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War Memorial
Australia

Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909 - 1954) Wed 14 Oct 1953
Page 6
OBITUARY
MR. DANIEL CULLOTY
HERBERTON, Oct. 10.
News of the death of Mr. Daniel Culloty in the Herberton
Hospital at the age of 39 years came as a great grief to a wide
circle of relatives and friends in North Queensland. The late
Mr. D. Culloty was the second son of Mrs. Culloty of Ather
ton and the late Mr. J. Culloty.
Mr. and Mrs. J. Culloty snr., were among the pioneers of the
Herberton district and lived in the town for many years, moving
to Atherton at a comparatively recent date.
Young Dan was born in Herberton and educated at St.
Patrick's School, Herberton. He worked in the district after
leaving school.
He joined the A. I. F. when war broke out and
went with the 6th Division when they made their famous
march over the Kokoda trail.
A newspaper report of that period describes how Pte. D.
Culloty was with others, a witness to Japanese troops be
ing driven from a cave to meet the Australians by their officer.
The report states:
"The spectacle of Japanese
racing into the cave when they came under fire from Austra
lians, and of their being "driven out" by an officer with a
sword was witnessed by troops of the 6th Australian Division
recently during an attack on an enemy strongpoint in New
Guinea.
Among the Australians concerned in the incident was
Pte. D. Culloty, of Herberton.
As the Australians approached the position from a flank they
came under fire from the Japanese artillery and were forced
to take protection in shell holes and bomb craters in deep mud.
The enemy was engaged with mortars and when that support
fire ceased the Japanese came out of caves to man their wea
pons. They met heavy fire from our troops and about 10 raced
back into the cave.
Soon afterwards they reappeared and behind them was an officer wav
ing a sword. The officer was killed and those of his men
who did not meet a similar fate ran back into the cave moving
over his body. They did not survive long, however, for
flamethrowers were used and the entrance to the cave was
sealed by engineers. Earlier, the Australians had out manoeuvr
ed a 20 millimetre anti-aircraft gun by moving under cover of
a bank into position below the level to which the gun could
be depressed."
Pte. Culloty returned to Australia and was discharged from
the A.I.F. in 1944.
He came back to his parents home at
Herberton and had his first peace-time job after the war
working on a new building which was being erected at the
Herberton hospital. After his marriage he made his own
home in Herberton and remained in the district following up
mining to which he had been trained as a lad.

His death took place after a long painful illness in the very
early morning on October 6, and the funeral took place late
in the afternoon of the same day. His mother came from
Atherton to be with him during his last weeks and he was sur
rounded by his loving family when he passed away. Requiem
Mass was held for him at St. Patrick's Church. Rev. Father
Keane officiating. Father Keane also conducted the last
rites at the graveside. He was assisted by the nephew of the
deceased. Master Dennis Culloty, at both these ceremonies.
An impressive military funeral was accorded to the late Mr.
Culloty by the Herberton sub-branch Of the R.S.S.A.I.L.A.
Members of the sub-branch
wearing the scarlet poppies of mourning slow-marched behind
the cortege as it passed through the town.
The pall bearers were Messrs L. Stewart, A. Camp, J. Agnew.
B. Hurley, A. Barrett, and W. Huddy. A large number of
mourners attended and masses of beautiful flowers from sor
rowing friends and relatives were piled on the bier.
He leaves to mourn their loss a widow and one little girl, his
widowed mother in Atherton, and three sisters and one bro
ther, Mrs. B. Hurley (Lower Tully), Mrs. J. Agnew (Tolga),
and Mrs. R. J. Maher, (Waugh's Pocket) Innisfail, also Mr. J
Culloty, of Herberton.
Submitted by Lyn Turner.