Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Born 1886 in Yarrawonga, Victoria. 

Maternal Grandfather William Bellingham Cairnes (WBC) 
(b.06/05/1832 Dublin Ireland - d. 19/03/1923 "Burreel" Elsternwick, VIC) and
Grandmother Elizabeth Cairnes (nee Matthews)
(b. 21/061842 Leicestershire, England - d. 16/07/1909 "Cairnesville" Yarrwonga, VIC)
- both buried in the same crypt at Yarrawonga Cemetery, Yarrawonga, VIC.
Grandfather William came from a family based in Northern Ireland, where there was a long
tradition of both military education and participation in the officer class, representing King
and Country (generational). One of his uncles wrote authoritative books on Wellington and
Waterloo.

William's father Montgomery, was  a military man. William also lost  brothers,  and uncles
and cousins to war in the 19th century. So he was well aware of the consequences of war
that ripple through the generations.

Elizabeth's parents:
Mary age 33, with her husband Robert Matthews, age 34 (and daughter Elizabeth Mary, age 12), arrived in Adelaide, South Australia, on 27th October 1854, on the ship Lord Raglan after 99 days at sea, having departed from Plymouth, England.  The family’s arrival in Adelaide, was in the winter of 1854 and they moved to Castlemaine, VIC soon thereafter, at the height of the Victorian Goldrush.

After having 16 children Grandmother Elizabeth Cairnes (nee Matthews) dies in Yarrawonga,
67 years young.

John's Father HARRY ELVINS (b. Truro, SA - d. 1938 East Malvern, VIC)
                    Harry's father James Hawkey Elvins and Mother Frances Elvins (nee Martyn).
1882  married
Mother MARY ELIZABETH ELVINS (nee Cairnes - 2nd child of WBC)
             (b. 1859 Castlemaine, VIC - d. 1942 Greensborough, VIC),
1915 lived at "Meledor" Malcolm St, Mansfield, VIC
1918 lived at 9 Merston St, Caulfield, VIC
1920 lived at "Glen Rae," Balnarring, VIC
1922 lived at 43 Park Crescent, Kew, VIC

John's Siblings (9)
William Leslie ELVINS  b. May 1883 Yarrawonga, VIC - d. 20/01/1952 Carlton, VIC
                    buried in Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton, VIC
   m.  1913 - Florence (Florrie) Cassie Elvins (nee JACK)
                   (b. 01/03/1890 Stawell, VIC - d. 27/04/1954 in Richmond, VIC)
                    buried in Warrigal Cemetery, Heidelberg, VIC
                    lived at lived at Grandview Hotel
         1932    divorced
Nelly ELVINS  b. 1884 Yarrawonga, VIC - d. 1963 Melbourne, VIC
   m.  1914  - Roland Peter BAKER (b. 1878 Castlemaine, VIC - d. 1938 Toorak, VIC 60 years)
Harry Cairnes ELVINS  b. 13/08/1887 Yarrawonga, VIC - d. 1972 Canterbury, VIC
   held a position as "Accountant" - Australian Soldiers Repat Fund (1906 - 1916)
                                                  (Sept. 1916 Prime Minister's Department)
   m.  1914 - Cora Elvins (nee DIMOND - b. 1891 Richmond, VIC - d. __)
Elizabeth Mary ELVINS  b. 1889 Yarrawonga, VIC - d. 1977 Carlton, VIC)
   m.  1919 - John William CARTER
Frances Winifred ELVINS  b. 1889 Yarrawonga, VIC - d. 1981 Templestowe, VIC)
   m.  1917 - Herbert Lyndsay DAWSON (b. 1892 Footscray, VIC - d. 1958 Fitzroy, VIC 66 years)
Madge Marie ELVINSs  b. 1889 Yarrawonga, VIC - d. 1916 Mansfield, VIC)
James Hawkey ELVINS  b. March 1893 Yarrawonga, VIC - d. 20/09/1917 Belgium
Esmee Grace ELVINS  b. 1897 Geelong, VIC - d. 1899 Geelong, VIC - Geelong Eastern Cemetery)
Ruth Una Hazel ELVINS  b.  1900 Geelong, VIC
   m. Kenneth Adelberg GREENWAY

John came from a very long line of military men on his mother's side.

Next of kin in service:
Brothers
5663   Staff Sergeant William Leslie ELVINS - 1st AGH - Dental Corps
           Wife Florence (Florrie) Carrie Elvins (nee Jack)
                   (daughter of Emily Eliza Jack, now John Martyn Elvins wife)
                   lived at Grand View Hotel, Fairfield Park, VIC
           12/07/1915   enlisted in Melbourne, VIC  -  32 years of age
           17/07/1915   embarked Port of Melbourne, VIC onboard HMAT A67 Orsova
                               as a Private with Dental Corps, 1st Australian General Hospital
           17/10/1916    returned to Australia onboard HT Ajana
           08/12/1916    disembarked into Australia 
           04/01/1917    discharged from service (chronic rheumatism & malaria)
           20/01/1952    passed away
           Buried in:       Carlton Cemetery, Carlton,  VIC

2644   Private James Hawkey ELVINS - 7th Infantry Battalion
           08/07/1915  enlisted at Mansfield, VIC
           27/10/1915  embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A38 Ulysses
                              as a Private with 22nd Battalion, 6th Reinforcement
           24/02/1916   taken on strength of 7th Infantry Battalion, Serapeum
           26/03/1916   embarked to join British Expeditionary Forces, ex Alexandria
           31/03/1916   disembarked into Marseilles, France
           20/09/1917   hit by a shell and killed out right - received in action,
                              Polygon Wood, Belgium
           Originally buried in the field where he was killed, his grave was never relocated.
           His name is commemorated on:-
                             - Panel 7 at The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium
                             - Panel at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT.

Great-Uncles (mother's side)
145    BOER WAR George Alexander CAIRNES
          - 6 Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse
          He lived with his father at Yarrawonga, VIC
          24/04/1902    enlisted into Boer War - 32 years of age
                              (to go and fight in South Africa)
          suffered from pneumonia and was unable to proceed overseas

2622   WWI Private Allan Bellingham CAIRNES - 58th Battalion
           He had lived with his father WBC above at 7 Bancroft St, Bendigo, VIC on enlisting.
           03/07/1916    enlisted in Melbourne, VIC - 35 years of age 
           02/10/1916    embarked Port of Melbourne, VIC onboard HMAT A71 Nestor
                                as a Private with 58th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement
           09/02/1919    returned to Australia onboard HT Ascanius
           21/08/1919    discharged from service
           21/09/1948    Alan passed away
           Buried in:       Botany Cemetery
                                RCBD - Roman Catholic FM BD, Position 794

Great - Uncle-in-law (mother's side):
56       BOER WAR Private Bartholomew James GLEESON - 29 years of age
           - 7th Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse
           Wife:  Flora Moama Gleeson (nee Cairnes)
           1902             enlisted into Boer War (to go and fight in South Africa)          
           18/08/1910    tragically he kills himself with potassium cyanide
                               at his home in Richardson Street, Middle Park, VIC
                               Witnessed by his wife. Leaves her destitute.
           19/08/1910   in 'The Western Australian; newspaper -
                              "The police took possession of a farewell letter addressed
                                to Mrs. Gleeson.   It is known that Mr. Gleeson had recently
                                been worried by money matters. He was 37 years of age,
                                and carried on business as a land agent."

First Cousins:
2607    BOER WAR  Sergeant Charles Beresford Cairnes
             - 3rd New South Wales Imperial Bushmen

Lieutenant  WWI - Charles Beresford Cairnes - British Army
                 C Battery 148th Brigade Royal Field Artillery
                 Father Arthur Wintle Steel and Mother Emily Beresford Steel (nee Cairnes)
                 Eldest son - 31 years of age on enlisting
                 After school, he joined the Colonial Sugar Refining Company
                 1915             left for England
                 June 1916     on active service in France
                 22/04/1917   killed in action at Arrars, France
                 Buried in:      St Leger Military Cemetery, St Leger, Arras, France
                 His name is commemorated in a Commemorative Book at the Australia
                 War Memorial, Canberra, ACT - for those Australians who fought with
                 the British Army.

2783   Lance Corporal Arthur Leonard Steel - 17th Infantry Battalion
           Father Arthur Wintle Steel and Mother Emily Beresford Steel (nee Cairnes)
           Arthur lived with his parents at Stroud, NSW on enlisting.
           04/08/1915    enlisted at Gunnedah, NSW - 18 years 11 months of age
           02/11/1915    embarked Sydney, NSW onboard HMAT A14 Euripides
                                as a Private with 17th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement
           01/09/1916    promoted to Lance Corporal with 17th Battalion
           11/08/1918    killed in action, direct hit by enemy shell - France
           Originally buried in Orchard East of Framerville, with a small cross.
           Re-buried in:  Heath Cemetery, Harbonnieres, France
                                Plot VI, Row C, Grave 16
           His name is commemorated on Panel 84 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT.

4778   Sergeant Howard Cairnes Steel - 20th Battalion
           Father Arthur Wintle Steel and Mother Emily Beresford Steel (nee Cairnes)
           Howard lived with his parents at Stroud, NSW on enlisting.
           1946 - moved to U3/182 Sailor Bay Road, Northbridge, NSW
           08/11/1915     enlisted at Town Hall Recruiting Depot, Sydney, NSW - 19 years of age
           17/12/1915     took oath at Casula, NSW
           14/04/1916     embarked Sydney, NSW onboard HMAT A40 Ceramic
                                as an Acting Sergeant with 20th Battalion, 12th Reinforcement
           19/06/1919     returned to Australia onboard HT Militiades
           22/09/1919     discharged from service
           11/04/1931     passed away
           Buried in:        Macquarie Park Cemetery

611918 Captain Arthur Adrian McKay - Australian Medical Corps
            Mother-in-law Theresa Holmes Cairnes
            Wife Mrs A McKay, they lived at 276 Walsh St, South Yarra, VIC on enlisting
            24/06/1918    enlisted in Melbourne, VIC - 32 years of age (b. 18/05/1886)
            17/09/1918    embarked onboard Australian Hospital Ship Kanowna
                                 as a Captain with Australian Medical Corps
            No record of his return - although he survived

397     Sergeant Henry (Harry) Montgomery Cairnes - 1st Field Artillery Brigade
           Father Montgomery Cairnes (dec) and
           Mother Mrs Alice Duncan Cairnes, 12 Hamilton St, Subiaco, WA
                            30/06/1917 moved to 128 Nicholson Rd, Subiaco, WA
           24/08/1914    enlisted in Fremantle, WA - 24 years of age
           18/10/1914    embarked Sydney, NSW onboard Transport A8 Argyllshire
                                Driver with 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Battery 3
           01/07/1916    promoted to Sergeant
           16/07/1917    returned to Australia onboard HMAT Demosthenes
           18/09/1917    disembarked into Fremantle, WA
           19/01/1918    discharged from service

3038   Gunner George Alexander Cairnes - 1st Field Artillery Brigade
           Father Montgomery Cairnes (dec) and
           Mother Mrs Alice Duncan Cairnes, now living at 128 Nicholson St, Subiaco, WA
           02/08/1915   enlisted in Perth, WA - 23 years of age 
           13/09/1915   embarked Fremantle, WA onboard HMAT Themistocles A32
                               as a Private with 11th Infantry Battalion, 10th reinforcements
           28/02/1919   returned to Australia onboard HT Anchises
           07/04/1919   disembarked into Albany, WA
           03/06/1919   discharged from service
           21/08/1972   passed away
           cremated:     Plaque in Western Australia Garden of Remembrance

79170   Sergeant Cuthbert Cairnes - Broadmeadows Camp, VIC
            Wife Mrs Jessie Ann Cairnes, c/o Childrens Hospital, Perth, WA
                   lived at  132 Nicholson St, Subiaco, WA
            10/1915        enlisted in Home Service - still serving on this enlistment
            09/08/1918   enlisted in Melbourne, VIC - 33 years of age (b.11/03/1885)
                                appointed to Clerical service with Recruit Depot Battalion, Broadmeadows
                                due to varicose veins and hernia
                                remained in Australia for duration of war
            07/01/1919   discharged from service

Captain  Henry Francis Herbert ELVINS - Army Medical Corps
              Father James Elvins and Mother Bessie Cooke (nee Dick)
                        lived at 32 De Graves Street, Parkville, Victoria
              03/09/1916    enlisted in Melbourne, VIC - 41 years of age (b.14/01/1875)
              07/10/1916    marched in to 14th Australian General Hospital, Kashger, Egypt
              23/01/1917    sick with paratypoid - left Suez, Egypt
              16/03/1917    returned to Australia onboard HT Willochra
              25/04/1917    disembarked into Port of Melbourne
              11/06/1917    2nd enlisting in Melbourne, VIC - 42 years of age
              29/06/1917    embarked Port of Melbourne, VIC onboard RMS Somali
              28/07/1917    Captain reported to Headquarters x Egypt in London
              27/04/1919   tonsilitis - admitted to 14th Australian General Hospital
              14/07/1919   embarked Alexandria, Egypt onboard HT Magalena for UK
              27/08/1919   granted furlo (leave - in reduction of long service leave to
                                  which he would be entitled on return to Australia)
              13/09/1919   returned from leave, in London
              29/09/1919   returned to Australia onboard HT Asconius, ex England
              21/11/1919   appointment terminated
              ___?             married - Ethel Maud Elvins (d. 03/12/1988)
              29/08/1960   passed away
              cremated:     Fawkner Memorial Park, Fawkner, VIC
                                  Garden of Remembrance, Wall 3

25/09/1946  Aunt Emily Beresford Steel (nee Cairnes) noted she had four more sons
that enlisted and returned home safely.

First Cousins:
WWII  NX23054  Alan Bellingham STEEL  (b. 24/05/1901 Latrobe, Tasmania)
          30/05/1940   enlisted in Mosman, NSW (place of enlisting Paddington, NSW)
          last rank:      Lance Corporal with NSW L OF C A/CS OFFICE
          17/02/1944   discharged from service

1914   John married Emily (Emmie) Eliza Elvins (nee JACK & nee JUNKER)

Wife:  Mrs Emily Eliza ELVINS (nee JACK & nee JUNKER) - (this her 3rd marriage)
          (born. Emily Eliza BEETCHENOW in 1861 in Collingwood, VIC)
           - m1. 1884 to Dr Robert Nelson Jack (b. 1853 Tyrone, Ireland-d.01/04/1892 Stawell, VIC)
           - m2. 1893 to Wilhelm Hubert Junker in Collingwood
***** Emily is the mother of William Leslie Elvins wife Florence Cassie Jack*****
          they lived together at Grandview Hotel, Alphington (Fairfield Park), Victoria
          Emmie passed away 19/05/1933 in Black Road, Victoria
          buried with 1st husband in Stawell Pleasant Creek Public Cemetery, Stawell, VIC

John's previous service:  7 years School Cadets, Geelong
                                     1.5 years Rifle Club

John was described on enlisting as 29 years 6 months of age; married; 5' 8" tall; 13 stone;
fresh complexion; blue eyes; brown hair; Presbyterian

26/07/1915  enlisted in Melbourne, VIC

07/12/1915  appointed to 13th reinforcements, 6th Battalion, Broadmeadows Camp

29/12/1915  embarked Port of Melbourne, VIC onboard HMAT A64 Demosthenes
                   as a Private with 6th Battalion, 13 reinforcements
12/01/1916  disembarked into Plymouth, England

09/03/1916  sick with tonsilitis - admitted to 1st Australian General Hospital, Cairo, Egypt

25/03/1916  posted to 2nd Training Battalon, Heliopolis

29/08/1916  proceeded overseas to France, ex 2nd Training Battalion, Perham Downs
16/09/1916  marched out to unit
17/09/1916  taken on strength - 7th Infantry Battalion, Belgium

09/09/1917  granted furlo (leave)
24/09/1917  returned to unit

22/04/1918  wounded in action - bullet wound to head
                   transferred to 15 Casualty Clearing Station
23/04/1918  admitted to 13th USA General Hosptial, France
26/04/1918  admitted to 1 Convalescent Depot, Boulogne, France
                   evacuated to England
27/04/1918  discharge to DDMS, Havre, France
28/04/1918  admitted to 1st Australian Convalescent Depot, Havre, France
31/07/1918  discharged to Base Depot, Havre, France
07/08/1918  proceeded to unit
11/08/1918  rejoined 7th Infantry Battalion in the field

28/09/1918  promoted to Lance Corporal, with 7th Infantry Battalion

08/10/1918  granted furlo (leave) to England
27/10/1918  rejoined unit

26/11/1918  suffering from Influenza - admitted to 2nd Australian Field Ambulance
                   transferred to 61st Casualty Clearing Statiion in the field
29/11/1918  transferred to AT 16
03/12/1918  admitted to 10th General Hospital, Rouen, France
08/12/1918  discharged to Base Details
24/12/1918  rejoined 7th Infantry Battalion

27/12/1918  detached to 1st Ausralian Division Artillery
15/01/1919  rejoined unit with 7th Infantry Battalion

19/01/1919  marched out for return to Australia
24/01/1919  marched out to England, ex Havre, France

28/03/1919  returned to Australia onboard HT City of Poona, ex Southampton, England
14/05/1919  disembarked into Melbourne, Australia

06/07/1919   discharged from service

Medals:        British War medal (32235) and Victory medal (31993)

1947            passed away at Black Rock, VIC
                   His remains were cremated at 'Springvale Botanical Cemetery'
                   and his ashes scattered.

Medals:       1914/15 Star (20560); British War medal (22496), Victory medal (22328)

Submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  21/01/2017.  Lest we forget.

An enormous thank you to Linda Cairnes and all the extended Cairnes descendants
for all their family details (see link attached).