REILLY, Patrick Joseph
| Service Number: | 97 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 1st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bungendore, New South Wales, Australia, 1877 |
| Home Town: | Redfern, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Platelayer |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 97, 1st Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 1914: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 97, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Oct 1914: | Embarked Lance Corporal, 97, 1st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Aubrey Bairstow
Patrick Joseph Reilly was a 37 year old plate layer from Redfern, Sydney, New South Wales when he enlisted in the AIF on 22 August 1914. He stated that he had had 5 years prior service in the Royal Australian Artillery and had served in South Africa , England and Australia.
He was a first day lander at Gallipoli and during the landings on 25 August suffered a gun shot wound to his scalp, necessitating a month in hospital. He was retuned to his unit on 2 June 1916 and was promoted to Sergeant at the end of the month.
On 10-11 August he was wounded on a second occasion, almost certainly in the brutal 3 day battle at Lone Pine. The Battle of Lone Pine took place between August 6 and 10 in 1915 during the eight month Allied Gallipoli Campaign.
In a war characterised by appalling loss of life, personal sacrifice and residual damage, Lone Pine stood out as a benchmark to the veterans who survived it.
Australia suffered 2277 casualties from 6 Battalions, including 80 officers, while storming the stronghold and resisting counter-attacks for 3 days. Seven Victoria Crosses were awarded. Turkey suffered 7,000 casualties. Notorious long before the great battle, the Turks had already named the position 'Bloody Ridge'.
His family were informed that he was seriously wounded and that he had suffered a bomb wound to his eye and that he had also suffered shock. He was hospitalised in England and on 12 December 1915 embarked for Australia. He was found to have suffered a concussion of his spine. He was discharged in August 1916.
Patrick Reilly seems to have died in NSW in 1952.
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