Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Born  13 July 1877 in Penola, South Australia
(SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 185 Page: 446 District: Gre.)

Father Thomas Mahon SHANLEY (a stonemason / builder in Penola, SA)
m.  21/1/1872 Penola, SA 
Mother Jane Mary Ann (nee BRITT)
(b. 1852 Penola - d. 22/4/1896 Port Augusta Cemetery RC sect Block 18 / Grave 8)
living in Penola, South Australia.

Siblings
Brother   William Thomas SHANLEY
              (b. 23/4/1873 in Penola, SA - d. 24/8/1891 Port Augusta 18 years old)
               SA Birth record 1842 - 1906 Book: 120 Page: 455 District: Gre.

Brother   John Mahon SHANLEY
              (b. 21/7/1875 in Kingston, SA - d. 24/11/1948 St Anne's Hospital, Mt Lawley, WA)
               SA Birth record 1842 - 1906 Book: 154 Page: 311 District: Wel.
              last lived at 146 Joel Terrace, Mt Lawley, WA
              buried in:  Karrakatta Cemetery, WA 
                             (Section: Roman Catholic; Section: JC; Grave: 0146)
               - husband of Louie
               - father of Jim, Lorrie (Mrs K Treacy) and Gelta (Mrs J Peterkin)
               - brother-in-law of Kevin and Jack;  Maud Baker; Annie & Gordon Andrews;
                                           Lil and Harry Larkin
               - grandfather of Robert and Ian
               - uncle of Mick and Audrey & baby Marilyn; Coral, Ron and Mary & baby Johnny

Sister      Mary Ellen SHANLEY
               (b. 15/9/1880 in North Adelaide, SA - d.

Sister      Ella Matilda Hall (nee SHANLEY)
               (b. 31/10/1883 in Adelaide, SA - d. 8/11/1949 North Adelaide, SA)
               m. ___ Hall, living at 22 Grattan Street, Adelaide, SA.
               buried in West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, SA.

***1896 issue at Port Augusta between Ella Matilda Shanley & John Andrew Moule ***          

John Andrew MOULE
1st marriage   22/4/1878  St Paul's Church, Adelaide, SA
Jane NETHERCOTT (b. 1855 - d. ____)
Sibling:
Brother:  Alfred Albert Sidney MOULE 
              (b. 22/9/1881 Portland (now Pt Adelaide, SA) - d. ____)

Jane Mary Ann SHANLEY (nee BRITT)
- 2nd marriage:-  to
John Andrew MOULE (b. 1851 in Caistor North Lincolnshire - d. ____)
Siblings:
Brother     Alfred Andrew MOULE  (b. 27/7/1887 Exeter, SA - d. ____)
                m. 14/3/1917  Annie LEE  in  St Patricks Church, Ingham QLD
Sister        Clara Jane MOULE      (b. 12/11/1889 Exeter SA - d. 8/9/1955 Rosewater, SA)
                m. 1912  Christopher Harry TANNER
Brother     Edwin Harold MOULE   (b. 8/5/1893 Davenport (now Wilmington SA - d. ____)

Niece:      Gertrude MOULE  (b. 13/11/1908 in Fullarton, SA - d. ____)
               (daughter to Clara and unnamed father)

Prior to embarking Thomas lived at 108 Stirling Street, Perth, Western Australia.

Described on enlisting as 38 years 1 month old; single; 5' 6" tall; 144 lbs;
sallow complexion; brown eyes; dark hair; Roman Catholic

24/8/1915      Enlisted in Perth, Western Australia

1/9/1915        Private in 27th Depot

1/11/1915      Commanding Officer appointed Thomas to 7th reinforcements, 28th Battalion
                     Blackboy Hill Camp

18/1/1916      Embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia, on board HMAT Medic A7
                     as a Private with 7th Infantry Brigade, 28th Infantry Battalion, 7th reinforcements
16/2/1916      disembarked into Alexandria

On the 10th March 1916, the Australian Army circulated a memorandum (No.32) regarding
the formation of the Cyclist Corp.   The Corp was formed in Egypt and was initially made up
of volunteers in the 1st and 2nd Divisions and in April 1915 the 4th and 5th Divisions were
formed.

14/3/1916      transferred to 2nd Australian Division Cyclists Corp, Suez Canal

19/3/1916      proceeded to join British Expeditionary Forces, ex Alexandria
30/3/1916      disembarked into Marseille, France

The Standard issue cycle was made by BSA (Birmingham Small Arms Company).
The Australian cyclists in Egypt had to persevere with a variety of BSA bicycles ranging from
the Mark 1 to the Mark IV.   It was not until July 1915 that the Mark IV was introduced, fitted
with hand-operated rear brakes, and a freewheeling hub in place of the coaster hub.
Shortly after the Australian cyclists had reached France, this bicycle became the standard
issue to cyclist units.

The Cyclists were also given Lee Enfield SMLE .303 rifles which they normally slung over
their shoulder but bikes were fitted with clips to carry the rifles, as well as straps and clips
for the soldiers personal equipment. The units were also equipped with lightweight machine
guns. The Cyclists arrived in northern France in June 1916 and formed into II Anzac Corp
Cyclists Battalion.

During the war the Cyclist Battalion undertook many tasks including, forming guards to
escort the Corps Commander, traffic direction, frontline fighting, delivery of dispatches and
cable burying. The Cyclists became so proficient at cable burying, they could lay large
distances in a short time and eventually became the supervisors of cabling operations.
They also provided work parties for various other battalions, including the Engineers and
were often attached to other units and battalions.

12/5/1916      taken on strength into 1st ANZAC Cyclists Battalion

9/7/1916        taken on strength of reorganised 1st ANZAC Cyclist Battalion

Commanding Officer of this unusual unit for most of WWI was Victorian Major Jack Hindhaugh.
This battalion had been described as "the wrong unit, in the wrong place, at the wrong time,
trench warfare was not conducive to cycle charges."  Tasks of the unit included 'directing traffic,
unloading traffic, unloading railway wagons, harvesting hops and local families, and burying
the dead'.

20/6/1917      admitted sick to 1st Field Ambulance

28/7/1917      marched out to unit, Rouelles, France
2/8/1917        rejoined 1st ANZAC Cyclist Battalion, France

The 1st ANZAC Cyclists Battalion never served in the front line as a fighting unit, but it was
exposed to regular bombardments by artillery and aircraft.   Cyclist detachments, however,
took part in the last stages of the war, as the German Army retreated from the trench systems
to the Hindenburg Line.

24/11/1917     sick with chronic Bronchitis - France
                      admitted to 7th Australian Field Ambulance, France
15/12/1917     admitted to 10th Australian Field Ambulance, France
21/12/1917     admitted to 11th Field Ambulance, France
28/12/1917     transferred to 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, France
30/12/1917     transferred to 55th General Hospital, Boulogne, France
1/1/1918         embarked on board HS St Denis for England
2/1/1918         admitted 2nd Southern General Hospital, Bristol, England
14/1/1918       transferred to 3rd Auxillary Hospital, Dartford, England
30/1/1918       discharged to No.3 Command Depot, Dartford

5/2/1918         marched in to No.2 Command Depot, Hurdcott, England

12/3/1918       Embarked on board Kenilworth Castle to return to Australia
                      with chronic bronchitis

12/6/1918       discharged from service in AIF

Medals:
British War medal (8853) and Victory medal (8814)

19/4/1926   married   Mary Ellen FOX  (known as "ELLEN") 
                  at St Raphael's Church, Young Street, Parkside, SA
                  (b. 4/4/1888 Kent Town SA - d. 21/9/1978  90 yrs of age)
                   SA Birth record 1842 - 1906 Book: 246 Page: 307 District: Ade.
                   Mary last lived in Kings Park, SA
                  (father Martin FOX and mother Ann Fox (nee HAYES).
                   buried in: West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, SA
                                  Section: Catholic Western Ground; Row #F; Site #71
                   **** buried with Thomas Martin Shanley ****

children  
son         - Raymond Thomas Shanley (b. 11/6/1927 Mile End, SA - d. _____)       
daughter - Ann Patricia Cooper (nee Shanley) - (b. 7/12/1928 Keswick - still alive in 2016)
daughter - Margaret Shanley

Last lived at Cowandilla, South Australia.

14/10/1937    Thomas passed away (60 years old)
                     (SA Death record  Symbol: H; Book: 595; Page: 4215)

buried in:       West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia
                     Section: Catholic Western Ground; Row #F; Site #71

On behalf of Thomas's daughter and a dear friend Mrs Ann Cooper (nee Shanley).

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  6/5/2015.  Lest we forget.