Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Mr Monaghan was born at Mareeba on 11.1.1911, the 8th child of James & Selina. In 1913, the family left Mt Carbine, north of Mareeba, to take up land at Conway to grow sugar cane. The family lived in Anne Street, Proserpine, while land was cleared & a house built. They moved to Conway in 1914.
In 1916, the Palm Grove School was opened at Conway, where Percy attended, but it closed in 1918. He moved to Ayr with an older sister to attend school. The Palm Grove school reopened in 1926 & Percy at the age of 15, was 1st in the role. He married Mary Busuttiin on 15.12.1943.
He followed in his father's footsteps, being on the Canegrowers executive for 18 years & the Shire Council for 5 years. After a few years, he sold the farm & moved to Airlie Beach, becoming the gardener at Wanderers Paradise Resort.
Cyclone Ada hit in January 1970 with 17 deaths recorded. His recollections of Cyclone Ada were: The weather deteriorated about halfway through the night & in the midst of the storm, there was a knock at the door. There stood a woman, 2 boys & 3 Labradors with huge feet. Percy took them inside. He gave the woman who was soaking wet a shirt, & the boys some shorts. He offered the woman a drink of whisky. Percy, who had been through many cyclones, said he had watched his neighbour, who was a solid man, walk side-on against the wind. After the cyclone, the town rallied together to clear all the debris. He said a few residents left Airlie after Ada, as a result of it, but the majority stayed & houses were rebuilt.
Percy John Douglas Monaghan passed away at the Proserpine Hospital on Saturday, 25.3.2000, aged 89 years.