Irwin (Mick) BUNYAN

BUNYAN, Irwin

Service Number: 4673
Enlisted: 31 January 1916
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 19th Infantry Battalion
Born: Penrith, New South Wales, Australia, 22 June 1889
Home Town: Emu Plains, Penrith Municipality, New South Wales
Schooling: Emu Plains Public School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Died of wounds, France, 11 May 1917, aged 27 years
Cemetery: Boulogne Eastern Cemetery
Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Boulogne, Nord Pas de Calais, France
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Emu Plains Public School Honour Board WW1, Emu Plains War Memorial
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World War 1 Service

31 Jan 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4673, 19th Infantry Battalion
13 Apr 1916: Involvement Private, 4673, 19th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: ''
13 Apr 1916: Embarked Private, 4673, 19th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Sydney

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Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

Irwin Bunyan was born at Emu Plains, the son of William and Sarah Ann (nee Poll) Bunyan and was known as "Mick."  He attended the Emu Plains Public School.  After leaving school, Irwin worked as a labourer. Prior to enlisting in the AIF, Irwin had been a member of the Light Horse unit at Penrith. Irwin’s brother, Edward enlisted at the same time and the pair had consecutive regimental numbers in the 19th Battalion.

On 3 May 1917, Irwin Bunyan suffered a gun shot wound to the chest during a charge at Bullecourt. He laid in a shell-hole for three days and sustained two  further shrapnel wounds.  He was eventually picked up and sent to No 3 Australian Casualty Clearing Station before being taken by Ambulance train to the 3rd Canadian Stationary Hospital at Boulogne on 10 May.  Although Irwin underwent surgery on admission, he died from his wounds at 7.55 pm on 11 May 1917.

His younger brother, 4672 Pte. Edward Bunyan 19th Battalion was killed in action near Ypres on 8 October 1917.

During November 1917, The Nepean Times of Penrith NSW published the following lines forwarded by the parents of the Bunyan brothers in connection with their two sons' deaths:

"Two brothers from our sunny shore -

Two brothers, young and brave -

Sailed to the stormy seat of war,

And one the other went before

To fill a hero's grave

Then the other, loyal and true

Cried out, 'Come clasp my hand,

I cannot return without you

To our sunny southern land’;

So he too, paid the hero's debt,

And so his valiant brother met

In God's Immortal Band."

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