital, Weymouth, Dorset on 28th December, 1917 – cause N.Y.D. (not yet determined).
W. S. Driscoll, c/o Mrs Carson, Fussell Place, Alberton, Pt Adelaide, wrote to Base Records on 25th February, 1918: “Having received news from the Matron of the Military Hospital Weymouth saying that our son #4455 Private Roy John Driscoll is very ill the letter is dated 29-12-17. Could you please give us any information about him whether he is any better or if he is coming home. Any news you can give us about him we will be very thankful for….”
W. S. Driscoll, wrote to Base Records on 18th April (crossed out & written in red “March”), 1918: “Please find enclosed letter that I received from the Matron of the Military Hospital Weymouth referring to my son #4455 Private R. J. Driscoll hoping that you may think it worth while enquiring as we are very anxious to know and oblige.”
Base Records replied to Mr W. S. Driscoll on 2nd March, 1918: “…there is no official advice to hand that your son, No. 4455 Private R. J. Driscoll, 1st Anzac Headquarters, is in hospital, but if the letter you have received indicates that his case is serious, you might forward same to this office for perusal, and if warranted inquiries will be instituted. I might point out, however, that ordinary cases of sickness are not reported upon by cable, the official notification appearing in hospital lists, which come to hand later by mail. There is no advice to hand that he is returning to Australia.”
Private Roy John Driscoll died at 5 pm on 17th March, 1918 at Burdon Military Hospital, Weymouth, Dorset, England from V.D.H. (Valvular Disease of the Heart) Mitral.
He was buried in Melcombe Regis Cemetery, Weymouth, Dorset, England where 82 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/d---g.html
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