Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The Cavanagh family arrived in Wooroolin in Sep 1919 when Alick & his sister Mary were registered at Wooroolin State School. The family farm was portion no 148v which I knew as the Weber farm between Wellers & Wood Rd not far outside Wooroolin. Their parents being Bernard & Mary Cavanagh. Their cousins, the children of John Cavanagh had arrived at Wooroolin by 1912 and lived on a farm near the Wooroolin Quarry
The Cavanagh family were very involved in Wooroolin Football and several photos of them from 1918 to 1930’s have been previously posted in the Kinga-all group.
Martin Alexander Cavanagh, known as Alick, was born 19 Jun 1913 in Kempsey, NSW. Alick was registered at Wooroolin School in Sep 1919. When he finished school at 14 years old, he worked as a farm labourer then a mechanic for L Stumer at Wooroolin. In 1939 he was living in Brisbane when he applied to join the Australian Airforce, He was accepted and on 27 Nov 1939 started his service at Richmond Airforce Base, NSW. His enrolment application states: “Have been a motor mechanic for 3 years. I have driven cars and tractors since I was 14 years old. “
Alick served as a Flight Engineer. Thanks to Hans Hayden we learnt that the 2a referred to in Alicks Airforce records indicates that Alick was an Airframe Fitter. He served at many Airforce bases within Australia and also in New Guinea. He was promoted to Corporal in 1943. Alick was discharged on 29 Nov 1944 and returned to Wooroolin with his wife. He married Beryl O’Gorman, a Wooroolin girl, on 12 Jan 1942. Her family farmed Por 164v across the road from the Cavanagh farm and owned by Jimmy Eckart in my day. Des Cummings still has a cut down bayonet with the Air Force wings embedded in either side of the handle in red in a leather sheath given to him by Alick possibly when he was discharged. However the sharp point on the knife was broken off before it was given to him possibly at his Mum’s insistence or in the interests of third party safety.
By 1958 Alick was living in Murgon and working as a painter. He then moved to Brisbane and was a Railway Linesman. Alick & Beryll retired to Caboolture abt 1980. He died in Feb 2000, aged 86 years, and is probably buried at Caboolture Cemetery. His wife, Beryll, died in 1980.
Theodore James Cavanagh, known as Theo, was born 14 Jun 1917 at Port Macquarie, NSW. Theo was registered at Wooroolin School on 28 Jan 1924 and he is included in the 1926 school photo on page 14 of the book “From Federation to Future”. It seems Theo continued the sport of football as there is a 1938 article in the Maryborough chronicle when he was chosen to play in the “Combined” team against Cherbourg in Floodlight Football along with fellow Wooroolin player Basil O’Gorman.
Theo enlisted in the Australian Army on 10 Jun 1940 at Kelvin Grove and was discharged 3 months later. His Army records are not available on the NAA website so the reason for discharge is unknown but I agree with Hans Hayden that his greatest contribution to Australia's war effort would have been to return to his farm & to grow crops that might feed our soldiers, our Nation & help feed the blockaded British Isles, which Australia did to great effect.
Theo married Grace Irwin, a Kingaroy lass, on 4 Dec 1945 and they took over the Cavanagh farm. Des Cummings remembers Theo and Grace going to the Wooroolin Dances – great memories for many of us (mine in the 1960’s though) and that Theo’s parents moved to Andrew St near the Cummings home. Theo and Grace retired to the Sunshine Coast area about 1977. Theo died in 1994 and is buried at Taabinga Cemetery. His wife joined him 5 years later.
Lest we forget