Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Angus was the first-born child of Michael and Isabel Mary McMahon, arriving on the 9th December 1903 in the mid north town of Murraytown, He grew up in this town, situated to the east of the Flinders Ranges, a popular stopping place for farmers and bullock carriers transporting grain to Port Germein. Angus’ siblings included Lloyd, Kevin George Michael, Annie Isabel and Nora.
The children attended the local Murraytown School where activities such as Arbour Day were celebrated with the planting of over 30 trees in the Main Street. Races and lunches were then provided and in 1910 with the novelty of cars being a feature, a touring Adelaide driver added to the day by giving students sweets and rides in his car.
By the time Angus turned 20, deteriorating health prompted his father to plan on selling the farm. The case subsequently went to Court over a dispute about the inclusion of haystacks in the sale, and the payment of a commission. The haystacks, however, belonged to Angus and Lloyd who, of necessity, would need to be consulted as part of the negotiations, with Angus agreeing the haystacks could be an assigned part of the sale of the farm. Both Isabel and Angus were called to give evidence, with Angus clearly stating that a fellow farmer would purchase the property. Angus then turned to shearing, moving around to different properties.
The family soon after moved to Warnertown. Angus was 25 when his 70-year-old father died on the 7th July ’29 in the Port Pirie Hospital and was buried in the local Cemetery.
Tragedy struck the family when Angus’ youngest brother, Kevin, a jockey, was killed in a fatal accident in January ‘38. He was a renowned hurdle and cross-country jockey, beginning his riding career in 1924, initially riding flat races. His most creditable victory was riding Linamagne in the 1931 AR.C. Grand National Hurdle Race at Victoria Park. Just days earlier Kevin had also won at Snowtown. On the morning of the accident, Kevin was training a horse new to hurdles and cross country, over brush hurdles at Morphettville when the horse stumbled after clearing the second of five jumps. Kevin was dislodged and fell heavily, trapping his foot in a stirrup iron, as one of his riding boots was wrenched off. He subsequently sustained a fractured skull and died in the Adelaide Hospital.
Their mother, Isabel and sister, who both lived with Kevin in Mitcham at the time, were partly dependant on Kevin’s earnings. In a Court decision the two were awarded £500 between them as compensation for the death. (This was based on the amount Kevin earned for a win, a loss and a 10% cut of the winnings, plus bonuses.)
Two years after Kevin’s death, 36-year-old Angus was one of the early enlistees on the 1st July ’40 and was allocated the number SX7292. His early days were spent at Wayville, now the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds, where he was soon allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. Following leave, Angus then boarded the Stratheden on the 7th November, arriving in the Middle East on the 17th December. Despite his fitness having worked as a shearer, Angus developed a hernia which continued to reoccur during his service.
By March ’42, five days of precious pay was forfeited when Angus, known to his mates as ‘Jacky’ took four hours of unofficial leave. Near the end of that year, he contracted an upper respiratory tract infection, but had managed to remained uninjured in the intense fighting that had been his constant companion and had earned the accolade of being a Rat of Tobruk. He and the 2/48th were finally able to return to Australia via Melbourne, arriving on the 25th February, ’43. Unfortunately, on this return voyage, Angus contracted a gastro infection and was also diagnosed with a peptic ulcer, confining him to the ship’s hospital.
By April and again in August ’43 Angus received further fines for taking unofficial leave. For him and the remainder of the 2/48th Battalion, the dust, dirt and unforgettable conditions in the Middle East were behind them. Instead, they were then training in the humidity of Queensland before the 9th Division was then sent to New Guinea, in August of 1943, disembarking at Milne Bay to face a totally different enemy and in a very different setting. Almost inevitably, Angus was wounded in action with multiple injuries to his left hand, arm, foot and right knee on the 17th November ’43. At the time he was involved in a massive, frontal fight for Coconut Ridge. Angus’s Company faced machine gun fire from the well-prepared Japanese who had machine guns on the ground and snipers hidden in trees. The Battalion men threw grenades as they ran forward, encountering covered enemy bunkers.
In his book Tobruk to Tarakan, John Glenn describes how ‘Back on White Rock Ridge some Headquarters Company men were just enjoying a brew of tea when the enemy landed several shells right near them. A reinforcement lad who had just arrived was understandably a little nervous; he stuck to his hole. Jacky McMahon, noticing this, jumped in beside the youngster, and had just finished telling him that the Japs could not hit a country privy when a shell landed between them. Both were badly wounded.’
Back home, the December issue of the Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954), listed those killed or injured with Angus, with those from the 2/48th being. Killed In Action.— SX7651 Pte. Ronald G. Bowen, Burra; SX12975 Pte. Arnold C. Kerber. Mount Torrens; SX13763 Pte. Eric K. Reynolds, Novar Gardens. Wounded In Action.— SX6837 L-Sgt. Dean H. Adams. Forestville; SX7093 Lt/Sgt. Norman L. Badman, Pinnaroo; SX15377 Pte. William V. Davidson. Mitcham; SX7629 Pte. Charles H. Hewitt. Tumby Bay: SX17852 Pte. Douglas C. Maher. Renmark; SX7292 Pte. Angus J. McMahon, Mitcham; SX17621 Pte. Clarence T. Pickett. ArdrossanSX7690 Pte. Fredrick. C. Serle, Inf.. Robe. Seriously Ill: SX7885 Lt. Angus C. Dodd, Inf., Glenelg.
The Advertiser similarly carried more details about the death of fellow 2/48th men, 34-year-old Eric Reynolds and the wounding of Sergeant Dean Adams, adding ‘Mrs. I. M. McMahon. of Kingston Avenue. Mitcham Park has been informed that her son. Pte A. J McMahon, has been wounded in New Guinea.’
Initially treated by field ambulance, Angus returned to Brisbane on a hospital ship and then travelled on an ambulance train. By April, tolerance for conflict and being hospitalised led to another precious hour of unofficial leave, with the inevitable fine. By July, conditions experienced in New Guinea added to Angus’ physical injuries with an unwelcome bout of malaria. Despite having done several years of service and sustaining numerous injuries, just wanting a day’s freedom in May attracted a further fine for Angus. Inevitably, he was discharged as medically unfit for duty and finally discharged on the 30th September ’44. He returned to live with his mother, Isabel at Mitcham Park.
83-year-old Isabel died in hospital in March ’52 and was buried at Centennial Park Cemetery. Angus’ final days were lived at Marleston until just over a decade after his mother’s death, aged 58, he died on the 13th September 1962 and now also rests at Centennial Park Cemetery with so many other diggers in the Derrick Gardens at Centennial Park Path22 Grave 659.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.