Maurice Vincent WHELAN

Service Number:	6625
Enlisted:	4 February 1916, Place of Enlistment, Brisbane, Queensland.
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	42nd Infantry Battalion
Born:	Illowa, Victoria, Australia , 1892
Home Town:	Kilkivan, Gympie Regional Council, Queensland
Schooling:	Illowa State School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation:	Farmer
Died:	Drowned whilst swimming, France, 16 May 1918
Cemetery:	Querrieu British Cemetery, Picardie C 8
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Brisbane 42nd Infantry Battalion AIF Roll of Honour, Kilkivan Shire of Kilkivan Great War Roll of Honor, Kilkivan Sub-Branch Roll of Honour

World War 1 Service

4 Feb 1916:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6625, 42nd Infantry Battalion, Place of Enlistment, Brisbane, Queensland.
21 Oct 1916:	Involvement Private, 6625, 15th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Boonah embarkation_ship_number: A36 public_note: ''
21 Oct 1916:	Embarked Private, 6625, 15th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Boonah, Brisbane
16 May 1918:	Involvement Private, 6625, 42nd Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 6625 awm_unit: 42nd Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-05-16

Maurice Vincent Whelan.

Anzac Square & Memorial
There were many unfortunate ways that people died during WWI. Maurice Vincent Whelan, a farmer, who served with the 42nd Battalion died not on the battlefield but during a bathing parade. A simple accident resulted in his death just mere months before the end of the war. From his service records Maurice's time with the AIF seemed uneventful until tragedy struck on 16 May 1918 when he and other members of the 42nd visited a local pool in France. Sometime during this outing Maurice was found unresponsive in the water and was dragged out by fellow soldiers who performed CPR but were unable to revive him.
A Court of Inquiry found that there was no medical explanation for his death and that he was known to be a strong swimmer. It was concluded that his death was likely due to a cramp or exhaustion. In another sad turn of events his personal effects were lost at sea when the ship they were aboard, the SS Barunga, was sunk after it was hit by a torpedo from a German submarine 150 miles south west of the Scilly Isles.

Virtual
War Memorial
Australia