CORIGLIANO, John Vincent
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 January 1913 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant Commander |
| Last Unit: | HMAS Melbourne (I) |
| Born: | Beachport, South Australia, Australia, 25 February 1880 |
| Home Town: | Beachport, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | 25 January 1956, aged 75 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Beachport Public School Old Scholars Honour Roll |
Boxer Rebellion (China) Service
| 6 Aug 1900: | Embarked HMCS/HMAS Protector, HMCS Protector |
|---|
Non Warlike Service
| 1 Jan 1913: | Enlisted Royal Australian Navy, Engineering Mechanic |
|---|
World War 1 Service
| 9 May 1917: | Involvement Royal Australian Navy, HMAS Melbourne (I) |
|---|
Non Warlike Service
| 1 Apr 1919: | Promoted Royal Australian Navy, Commander | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Jul 1931: | Promoted Royal Australian Navy, Lieutenant Commander |
Millicent Soldiers' Reception Committee
Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA: 1861 - 1954) Friday 25 July 1919
MILLICENT.
July 23.
On Thursday evening about 20 townspeople assembled at the invitation of the Millicent Soldiers' Reception Committee at Miss Plunkett's tea rooms to meet Mr. J. V. Corigliano, a commissioned mechanician of the Royal Australian Navy, at present serving in the cruiser Melbourne. Other guests were Priv. Peter Corigliano and Priv. Hugh Agnew. The Corigliano brothers are sons of Mr. C. Corigliano, of Beachport, four of whose sons served abroad during the Great War. The Rev. D. Chapman presided. The warmth of the greeting had the rare effect of "loosening the tongue" of the representative of the silent navy, and when pipes were lit after a little repast the chief guest commenced to talk. Nearly two hours slipped away while he entertained the company with reminiscences of naval life. Mr. Corigliano served on the old Protector in the China war, long before an Australian naval unit came into existence. He has been connected with the navy for nearly 18 years, and during that time has steamed into almost every port in the Pacific, and from the Falkland Islands to the land of the midnight sun. He was one of a party of seven stokers (and the only South Australian amongst them) who went to England to fit themselves for service in the Australian warships, and "stood by" during the building of the Dreadnought Australia. He has had a most successful career, and now that he has attained commissioned rank he is on the threshold of a bright future. Mr. Corigliano was on H.M.A.S. Australia when she was rammed and severely damaged by the New Zealand in the North Sea. He told many tales of the Great War. Mr. Corigliano's heart and soul are in his calling, and what he had to say concerning the disabilities under which Australians have been working in the navy awakened sympathy, and a determination to do all that civilians could do to ensure just treatment for our sailors. The Rev. D. Chapman welcomed the guests to Millicent, and made reference to the head of the Corigliano family that was especially pleasing to the chief guest. Other speakers were Messrs. D. M. Slater, C. H. Davis, G. Willshire, J. B. Mitchell, G. Bone, H. J. Armitage, F. M. White, A. A. Bratchell, and G. Glen. Mr. Corigliano left for Adelaide on Friday morning, to meet his wife, who will return to Beachport with him.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article77752327 (nla.gov.au)
Submitted 19 January 2016 by Elsa Reuter
Biography
The story of John Vincent Corigliano, engineer with the Royal Australian Navy is a remarkable one spanning three conflicts. After initially enlisting in 1898, he first saw service in conflict aboard the HMCS Protector deployed as part of the South Australian contribution to Britain during the Boxer Rebellion in China (1900-1901).
His service records document his service in the RAN from 1904 through to his retirement in 1940. During the Great War, Corigliano served aboard HMAS Australia (I) , the flagship of the 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadron from February 1915 until her collision with HMS New Zealand in April 1916 in the North Sea, and HMAS Melbourne (I) from May 1917, while she patrolled northern waters.
After the war, Corigliano served aboard HMAS Cerberus in coastal defence until she was renamed HMAS Platypus (II). During the early 1930s, he served aboard the HMAS Penguin (II), formerly HMAS Encounter, with a short commission aboard the destroyer HMAS Tattoo.
After applying for "extension of service beyond retiring", Corigliano was placed on the emergency list from February 1935 and remained on it until his retirement five years later at the age of sixty, one year into World War Two. He passed away a month before his seventy-sixth birthday.
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