Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Thomas Arthur Donohoe MM – Biography

Thomas Arthur Donohoe, known as Arthur, was a Plate Layer with NSW Railways, joined the Coo-ee March as it paraded through Orange on 15th October 1915, enlisted Auburn 11th November 1915 with other Coo-ees but not placed with them in the unit to which almost all other Coo-ees were posted. Reasons unknown! Member of B Company, 18th Battalion, 5 Brigade, 2nd Division 1st AIF. Born 1896, Edgecliff NSW, son of Irish immigrants, Hugh Donohoe (Co. Cavan) and Mary Gilmartin (Co. Limerick). Arthur d in accident in Hyde Park, corner of Elizabeth Street and William Street, 6th June 1946.....following a brass band. He was never wounded despite the fact that 4,000 men had been killed or wounded while serving in his unit , 185 were killed or wounded just on that day. However, everyone of his unit came out of action after one long battle suffering with "trench foot". This injury occurred when soldiers stood for days in wet trenches. None of them recovered although they did get some relief, enough to survive military operations for the duration of the war.

In due course the top of one foot was amputated. He was invited to attend the Second Anniversary of the D Day Landings Commemorative Service at the Hyde Park Cenotaph on 1st June 1946. He heard the band and feeling that he was running late, rushed towards the Cenotaph. He began to run up a few steps from the street into the park but he had no toes on the foot (lost as his foot later succumbed to the affects of trench foot), as he set it down on first step. His shoe buckled and he fell over hitting his head on the top step. He sustained a fractured skull and died later that day. Incidentally he was wearing his medals and they were not among his possessions at the hospital. His elder brother, Bill Donohoe, visited Darlinghurst Police Station spoke to the attending Policeman, "did him over" and recovered two of the four medals, including the military medal. The other two of his medals were never recovered (already pawned). Family still has those two remaining medals. Arthur was buried with his parents in Waverley Catholic Cemetery.

Arthur was born in the flat above his father’s hansom cab stable in Stanley Street, Sydney, behind the Australian Museum in 1887. His father was Hugh Donohoe a migrant from Derry Cassin, Co. Cavan, Ireland. His mother was Mary Gilmartin from Limerick, Ireland. Most of Mary’s family had perished in the Great Irish Family but Mary, her twin brother Hugh and another brother, Peter, were rescued by an uncle who had in-laws living in Boorowa, New South Wales. Hugh Donohoe migrated to Australia at the same time in 1867 and went to Boorowa in search of gold. Hugh found enough gold to buy a hansom cab business. He met Mary Gilmartin in Boorowa and married her in St Mary’s Cathedral Sydney in 1880 while completing the purchase of his new business.

Mary’s twin brother Hugh took to bushranging. A wanted notice in a Police Gazette dated 1884 is the only reference to Hugh’s crimes that has survived. He should be famous because the NSW Police never caught him. His great grand nephew, Historian, James Hugh Donohoe found him though. Hugh hid out in the Northern Rivers town of Kyogle under the alias Hugh Donovan where he married, raised a family and remained for the rest of his life.

Arthur as he was called, was playing marbles in the hall of the flat in 1895 when his father suddenly walked into the hallway, trod on a marble that had just been tossed, slipped, broke his leg and died from Pneumonia a week later. The accident destroyed the family. His 14 year old elder brother Bill had to leave school to operate the business. Bill and his sister Ellen (Nell) were married by 1906 and Arthur had also left home to work with the NSW Railways as a plate-layer (places rails on sleepers).
Arthur was a juvenile delinquent and recalled as “big kid” even into adult life. It is held that Arthur was the Shamus Doherty of his unit’s platoon commander, Joseph Maxwell VC Memoires “Hells, Belle’s and Mademoiselles”. The name “Shamus Doherty” as used in Maxwell’s book did not belong to any first AIF enlisted person but the description of Doherty fits him. Arthur was awarded the Military Medal for and action at Rainecourt, East of Amiens on 9th August 1918.

James Hugh Donohoe BA Dip FHS CMC JP 30.12.2014
(Grand Nephew, grandson of his brother William Donohoe)

Australian War Memorial Records, Thomas Arthur Donohoe’s MM Gazettal

'These men [6929 P.J. Gwynne, 4282 A. McGuirk, and 4603 T.A. Donohoe] were three of a party of 1 N.C.O. and 5 men who attacked and captured, without artillery support, a very strong position on the flank of the battalion during the advance on RAINECOURT, east of AMIENS, on 9th August 1918. The position was very strongly protected by earthworks and wire and 3 machine guns and an anti-tank gun were firing from it in direct enfilade. No other troops were within 300 yards of this small party but they advanced without hesitation. They got within bombing range and then rushed the position. Two machine guns, one Lewis gun, the anti-tank gun and a garrison of 1 Officer, 4 N.C.O.s and 25 men captured by them.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 109
Date: 15 September 1919


An extract from "The Official History of Australian Army in the War 1914-1918" by C.E.W. Bean reads;

"On the left among the big German dumps at the Roman road, Sergt. Luck of the 18th96 saw a post firing on the tanks with a trench-mortar. With five men he crept behind it, threw a few bombs, and captured an officer and 21 other Germans and three machine-guns.97
"In the advance on the 9th August 1918, towards RAINECOURT, east of AMIENS, the troops on the left of this Unit did not advance as expected. Sergeant LUCK was on the left flank of the Battalion and had no protection from fire from the area on his left and left rear. An enemy strong post was seen about 80 yards from the main road, the left boundary of the advance. Three machine guns were firing from it, and also an anti-tank gun, while the post itself was well protected by earthworks and a strong belt of wire.
Sergeant LUCK and 5 men were detached by 300 yards from all other troops and found themselves close to the strong post. Without hesitation Sergeant LUCK led his small party towards it. They crawled within bombing range and then rushed the post capturing the entire garrison. On capture it was found to be held by 1 Officer, 4 N.C.Os and 25 men with anti-tank gun, 2 heavy machine guns and a Lewis gun.
The post had been enfilading the whole Battalion in advance and had already caused casualties while the tank gun was engaging the co-operating tanks. During the whole advance and subsequent consolidation, Sergeant LUCK displayed great courage and skill and set a splendid example to his company."
Note: A copy of the original recommendation is in Joseph's Military Documents.