Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of John MURTAGH and Mary nee HYNES, Pine Mountain, near Ipswich, Qld.

Upon his arrival in Australia, on 4 April 1917, he was taken directly from the ship to Randwick Military Hospital, where he died a few weeks later without having been discharged from the AIF.

FUNERAL OF PTE. JOHN MURTAGH, OF PINE MOUNTAIN.
The remains of Pte. John Murtagh, of the 25th Battalion, the fourth son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Murtagh, of Pine Mountain, were laid to rest in the Pine Mountain Cemetery, on Monday  afternoon last, having been followed by one of the longest corteges ever witnessed in that district. The deceased, who is a native of Pine Mountain, enlisted in the battalion named, and went to Egypt some two years ago. Pte. J. Murtagh subsequently landed at Gallipoli, where he was on the active list for three months, and was then invalided to Egypt. Thence he was sent to England, via Gibraltar, but owing to the nature of his sickness (dysentery) he was taken ashore at the military depot at the Straits, where he  remained until he regained his strength. He then proceeded to the old country. Here he received his discharge from the hospital, and, during his furlough, visited Ireland, having  been much impressed with what he saw there. Returning to his headquarters, well in health and strength, he was sent to France, where he again became unwell, and was  returned to England. His sickness having become chronic, he was invalided back to Australia, and on arrival in Sydney he became so seriously ill that he was taken from the steamer to No. 4 Australian General Hospital, Randwick. The sad part was that his mother and father, and brothers, were at the Ipswich railway station prepared to meet him, and it was only then, through Capt. Jackson, the staff officer for returned soldiers, that they received the first intimation of the serious nature of his illness. It was a great blow to his  mother, but she received the news bravely. Receiving further information as to the serious condition of their soldier-boy, Mr., Mrs., and Miss N. Murtagh, and Mr.  Thos. Murtagh  proceeded to Sydney as soon as possible, and at the military hospital, at Randwick, they met their invalided son, who, although sinking fast, was perfectly conscious, and  recognised and conversed with all those near and dear to him. The Rev. Father Fleming, of the Randwick Parish Church, ministered to the spiritual comforts of the invalided  soldier, administering the last rites of his Church and remaining with him until he passed away. The remains were brought from Sydney to Ipswich by train last Sunday evening,  and the funeral, as stated above, took place on the following afternoon, the Rev. Father Corrigan, of St. Mary's Church, Ipswich, conducting the ceremony at the grave side. The  greatest of sympathy prevailed for the sorrowing parents and family, and it is believed that the deceased is the first returned soldier buried in God's Acre at Pine Mountain. A  second son, Pte. M. Murtagh, has been invalided from the front in France, to England, it being the second  occasion of his being wounded, and the news has only recently reached  his parents.

A MEMORIAL PEDESTAL. 
IPSWICH, June 18. 1917
The unveiling of a pedestal in honour of the lato Private Murtagh, which has been erected in the church grounds at Pine Mountain, took place on Saturday afternoon in the  presence of a large gathering of residents of the district. The ceremony was performed by Rev M Lane Speeches were also delivered by Mr H M Stevens, ML A , and Mr Doyle  (chairman of the committee). The pedestal is of Helidon sandstone, and bears a crossed sword and rifle and a representation of an 18-pound shell The inscription reads "Erected  by the residents of Pine Mountain, in honour of Private John Murtagh, who served his country for two years, in Gallipoli and France "