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Australia

Son of James and Bessie Sweeny; husband of E. Sweeny, of Club Hotel, Carrington, New South Wales

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland

Died on this date – 21st October…… Francis Thomas Moody Sweeny was born at Canning, Western Australia in 1884. He started an apprenticeship with the Western Australian Railways as a Fitter at Fremantle in 1898 & in 1914 married Eva M. Keddie in the district of Glebe, New South Wales.

Francis Thomas Moody Sweeny enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 15th May, 1916 as a 31 year old, married, Engine Fitter from Forbes Street, Carrington, NSW. He embarked from Sydney, NSW on HMAT Aeneas (A60) on 30th September, 1916 with the Medium Trench Mortar Batteries, 2nd Reinforcements & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 19th November, 1916 where he would receive further training before being sent to the War Front.
Gunner Sweeny was marched in to Australian Details at Perham Downs, Wiltshire from Australia on 20th November, 1916. He was then posted to R.B.A.A. (Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery) at Larkhill, Wiltshire on 28th December, 1916 & on 6th January was appointed E.D.P. (Extra duty pay) Driver.

On 13th January, 1917, Gunner Sweeny was transferred to Fort Wallington. He was written up for a Crime on 27th January, 1917 at Fort Wallington - dismissing himself from stables without permission. He was awarded 5 days C.B. (Confined to Barracks).
Gunner Sweeny was to be Acting Bombardier from 5th February, 1917 & reverted to the permanent rank of Gunner from 28th March, 1917.

He proceeded overseas to France via Folkestone on 5th April, 1917 from R.B.A.A. (Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery) at Larkhill, Wiltshire & was posted to A.G.B.D. (Australian General Base Depot) at Etaples, France on 6th April, 1917. On 17th May, 1917 he was marched out of A.G.B.D. & joined 2nd D.A.C. (Divisional Artillery Column) on 18th May, 1917 in France from Trench Mortar Brigade Reinforcements.
Gunner Sweeny was transferred to 5th F.A.B. (Field Artillery Brigade) from 2nd D.A.C. (Divisional Artillery Column) on 21st May, 1917 & was taken on strength of 15th Battery.

Gunner Francis Thomas Moody Sweeny was wounded in action in France on 24th September, 1917. He was admitted to 6th Australian Field Ambulance on 24th September, 1917 with shrapnel wounds to head then transferred & admitted to 3rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station on 24th September, 1917. Gunner Sweeny was transferred & admitted to 54th General Hospital in France on 3rd October, 1917. He embarked on Hospital Ship St Andrew for England on 14th October, 1917.

On 14th October, 1917 Gunner Sweeny was admitted to Queen Mary’s Military Hospital, Whalley, Lancashire, England with gunshot wounds to head – severe. His wife was advised on 19th October, 1917 that Gunner Francis Sweeny was dangerously wounded & advised again on 23rd October, 1917 that his condition was stationary.

Gunner Francis Thomas Moody Sweeny died at 3.40 am on 21st October, 1917 at Queen Mary’s Military Hospital, Whalley, Lancashire, England from wounds received in action in France – gunshot wounds to head, fractured skull & Lobar pneumonia.

He was buried in Queen Mary’s Hospital Military Cemetery, Whalley, Lancashire, England where 1 other WW1 Australian Soldier is laid to rest.

The Red Cross Wounded & Missing file for Gunner Francis Thomas Sweeny contains a letter from the R. C. Chaplain, Queen Mary’s Military Hospital, Whalley, Lancashire, England which reads: “…... He was admitted here on Oct. 14th suffering a great deal of pain from gunshot wounds in the head. At first there seemed to be hope of recovery but after a few days he took a turn for the worse. I administered the last sacraments on Saturday 20th. His mind was quite clear then and I think he realised that he was not likely to recover. Afterwards he became unconscious and passed away…... I think we may regard his death as a mercy. He passed away quite happily and contentedly. Had he lived he would probably have been a chronic invalid and in constant pain.”

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/whalley.html

Francis Thomas Moody SWEENY (Service Number 28900) was born on 29th September 1884. He worked for the NSW Railways in the Permanent Way Branch as a machine attendant at the McMyler Hoist at Port Waratah from 30th November 1908, though there are indications on his railway card that he had been employed earlier, probably as a casual. In 1911 he became a chargeman on the coal hoist. 

Sweeny was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces on 15th May 1916, though he seems to have enlisted at Broadmeadow a week earlier. He claimed as his ‘trade or calling’ that he was a fitter and that he had served a five-year apprenticeship with the Western Australian Railways. He also cited seven years military service with the infantry, though he was not now serving and gave his wife, Eva May living at Carrington as his next of kin.

He was allotted to the 2nd Reinforcements to the Medium Trench Mortar Batteries, He embarked HMAT ‘Aeneas’ at Sydney on 30th September 1916 and reached Plymouth on 19th November. He proceeded overseas to France through Folkestone on 5th April 1917 and was taken on strength of the 5th Field Artillery Brigade on 21st May.

He was wounded in action with a severe shrapnel injury penetrating his skull on 24th September 1917. After treatment at field hospitals he was embarked for England on the Hospital Ship ‘St Andrew’ on 14th October and admitted to Queen Mary’s Military Hospital at Whalley where he died on 21st October 1917.

Sweeny was buried in the military cemetery attached to the Queen Mary’s Military Hospital, Whalley, Lancashire, England, with full military honours.

A pension of £2 per fortnight was awarded to Sweeny’s widow, Eva May, from 26 December 1917.

- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.