Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Also served in WW1, Private S.N. 4522, 9th Infantry Battalion AIF. It appears when he enlisted for WW1 he lowered his age with evidence that he may have also done that to enlist in the prior South African (Boer) War.

On his WW1 Attestation paper, dated 6 Sep 1915, he gave his age as 44 years 4 months. In his service record held by National Archives Australia, p. 10, a Medical Report dated 24 Aug 1916 notes his age at last birthday was 58 years (which would have been too old to enlist) which resulted him in being invalided with 'senility' and returned to Australia for discharge. Other information noted on his Attestation Paper was that he was working as a labourer, married to Mrs E. Kielly and living at Nashfield St, Sandgate and had previously served with the A.L.H. South Africa.

When Patrick Kielly enlisted in 1901 in the 5th QIB (Boer War) and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 13 Apr 1901, he noted his NOK as Miss L. Kielly, Sandgate. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 6th QIB, Bk 2 p. 17, it notes he directed part of his pay to his sister-in-law Mrs E. Kielly, Sandgate. Its likely his sister-in-law was actually his wife Ellen, again to allow him to appear single and lower his age. Geni and MyHeritage online Kielly family histories indicate he was possibly even older ca. 1844?

He married Ellen Monaghan on 2 Jul 1879, in Queensland and they had 14 children 8 of which were born in Queensland. Its unclear when he arrived in Queensland but when he passed in 1924 an obituary was published in The Week (Brisb) on 16 May 1924 which noted he was "a colonist of 50 years".

The obituary noted he had passed at his late residence, Nashville, Sandgate, having spent most of his early years on the Darling Downs and for a period worked for Queensland Railways. It goes on to state- "He, with his eldest son, Mr M. P. Kielly, of the Urlingford Metal Works, Sydney, served in the Boer War, and, with two sons served in the great war. One son paid the supreme sacrifice. The deceased leaves a widow, five daughters and seven sons."

His son Michael Patrick Kielly served twice in the Boer War, S.N. 167 Private, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry and S.N. 932, 1st Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse. His two sons to serve in WW1 were; S.N. 1701 Private Michael James Kielly, 25th Infantry Battalion AIF; and S.N. 4521 Sergeant William Stephen Kielly, 9th Infantry Battalion AIF who died of wounds in France on 9 Feb 1917.

(sources- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 514; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 6th QIB, Bk 2 p. 17; National Archives Australia- WW1 service records; The Social Circle: Obituary, The Week (Brisb), 16 May 1924, p. 28).