MOYLAN, Cecil James
| Service Number: | 3844 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 August 1915, Enlisted in Brisbane. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 49th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Casino, New South Wales, Ausralia, 10 July 1893 |
| Home Town: | Casino, Richmond Valley, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway Porter |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 6 April 1917, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Noreuil Australian Cemetery, Picardie |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Casino and District Memorial Hospital WW1 Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3844, 9th Infantry Battalion, Enlisted in Brisbane. | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Dec 1915: | Involvement Private, 3844, 9th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Itonus embarkation_ship_number: A50 public_note: '' | |
| 30 Dec 1915: | Embarked Private, 3844, 9th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Itonus, Brisbane | |
| 6 Apr 1917: | Involvement Private, 3844, 49th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3844 awm_unit: 49th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-04-06 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Oakes
Cecil James MOYLAN (Service Number 3844) was born on 10th July 1893 at Casino. He commenced work for the NSW Government Railways as a temporary junior porter in the Lismore District from 3rd November 1911 on six months’ probation. He remained in the position until his 21st birthday, when he progressed to porter, briefly in Sydney, but soon back at Lismore. It was from that role that he was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces on 28th August 1915.
Moylan enlisted at Brisbane on 30th August 1915, describing himself as a railway porter and giving his mother living in Casino as his next of kin. He was allotted to the 12th Reinforcements to the 9th Battalion. He embarked HMAT ‘Itonus’ at Brisbane on 30th December 1915 and sailed to Egypt. On 16th March 1916 he joined the 49th Battalion. From late April to early May he was hospitalised sick but was well enough to embark ‘Arcadian’ at Alexandria for Marseilles where he arrived on 12th June. In August he was again in hospital with a septic arm, passing through the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station and the 161st Convalescent Depot, before re-joining the 49th Battalion in the field on 24th September.
In January 1917 Moylan transferred to the Pack Mule Corps. Within a month he was hospitalised again, now with Influenza. This took two weeks to clear.
He was killed in action in France on 6th April 1917 and buried by Rev D B Blackwood, Chaplain who was attached to the 13th Infantry Brigade, at Noreuil Australian Cemetery, Picardie, France.
Lance Corporal H A Machien (2643) reported:
‘I was at Bullecourt on 6th June 1917 [sic] with my Batt: holding a sunken road. Pte. Moylan who was standing at the bottom of the Rd. was killed by a shell which struck the ground near him, blew his head off on to the top of the bank and blew the remainder of his body to pieces. This was at 3 p.m.
Description: 5’6” medium weight, dark. He was my chum. Serious minded and brave. Much liked by his mates. Very young 19-20 years.’
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.