Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The life and death of 

Clyde Maynard tuchin
Clyde was born 25th of May 1897 to Noah and Rosetta. Clyde’s father died from a lung disease on 2nd of June 1898. Clyde’s mother was “unfit” to take care of Clyde, so he was put into foster care where a lovely family the Elliots adopted him, the father was the station master same as his father before him. Clyde’s fostered grandfather was the person who told the police that famous bush ranger Ned Kelly was hiding in the town, when the police found out one of the members of the Kelly gang was shot and killed by the law, the gun he was using was taken by Clyde’s fostered grandfather who then pasted it down to Clyde which Clyde would have in his possession until his death.
Clyde would then go on to join the Australian army in 1915 when he was 18. He was dispatched into the Australian light horse men. The first place he was sent to was Egypt (Cairo). The next place he went was in Belgium then to France where he wrote this letter to his mother. This letter was titled “A Soldier’s Letter”. Driver Clyde M Tuchin from base hospital somewhere in France dated 31st of July, “I have been sent to Base Hospital for a week. I had been in action for about two months in Belgium relieving the Tommies where there was all the open fighting and was then shifted to another front farther south line above the Somme. I was like many others suffering from shell shock and fits, and was sent against my will to hospital, but I was alright again and will be going back soon to the front line. A lot of people in the people suffered from shell shock, but I had it not as bad as others. I hope to strike news of Norman Elliot in the camp I am in now. I saw two Jerilderie boys, knew them by their hat brands one was R. McLachlan from Coree. The other was Jack Taylor with one stripe up. McLachlan has left for line today. Jack Taylor said he has not come across many of our boys over here. Jack looks well, he said he was to receive some parcels and papers,but they had not yet come to hand yet. In miss Ruby’s letter she asked me if I wanted anymore socks. Tell her not to send any parcels now because I am on the move so much, I don’t think I would get them; besides we have to leave all our clothes once we get near firing line and can only bring our shaving kits and a pair of socks in our overcoat pocket. It seems a pity to have to throw away good shirts, &, and in a couple of weeks I might want them. I hope you received the field service cards I sent you as often as I could. Those are all we can get when in the line. They save time and let the friends at home know we are well. I see there have been many comings over Jerilderie. Is Morris Fergusson at home yet, or is he still over here? Have not seen Rupert yet, but I suppose I shall not now as I heard in an office in Egypt. There is some talk here of the Australians going back to Egypt for the winter, I hope the war won’t last for long. Our artillery is doing great here we have a few gas attacks now and then, and if you get a sniff of it, you feel it for a time. Sometimes when asleep we hear the gas alarms, we jump up, don our helmets, &e., and stand by our horses till it goes away, then back to bed. The next morning, we find the horses’ eyes more or less, swollen and all the links of our harness quite black. But after all, the Huns gas is not so strong as ours, which we give them back. But I suppose I must not tell too much, or the letter will be blocked from going out. I got all your letters O.K. and shall answer them all before I leave the base. Always anxious to hear from Jerilderie. Jack Taylor was telling me that Rupe Hanna got married before he enlisted, and now I suppose on his way over here. Hope to see him, and further hope that he may safely return to the arms of his loving spouse after the war is over. Remember me to all friends.” That was letter he wrote to his mother. When Clyde returned home from WW1,he was awarded the victory medal, British war medal and 1914-15 star before they changed the qualifications. A few years later he got married to his wife Sarah Isabell Tuchin (Goldspink). He later had his son Clyde James Tuchin he was born on the 9th of March 1926. Sarah and Clyde also found a baby outside of an old house one day when driving past in their horse and buggy, so they adopted it for a brief while until they found the mother. Sarah’s nephew was also “adopted” by Clyde and Sarah. Somewhere in between Clyde getting back from the 1st world and 1939 he suffered an injury in a motorbike accident breaking the inside of his right leg. In 1939 at the start of WW2 Clyde joined the army but because of his leg injury he could not go to fight in Africa, Europe or the Pacific so he was posted at the barracks.
Then in 1940 this photo of Clyde and Sarah was taken;it was taken by their son Clyde 14 at the time. Clyde James Tuchin joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1944 where he was then sent to Papua New Guinea. Upon his return to Australia in 1946 he was awarded 3 medals Pacific star, War medal and Australian service 1939-45 medal. in 1947-50 Mary Hunt and Clyde James Tuchin got married.

In 1951 on the 1st of April Clyde’s 1st grandson was born his name is Wayne Clyde Tuchin. Then in 1952 Clyde’s 2nd grandson and 1st granddaughter on the 19th of August Graeme and Lyn Tuchin were born. In 1955 Clyde’s 2nd granddaughter Karen Tuchin was born. In 1957 Clyde’s 3rd grandson was born. In 1964 his 4th grandson Warren (also known as Mick) Tuchin was born. Sadly, Sarah passed away on the 6th of May 1962. She was cremated and put into Rookwood Cemetery. In 1975 Clyde’s 1st great grandson was born to Wayne and Christine Tuchin. Clyde then sadly passed away on 2nd of October 1979. After his death police took the gun that his adopted grandfather gave him. In the next week after his death his house was broken into, and his medals were stolen. A story from my Grandfather Wayne Tuchin says, “after the medals were stolen, I went in and grabbed a small box of things and later that week I wanted to go get something else but when I got there, there was basically nothing left, everyone had taken something”.  The creepiest thing about Clyde before he passed away was that when he first injured his leg a doctor stopped it from being amputated by putting metal rods in his leg to hold it together, near the end of his life he was looking to get it removed when he went to the hospital the same doctor came into the room and said “ I remember that last name and that leg”.