Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Stephen was born in the mid-north town of Orroroo on the 5th September ’23, but when he later enlisted, he added a year to his age. (His headstone also records his birth as in 1923). Stephen was just two years old when his mother, Ellen died in January ‘27 and was buried in the West Terrace Cemetery. Nine years later, Stephen’s oldest brother, 17-year-old Patrick Joseph Jnr, died in May ’38 and also rests in the same cemetery as their mother.
His Irish born father, Patrick Joseph was involved in farming in the Saddleworth area, where Stephen gained his Qualifying Certificate before then becoming a farmhand.
Stephen had just turned 18 when he decided to enlist to serve in WWII in October ’41, recording his age as 19. He was allocated the number SX15180 and was initially placed in the 2/43rd Battalion, however, whilst training at Woodside, he developed pharyngitis and was hospitalised. By August the following year, Stephen joined the sister battalion, the 2/48th as one of their reinforcements and was soon on his way to the Middle East, arriving early in October.
Unfortunately, the conditions in the desert contributed to Stephen contracting both tonsillitis and diarrhoea, resulting in a week of rehabilitation before he could again re-join his battalion. By the start of February the following year, Stephen and the remainder of the 2/48th were able to leave the Middle East, having earned the reputation for being a highly respected, close-knit group of fighters. They arrived back in Australia via Melbourne and enjoyed a few weeks’ rest before heading to Queensland to prepare to face a very different enemy in the tropical jungles of New Guinea.
Stephen arrived via Milne Bay in August ’43. Just three months later he was wounded in action, with gunshot wounds to his left forearm and a penetrating bullet to the right of his neck. He was extremely fortunate to survive. A photo taken at the time, held by the Australian War Memorial, shows him wounded in the assault on Sattelberg and waiting for transport back to the dressing station.
John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan describes the chaotic conditions at the time. The ‘enemy was most active with his shelling. A considerable number of shells had landed in the vicinity of the jeep-head at Jivevaneng, and further along the road, the intention probably being to deny us full use of the track. With parts of the road continually under observation from Sattelberg, the Japanese must have been aware of the amount of jeep traffic taking up supplies to forward troops. Whether they were firing at random will never be known but, nevertheless one shell made a direct hit on a tree above battalion headquarters, spraying the whole area with shell fragments, and inflicting a number of casualties. Major Reg Batten, the battalion second-in-command, Captain Hugh Treloar, the adjutant and Lieutenant G.J. Butler, the pioneer officer, were all badly wounded, and all died within twelve hours. Sergeant Lane, who was in a nearby trench, was killed instantly. Casualties were mounting fast.”
The December issue of the Chronicle listed those from the 2/48th who were injured or killed. List Died Ot Wounds. — SX12499 Lt George J. Butler, Henley Beach: SX10856 Pte. Kenneth S. Kelly, Northfield Wounded In Action. — SX1381O Pte S. J. Galvin. Saddleworth; SX9376 Pte. Harold. H. Gogel, Moorook and SX7567 A/Spt. Charles H. Lampre. Mambray Creek.
For Stephen, extensive hospitalisation and treatment followed and it was not until January ’44 that he was able to re-join the 2/48th. By February he finally left Port Moresby, arriving back in Australia via Brisbane. He then married Olive Rosalie Templeton on the 11th March that year, nominating her as his next of kin. Unfortunately, a high fever (Pyrexia of unknown origin) and malaria accompanied him home, with the added discomfort of a severely infected right toe. Patched up and with the war drawing to a close, Stephen was then sent to Morotai from Townsville in early April ’45. He then undertook and gained qualifications as a Cook, with his record indicating that he had the ability to ‘control and organise’ and that he was ‘interested throughout course’.
The focus of his battalion was then on taking Sykes Hill and Tarakan, with the men digging in for the night. In attempting to take war equipment ashore, the troops had to anticipate mines and booby traps buried in the soft earth. In Tobruk to Tarakan John Glenn described how ‘sixty Japs shouting “Banzai” and yelling like banshees out of the mouth of hell, came charging at the depleted platoon – now reinforced by company headquarters personnel – in what was perhaps one of the most vicious counter attacks in the whole of the Tarakan campaign, and, throwing grenades tried to force the 2/48th from the hill. For answer, our troops rolled grenades down on the enemy, holding them back in a desperate grenade-battle.’ The men then dug in for the night. ‘All night long the jungle was alive with movement and sound as the Japs gathered their wounded and their dead from the lower slopes of Sykes or made one of their many sallies against our men, hurling grenades, to which our men replied with more grenades.’
John Glenn described how the 2/48th moved forward to strike at Tarakan Hill, when they met the enemy on a narrow razor-back ridge. A flame thrower was used on the undergrowth, flushing out the enemy ‘screaming and in flames and were shot down by small arms fire.’ The night of 2nd May had an ominous disquiet about it. The jungle seemed alive with movement. The falling limb of a tree, half cut by shell fire, sent anxious eyes peering into the darkness of the forest. The movement of monkeys brought men to their feet, listening until every sound was magnified a hundred-fold and every bush seemed to move. Round about midnight the enemy infiltrated into B Company. The night became hideous with the cries of men and the sound of explosions as the japs hurled fused 75-mm shells among our men.’
Stephen was again wounded in his left hand and both fingers, affecting the radial nerve causing palsy.
Again, The Chronicle gave an indication in its third list of those killed or wounded in the 2/48th Battalion at the same time as Stephen. They included; Killed In Action. — SX1013 Lt. John M. Collier, Glenunga; SX 19552 Pte. Mervyn M. Arnold, Hilton; SX8737 L-Bdr. Ronald J. Tippins, Art., Tailem Bend. Died Of Wounds. — SX31782 Pte. Henry K. Johnston, Rosewater Wounded In Action. — SX12498 Lt. Kenneth F. Allen, Hayhurst; SX6837 Sgt. Dean H. Adams. Forestville; SX15180 Pte. Stephen J. Galvin. Saddleworth; SX30689 Pte. Glen McEwan, Prospect; SX6915 Sgt. G. H. Pope, Cheltenham. Seriously Wounded. — SX6894 L-Sgl. Thomas V. Trish Mile End.
Stephen was finally discharged on the 29th March ’46.
By June ’54 Stephen had moved to live in Casino NSW, working as a fencing contractor, when he was involved in a collision with another vehicle. He immediately reported the accident to the Kyogle Police Station. His promptness and honesty, plus his previous good record and his willingness to report the accident, when the other driver involved was inclined to leave it until later in the morning, were praised when the incident went to court. While the offence was found proved, Stephen’s previous good record discharged him on the condition that he enter in a £50 bond to be of good behaviour for three years.
Stephen later married Gertrude Maria with the two then living on Kangaroo Island. Gertrude pre-deceased Stephen and died on the 15th November ’87. Aged 86, Stephen died on the 9th September 2009. Both are now buried alongside each other in the Kingscote Cemetery.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.