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He was 25 and the son of Mrs. Ellen Kinchington, of 40, Junction Rd., Summer Hill, Sydney.

His name is recorded variously as:
George Emmett Conmee
George Emmett Kinchington
Robert Emmett Kinchington
Robert Emmett Newton Kinchington

1892 Ju; 14. Born as Conmee. Longreach QLD Son of Patrick Joseph Conmee and Norah Ellen (Nellie) Scanlan. His father died in 1906 and his mother re-married, Thomas Henry Kinchington (there were at least 7 other siblings)

1916 Jun 6. Enlisted Sydney. Next of kin is his mother Nellie Kinchington.

2875 (later 2875A) Private Robert Emmett Kinchington, 1st Pioneer (later 3rd) Battalion of Waverly, NSW. An engineer prior to enlisting, he embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Borda (A30) on 17 October 1916.

1919 Feb 5. ‘D' Company, 3rd Battalion Australian Infantry, Australian Imperial Force, died of Septic Pneumonia at the International Hotel, Killarney, County Kerry while on leave 21 Jan 1919 to UK from 1st Australian Divisional Signal Company in France aged 26. 5 other Australian Soldiers who happened to be on leave in Killarney and heard about his death attended the burial.

He was one of 5 brothers who served during the war. He was the brother of 2707A "Jack" Private Thomas John Kinchington,* who was killed in action at Polygon Wood, Belgium on 26 September 1917, Lieutenant Patrick Kinchington, MM, 6823 Private Vincent Kinchington and 986 Corporal James Timothy Conmee, MM.


* He was born Thomas Conmee 1890 Barcaldine, Queensland (Qld Birth Reg #C271), (aka Jack Thomas Neugent); son of Patrick Joseph and Norah (known as Nellie) Mary Cecilia (nee Scanlan) Conmee.
A steward prior to enlisting on 28 August 1916, he embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT "Ceramic" (A40) on 7 October 1916. He was killed in action at Polygon Wood, Belgium, apparently aged 24 years, but according to his birth year he would have been 27 years when he died.

His brother Thomas John Kinchington also fell.

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland 

Died on this date – 5th February…… Robert Emmett Conmee (Kinchington) was born at Arabac, Longreach, Queensland on 14th July, 1892. He was one of eight children born to Patrick & Nellie Conmee.

In 1894, Nellie Conmee left her husband & lived with Louis Halberstater, a butcher, for 18 months.
From Morning Bulletin Newspaper, Rockhampton, Queensland – 18 December, 1895:

Patrick Conmee was charged, on the information of his wife, with having deserted his child Patrick Diaungal Conmee, aged eight years…. the evidence of the complainant showed that the parties were married in June, 1886, and four children were born of the marriage, the oldest being eight years of age and that since the 1st of July the defendant (who is working at the boiling-down or wool scoring works at Barcaldine and is supposed to be receiving £2 or £ 5s. a week) has not contributed anything towards their support. The Bench made an order for the payment of 8s. a week – the sum asked for by the complainant – for twelve months towards the support of the eldest child and called on the defendant to find a surety for the sum of £20. An order was also issued for the first payment to be made on the 1st of January next, and costs of Court amounting to 4s. 6d., and professional costs amounting to £2 2s. were given.

Newspaper report – The Western Champion and General Advertiser for the Central-Western Districts, Barcaldine, Queensland – 14th January, 1896:
Attempted Suicide at Mount Morgan
An extremely sad case of attempted suicide occupied the attention of the Police Magistrate at Mount Morgan (says the Argus), the victim being Frances Ellen Conmee, a married woman with several children. About a fortnight ago Mrs. Conmee sued her husband - who is said to be a clerk at Barcaldine - for the maintenance of herself and family, and in the absence of defendant a verdict was given against him. This had apparently not been in any way met, and the unfortunate woman being at her wit's end as to how to support her family attempted suicide…… She was committed for sentence at the next sittings of the District Court, to be held in Rockhampton on February 18. Bail was allowed, herself in £20, two sureties of £10 each, or one of £20, and this was subsequently procured. At a later stage the defendant's four children, Patrick aged eight, James Timothy aged seven, Thomas aged five, and Robert, aged 3, were charged with being neglected children. They had, it appeared, been arrested for their own protection, the father's whereabouts being unknown and the mother unfit to take charge of them. The Police Magistrate ordered the children to be received in the Meteor Park Orphanage, Stanwell.

Ellen Conmee, mother of Robert Conmee, married Thomas Henry Kinchington in Goulburn, NSW in 1906.
Patrick Conmee, father of Robert Conmee died on 16th April, 1908 in Cloncurry District Hospital. He was buried in Cloncurry Cemetery.

Robert Emmett Conmee, now known as Robert Emmett Kinchington, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) under the name of “George Emmett Kinchington” He stated he was a 24 year old, single, Engineer from 16 Waverley St, Waverley, Sydney, NSW.

Private “George” Emmett Kinchington, Service Number 2875 (later changed to 2875B), embarked from Sydney, NSW on HMAT Borda (A30) on 17th October, 1916 with the 1st Pioneer Battalion, 6th Reinforcements & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 9th January, 1917.

He was sent sick to Parkhouse Hospital from No. 3 Camp, Details, Parkhouse, Wiltshire on 18th February, 1917 & was under observation for mumps. He was marched out from Hospital to No. 3 Camp Details at Parkhouse on 22nd February, 1917 having not contracted mumps.

On 2nd March, 1917 Private Kinchington was marched in to Pioneer Training Battalion at Larkhill, Wiltshire. He proceeded overseas to France from Pioneers Training Battalion, Larkhill via Folkestone on 25th April, 1917. He was marched in to 1st Divisional Base at Etaples, France on 26th April, 1917 & on 13th May, 1917 he proceeded from Divisional Base to join his Unit. Private Kinchington was taken on strength of 1st Australian Pioneer Battalion from 6th Reinforcements on 16th May, 1917.

Private “George” Kinchington was transferred from 1st Australian Pioneer Battalion to 3rd Australian Infantry Battalion on 11th September, 1917.

On 18th December, 1917 he was discharged for duty with 1st Australian Divisional Signalling Company & re-joined his Battalion on 1st February, 1918.
He was on leave to UK from 7th February, 1918 & re-joined his Battalion on 24th February, 1918.
Private “George” Kinchington was sent to 1st Australian Divisional Signalling Class on 24th June, 1918 & re-joined his Battalion on 21st July, 1918.
By sworn declaration on 29th September, 1918, Robert Emmett Kinchington declared that he had enlisted under the name of "George Emmet Kinchington" which he declared to now be incorrect. His records were altered to show his real name of Private Robert Emmett Kinchington. A letter, dated 23rd May, 1918, signed by Ellen Kinchington, mother of Robert Emmett Kinchington, set out a similar declaration – that her son had enlisted under the name of George Emmet Kinchington but his true name was Robert Emmett Kinchington.

Private Robert Emmett Kinchington was on leave to UK from 3rd Battalion from 21st January, 1919.
Private Robert Emmett Kinchington died about 4.30 am on 5th February, 1919 at the International Hotel, Killarney, Ireland from Septic Pneumonia.
He is buried in Killarney New Cemetery, Killarney, County Kerry, Republic of Ireland – R.C. ground, North-east part.

Private Robert Kinchington was one of 5 brothers who served during the war.

One brother • Private Thomas John Kinchington was killed in action on 26 September, 1917.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/killarney.html

Surname was originally CONMEE

Embarkation Roll (www.awm.gov.au) mistakenly lists Christian name as George

"...2875 (later 2875A) Private Robert Emmett Kinchington, 1st Pioneer (later 3rd) Battalion of Waverly, NSW. An engineer prior to enlisting, he embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Borda (A30) on 17 October 1916. He died from influenza on 6 February 1919 in Killarney, Ireland, aged 25. He is buried in Killarney New Cemetery, Republic of Ireland. Pte Robert Kinchinton was one of 5 brothers who served during the war. He is the brother of 2707A Pte Jack Thomas Kinchington, who was killed in action at Polygon Wood, Belgium on 26 September 1917, Lieutenant Patrick Kinchington, MM, 6823 Pte Vincent Kinchington and 986 Corporal James Timothy Conmee, MM." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

Robert Emmett KINCHINGTON, (Service Number 2875B) was born on 10th July 1892 at Arabac, near Longreach, Queensland. He first worked for the NSW Tramways as a cleaner of trams at the Rushcutters Bay Electric Tram Depot from 16th May 1910. On 7th January 1912 he resigned. Kinchington applied for re-employment and in April it was decided that he could come back when a suitable vacancy occurred.

That opportunity came in May when he was employed as a shop boy at Eveleigh Locomotive Depot. On 10th July 1913, his 21st birthday the job was changed to boilermakers’ helper. In November 1915 Kinchington, in the same role, transferred to Harden. It was from this job that he was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces on 27th June 1916.

He enlisted at Sydney on the same day and was allotted to the 1st Battalion Pioneers. His mother, Nellie, was named as his next of kin.  All of his Attestation Papers are signed George Emmett Kinchington, though this would later be changed to his true name Robert Emmett Kinchington.

He left Australia from Sydney aboard HMAT ‘Borda’ on 17th October 1916 and reached Plymouth (England) on 9th January 1917. In February he was hospitalised with mumps, and it was April before he could proceed overseas to France via the Pioneer Training Battalion and May before he was taken on the strength of the 1st Pioneer Battalion. In September he transferred to the 3rd Australian Infantry Battalion. In December 1917, he was detached for duty with the 1st Australian Division Signalling Company. In February he had leave in England and in July further detachment to the Signalling Company

In September his use of a false name at his enlistment was resolved by a statutory declaration that his true name was Robert Emmett Kinchington. He survived the war and in January 1919 took leave in the United Kingdom. He travelled to Killarney in Ireland where he died in the International Hotel on 5th February 1919 of septic pneumonia brought on by Influenza. Because of the infectious nature of the illness he was buried within hours, before the military could arrange proper ceremony. His grave is in the New Cemetery, Killarney, Ireland. Three of Robert Kinchington’s brothers were serving with the AIF at the time of his death.

- based on the Australian  War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.