Donald James COCHRANE

Donald James COCHRANE Update Details

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COCHRANE, Donald James

Service Number:	515
Enlisted:	3 September 1915, Adelaide, South Australia
Last Rank:	Sapper
Last Unit:	Mining Corps
Born:	Dundee, Scotland, 30 June 1873
Home Town:	Adelaide, South Australia
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Boilermaker's Labourer
Died:	Natural causes, Adelaide, South Australia, 19 May 1954, aged 80 years
Cemetery:	AIF Cemetery, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia Section: KO, Road: 5, Site No: 52
Memorials:	Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial

World War 1 Service

3 Sep 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Adelaide, South Australia
20 Feb 1916:	Involvement AIF WW1, Sapper, 515, Mining Corps, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: ''
20 Feb 1916:	Involvement AIF WW1, Sapper, 515, Mining Corps, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: ''
20 Feb 1916:	Embarked AIF WW1, Sapper, 515, Mining Corps, HMAT Ulysses, Sydney
20 Feb 1916:	Embarked AIF WW1, Sapper, 515, Mining Corps, HMAT Ulysses, Sydney
Date unknown:	Wounded 515

Help us honour Donald James Cochrane's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Caleb Nietschke

Donald James Cochrane was born on the 30th of June 1873 in Dundee Scotland. He was the first born child in his family, son of Mrs. Agnes Downie Cochrane. Donald was later accompanied by his three brothers, Andrew Downie Cochrane (Born on the 24th of June 1875), Reginald Downie Cochrane (Born on the 21st of August 1883), and Herbert Cochrane (Born on the 5th of August 1890) all of whom served in the war. Before the war Donald studied at Port Adelaide and Grote Street, Adelaide, Public Schools, South Australia and later worked as a boilermaker’s labourer.

On the 3rd of September 1915 Donald enlisted in Adelaide, South Australia. Five months later at the age of 42 on the 20th of February 1916 Donald embarked from Sydney, New South Wales aboard the HMAT A38 Ulyess to serve on the Western Front as a sapper in the No 2 Mining Corps later to be transferred to the 2nd Tunneling unit. Whilst serving on the Western front Donald was taken prisoner of war in Nieuport, Belgium on the 10th of July 1917 and was interned in Limburg. Donald was later transferred to three different POW camps, firstly he was transferred to Dulmen from Limburg on the 11th of September 1917. He stayed in Dulmen for a little over a month and was transferred to Hamelburg on the 19th of October 1917 where he stayed until the 24th of November 1917. The date of Donald’s release is still unknown however it is known that Donald embarked from London on the 31st of March 1919 and disembarked in Adelaide on the 9th of May 1919.

For his efforts in the war Donald received both the British War Medal and Victory Medal. On the 19th of may 1954 age 80, Donald James Cochrane passed away from natural causes in Adelaide, South Australia, he was later buried at the AIF cemetery, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide and can still be found there in section KO, Road: 5, Site No: 52.

Sources:

http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/sarcib/SRG76_1_3735.pdf

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Gallery151/dist/JGalleryViewer.aspx?B=3264136&S=1&N=16&R=0#/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=3264136&T=P&S=11

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10338396

https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=56490

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