CHERRY, Loyal George
| Service Number: | 803 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 23 August 1914, Randwick |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, December 1894 |
| Home Town: | Hillgrove, Armidale Dumaresq, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Carpenter |
| Died: | Motor Cycle Accident, Wellington, South Australia, Australia, 3 October 1919 |
| Cemetery: |
North Road Cemetery, Nailsworth, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Armidale Memorial Fountain |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 803, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Randwick | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 803, 2nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Suffolk embarkation_ship_number: A23 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 803, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Suffolk, Sydney | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 803, 2nd Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, Bullet wound right thigh | |
| 28 Nov 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 15 Feb 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 2nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 22 Jul 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Corporal, 803, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , Shell Shock | |
| 26 Oct 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 28 May 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 2nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 1 Jun 1917: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches | |
| 11 Oct 1917: | Honoured Military Medal, 'At HERMIES on 9th April 1917 for gallantry in action. Throughout the operation he showed great courage and set a fine example of devotion to duty to his men. When the right Company was held up, he rendered valuable assistance by attacking the enemy's flank. Whilst the work of consolidation was in progress he proved a tower of strength to his Platoon Commander.' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 174 Date: 11 October 1917 | |
| 25 Nov 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 2nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 27 Aug 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Gassed (slight) | |
| 20 Feb 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 2nd Infantry Battalion |
LOYAL GEORGE CHERRY
From North Road Cemetery
TRAGIC DEATHS : LOYAL GEORGE CHERRY
In the early 20th century, records were constantly being set, broken and reset both by air and road.
In 1919, the Dunlop Company offered a 20 Guinea prize for the first man to complete the journey between Adelaide and Melbourne in less than 20 hours on a motor cycle, or motor cycle with sidecar.
Lieut. Loyal Cherry, well known for his willingness to accept a contest and take risks, took up the challenge. He enlisted his army friend, Donald Cunningham, to accompany him on the trip, and they set off on 3rd October at 2am from the Adelaide G.P.O. Lieut. Cherry was the driver, with Cunningham in the sidecar. They made good time, and arrived at Wellington at 4am where by pre-arrangement the ferrymen were awaiting their arrival to take them across the Murray River.
After crossing the river, the ferrymen watched as the motorcycle lights disappeared around a bend in the road, then the sound of the engine suddenly ceased. The ferrymen rushed to the scene of the accident, and found the motorcycle upright, and the two men thrown clear. Lieutenant Cherry had severe injuries and appeared to be dead. Mr. Cunningham was also badly injured, unconscious, but alive.
The postmaster at Wellington was awoken to contact the nearest doctor, Dr. K. Steele, at Murray Bridge.
On his arrival, Dr. Steele declared Lieut. Cherry dead, and transported the still unconscious Donald Cunningham to the Tailem Bend Hospital, where he eventually made a full recovery.
The cause of the accident was difficult to establish, there being no evidence of a collision. It had turned over several times and came to rest about 20 metres from where the first point of impact had been made with the road. It was concluded that a sidecar spring broke and dug into the road as the motorcycle rounded the corner, working as a pivot and causing the machine to turn over several times. The motorcycle was found upright, although bent out of shape.
Lieut. Cherry had already twice successfully made the overland trip with this particular motorcycle, and despite attempts to dissuade him from using it again, he was confident its condition was up to making the trip. He had spent some time ensuring the motorcycle was in good condition before leaving.
Loyal Cherry was born in Ballarat, Victoria, the son of Charles Edward Cherry. He enlisted in the A.I.F. in Randwick, NSW on October 18, 1914. With the 2nd Battalion, he fought and was injured in the Dardanelles, for which he later received the Military Medal.
Lieut. Cherry was 24 years of age, had survived wounds received on active service in WW1, only to have his life cut short by a sporting challenge.
He was buried on 4th October 1919 in Plot 4434, Path 31 North.
Submitted 18 May 2019 by Evan Evans
Biography contributed by Sharyn Roberts
OVERLAND CYCLIST KILLED A SAD TRAGEDY.
HIS COMPANION HURT.
There has been a tragic ending to an attempt to break the motor cycle record between Adelaide and Melbourne, as a result of which Lieutenant L. G. Cherry lost his life and Mr. D. Cunningham was badly injured.
The two men left Adelaide at 2 a.m. on Friday on a motor cycle with sidecar attached, their object being to establish a record between Adelaide and Melbourne. Lieutenant Cherry, was the driver and Mr.
Cunningham the passenger. The motorists made good time and reached Wellington soon after 4 a.m. Special arrangements had been made with the ferry-men at Wellington (Messrs. H. Stacey and
Bruce) to take the motorists across the river, and the ferrymen were on the look-out for the travellers. The lights of the machine were seen approaching the ferry at a great pace. The men and their outfit were taken across in the punt and resumed their journey. Suddenly the noise of the motor was no longer heard. The watchers, fearing
an accident, ran to the spot, where they found Lieutenant Cherry fearfully smashed up and apparently quite dead. Mr. Cunningham was breathing, but unconscious, and evidently a good deal hurt. Help was summoned and the unfortunate victims removed to Tailem
Bend.
Although it is impossible to say what caused the accident, the assumption is that a spring broke when the motorists were turning a corner, and that some portion of the machine struck the metalled
road with great force. The vehicle turned over several times, finally coming to a stop about a chain from where the accident happened. A small watch picked up soon after the smash had stopped at 4.15.
Lieutenant Loyal George Cherry was about 24 years of age and was a Military Medallist. His father is now proprietor of the Gretna Hotel at Taihape, New Zealand. Lieutenant Cherry, who was an Australian, enlisted in New South Wales on October 18, 1914, and went to the front as a private in the 2nd Battalion. He was a fine soldier and steadily won promotion.
He was also a good all-round athlete who had shown considerable ability as a boxer, high jumper, and footballer. Lieutenant Cherry came overland by motor cycle from New South Wales a few months ago to stay with his uncle, Mr. John Cherry, of Oxford-terace, New Parkside. Soon after his arrival he took part in hill-climbing
competitions and astounded many speed enthusiasts by the performance which won him the gold medal presented by the
Motor Cycle Touring and Social Club. By some of his friends he was described as a man with "absolutely no nerves" and was looked upon as rather inclined to be too daring. There was no question, however,
that he was an exceedingly skilful rider.
Mr. Donald Cunningham was in the employ of Cornell, Limited, prior to leaving for the war. He returned from abroad by the Ceramic only about a week ago, and had been living with relatives at Queen-
street, Norwood. While at the front he was a member of the motor transport section.
A Private Venture
Although some members of the staff of Cornell Limited saw the pair off when they left the G.P.O. at 2 a.m., Mr L. R. Hill, general manager of the firm, stated that Lieutenant Cherry undertook the venture entirely on his own initiative and on his own responsibility. The firm had no part in the arrangements. Cherry had for a long time been anxious to establish a speed record between Adelaide and Melbourne, but men of experience had tried to dissuade him from making the attempt with an outfit that they did not regard as sufficiently up-to-date. It was the same as that with which he had already made the overland journey twice, and it had had a good deal of buffeting. It was known that Lieutenant Cherry took great care to
see it was in order before leaving. There was, in fact, a supposition that overcare-fulness in tightening the bolts connecting the springs of the sidecar caused a rigidity that proved fatal under the effect of road shocks.
Lieutenant Cherry is understood to have been anxious to win the 20 guinea trophy offered by the Dunlop Company to the first man who completed the journey between Melbourne and Adelaide by motor cycle or with motor cycle and sidecar in less than 20 hours. A remark he made a few minutes before starting was "I am going to do it." The post office clock then struck 2 and he went off at a high speed.
Particulars of the accident ascertained by friends of Mr Cunningham showed that the travellers made good time and that all went well with them until they reached the Wellington punt. The punt men were waiting and got them across, then started them off on the other side of the river. As the Wellington men took a lot of interest in the journey of the two ex-soldiers they stood listening for them
to pass out of hearing, but when the machine was getting round a bend there was an ominous cessation in the sound of the engine.
The punt staff hurried to the spot and found that the accident had occurred. The sidecar spring had broken and dug itself into the ground. Thus it acted in the nature of a pivot, and the machine turned completely over. Lieutenant Cherry was thrown on his face
and it was thought that the base of his skull was fractured. The sidecar passenger was unconscious. The machine was found on its wheels although slightly at an angle. Mr W. Slater, the local postmaster, was called and he immediately got into communication with the nearest available medical man, Dr. K. N. Steele of
Murray Bridge. When the doctor reached Wellington he found that Lieutenant Cherry had been dead for some time.
Mr. Cunningham had suffered severely from shock and was still unconscious, but there is every reason to believe that he will recover.
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