John Maurice Orr COLAHAN

COLAHAN, John Maurice Orr

Service Number: 4516
Enlisted: 9 March 1916
Last Rank: Gunner
Last Unit: 5th Field Artillery Brigade
Born: South Africa, 1894
Home Town: St Kilda, Port Phillip, Victoria
Schooling: Christian Brothers Windsor, Melbourne University
Occupation: Law Student
Died: Killed in Action, Belgium, 14 October 1917
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, East St. Kilda St Mary's Catholic Church Memorial Window, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient)
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World War 1 Service

9 Mar 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4516, 29th Infantry Battalion
16 Dec 1916: Involvement Private, 4516, 29th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: ''
16 Dec 1916: Embarked Private, 4516, 29th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Medic, Melbourne
14 Oct 1917: Involvement Gunner, 4516, 5th Field Artillery Brigade , Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4516 awm_unit: 5th Australian Field Artillery Brigade awm_rank: Gunner awm_died_date: 1917-10-14

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Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

Parents: Surgeon-Gen. and Elizabeth Newton Orr COLAHAN, husband of Mrs M. Ede B. Whitehouse (formerly COLAHAN), Telok, Anson, Perak, Federated Malay States

GUNNER JOHN MAURICE ORR
COLAHAN, KILLED IN ACTION.
We record with regret the death of Gunner John M. Orr Colahan, which occurred on active service in France on October 14th. The young soldier was the second son of Surgeon General Colahan, of 'Kangatong,' East St. Kilda, and was educated at the Christian Brothers' College, East St. Kilda, later entering the Melbourne University as a law student. When completing his course, he enlisted in the infantry, and sailed for the front at the beginning of the year. In England he success fully passed through tho officers' school, and transferred to the artillery. On 30th July he was wounded, but after a few weeks' respite he returned to the firing line in France, where he was killed in action at the age of 23 years. Prior to leaving Australia, Gunner Colahan married Miss Mattie Fogarty, whose brother, Lieut. Chris. Fogarty, was also killed in action earlier in the war. 

R.I.P.

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