Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The death in action is announced, at the age of 22, of Lieut. Harold Quinlan, of Adelaide-terrace, Perth. The young officer, who was serving with the Queen's Own Regiment, was a champion allround athlete, and besides being popular was of commanding physique. Another brother, Dr. Gerald Quinlan, is with the Australian forces in Palestine.

The late Lieutenant Harold Quinlan was the son of Mr. T.F. Quinlan, of Avoca, Adelaide Terrace, Perth, and was born in 1895.  His early education was completed at the Christian Brothers' College, Perth, from whence he continued his studies at Trinity College, Dublin.  On the declaration of war he volunteered for active service, and joined the Military Training College at Sandhurst.  He was gazetted as lieutenant in the 4th Hussars in January, 1916, and a once proceeded to join his regiment at the front.  He there took a brave and successful part in the various battles on the Somme, and fell in the victorious charge in the effort to turn the enemy's flank at the attack on Roye on January 26th.  The popularity of Harold Quinlan as a student of the C.B.C. was continued and emphasised as an Officer of the "Queen's Own," and the high estimation of his teachers at college was no less than that of the Colonel of his regiment.

Physically, he was a spledid specimen of the Australian young athlete, being 6ft 2in in height, a good boxer and an accomplished horseman.   His moral character gave occasion to the Archbishop at the Requiuem Mass to mention him as a distinguished member of those loyal and faithful Catholic youths who, giving their lives for God and their country, had, in the words of His Grace, "given a noble example how to live, how to answer when duty called, and how to die."

Writing under date April 4 last to Mr. P. Quinlan, Trinity College, Dublin, concerning the death of his brother, Lieutenant Harold Quinlan, son of Mr. T. F. Quinlan, of Perth Mr. Neville  O. Laing, an officer of the 4th Hussars (England), to which regiment the late Lieutenant Quinlan belonged, says:- "I am very sorry to have to write and tell you that your brother  was killed in the recent fighting. He was with a dismounted party at the time, and it is very largely due to his efforts that the Hun advance at that point was checked. He had been  out several times to bring in wounded men, and was himself finally hit. He was carried into our lines, but on arrival he was found to be dead. However, he died a gallant soldier's  death, and his loss to the regiment will be hard to replace. He was an excellent young officer, and his example was beyond all praise. We have lost heavily in the regiment, having  14 killed and 99 wounded, but what we have done will, I am sure, be always remembered in history; so our sacrifices have not been in vain. Please accept the sincerest  sympathies of all ranks of the regiment."

Ancestry Family Tree

Harold Daniel Quinlan - 1895–1918
Birth 15 AUG 1895 • Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Death 26 MARCH 1918 • K.I.A. nr Roye, France, Lieut. 4th (Queen's Own) Hussars

Son of Timothy Francis QUINLAN and Teresa QUINLAN nee CONNOR