DURKAN, Martin James
| Service Number: | 4124 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 September 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 26th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Killasser, County Mayo, Ireland, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Lismore, Lismore Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Cane Cutter |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 9 October 1917, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL Panel 7 - 17 - 23 - 25 - 27 - 29 - 31., Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ireland Castlebar Mayo Peace Park Australian War Memorial, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient) |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 26th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 4124, 26th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Commonwealth embarkation_ship_number: A73 public_note: '' | |
| 28 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 4124, 26th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Commonwealth, Brisbane |
Help us honour Martin James Durkan's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Martin James Joseph Durkan, also known as Martin Joseph Durkan. [He hailed from the Swinford area of County Mayo and on the Castlebar, Mayo Peace Park War Memorial his surname is spelled Durkin.] - Courtersy of Geoffrey Gillon
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
26th Battalion, 10th Reinforcement, Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Next of kin-Mother, Mrs Catherine Durkan, Doontas, Kilasser, Swinford, Ireland
Enlistment date-14 September 1915
Place of enlistment-Lismore, New South Wales
AWM Embarkation Roll number-23/43/3
Unit embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A73 Commonwealth on 28 March 1916.
Age at embarkation-30
Military Medal
'Displayed great courage and devotion to duty in collecting wounded in No Man's Land after attack on Maze Trenches.'
Recommendation date: 29 November 1916
'Did exceptionally good work at Flers and afterwards as a stretcher bearer.'
Recommendation date: 1 March 1917
Mention in Despatches
'For exceptionally good work at Flers as a stretcher bearer, when he repeatedly carried wounded from No Man's Land under extremely heavy fire. Also done good work since.'
Awarded, and promulgated, 'London Gazette', second Supplement, No. 30107 (1 June 1917); 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 169 (4 October 1917).
Military Medal
'For great courage and devotion to duty in collecting wounded in No Man's Land and bringing them into our trenches after the attack on the MAZE trenches south of the LE BARQUE on 14th November, 1916. He exposed himself to considerable danger in doing this, but continued to do so in spite of the fact that 3 other stretcher bearers were shot in performing the same task. He was directly the means of saving several lives by rendering early assistance.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 174
Date: 11 October 1917
War service: Western Front
Proceeded overseas to France from 7th Training Bn, England, 25 July 1916; taken on strength, 26th Bn, 8 August 1916.
Admitted to 7th Field Ambulance, 20 August 1916 (not yet diagnosed); returned to unit, 1 September 1916.
Mentioned in Despatches for good services rendered.
On leave, 20 May 1917; rejoined unit from leave, 13 June 1917.
Special mention in Sir Douglas Haig's despatch of 9 April 1917.
Sources
NAA: B2455, DURKAN Martin Joseph
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