MELLIFONT, Patrick James David
| Other Name: | Mellifont, James David - Nominal Roll for 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry |
|---|---|
| Service Numbers: | 308, 639, 634, 2691 |
| Enlisted: | 17 September 1914, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 46th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 9 May 1881 |
| Home Town: | Newstead, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Advertising Agent/Railway Employee |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Sailly le Sac, France, 4 July 1918, aged 37 years |
| Cemetery: |
Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 308, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar 1900: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 308, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 463 notes 3rd QMI embarked 1 Mar 1900 aboard Duke of Portland arriving Cape Town 2 Apr 1900. | |
| 1 Mar 1900: | Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 308, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry | |
| 21 Jun 1901: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 308, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 465 notes 3rd QMI embarked 9 May 1901 at Cape Town returning to Australia aboard Morayshire arriving Sydney 7 Jun 1901 (rail to Brisbane), disbanded 21 Jun 1901. | |
| 20 Aug 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 639, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 506 notes he was part of 1st Draft of 6th QIB embarked Sydney 20 Aug 1901 arriving Cape Town 22 Sep 1901. | |
| 14 Aug 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 639, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 77, notes returned to Australia aboard Norfolk arriving Brisbane 7 Aug 1902, discharged 14 Aug 1902. |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 634, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, Brisbane, Queensland | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Dec 1914: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 634, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Boorara embarkation_ship_number: A42 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Dec 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 634, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Boorara, Sydney | |
| 4 Jul 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2691, 46th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2691 awm_unit: 46th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-07-04 |
Papa
Papa was a man I never knew in life, having sacrificed his life long before I was a twinkle in my parents eyes. But since coming across this amazing man in my family research, I am very proud to call him my Great Grandpapa. I visit him often in his resting place in Villers-Bretonneux, France, a place that brings me a peace I have never known. I've grown close to my Papa over the past 6 years and enjoy the moments I am able to spend sitting beside him, sharing with him stories of our family and knowing each time, I learn a little more about him as I explore The Somme and the places he fought, and sitting silently at Le Hamel where he died. I talk to my children and my grandchildren so that they too will know you Papa, and one day I will bring them to meet you. I love you Papa with all my heart.
Submitted 19 February 2025 by Kerry Mellifont
Biography contributed
Ancestry Family Tree
Patrick James David MELLIFONT - 1881–1918
Birth 09 MAY 1881 • Boundary Street, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Death 4 JUL 1918 • France
WWI
Returned to Australia, Medically Discharged 26 May 1915 (Ruptured Kidney) - Re-enlisted 20 Sep 1916
27 Oct 1916: Private, 47th Infantry Battalion - (Re-)Embarked HMAT Marathon, Brisbane
"Mrs. Mellifont, Ross-street, Newstead, has received the sad news that her husband, Private Patrick J. D. Mellifont, was killed in action on July 4. Private Mellifont was a son of Mrs. Mellifont, Helen-street, Valley." - from the Brisbane Daily Standard 25 Jul 1918
Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey
Note- Patrick James David Mellifont has been recorded. on service documents for each conflict he served in, variously as James David Mellifont, Patrick James Mellifont, and Patrick James Davis Mellifont.
Patrick James David Mellifont served twice in the South African (Boer) War and again twice in WW1. First service was as a Private S.N. 308, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, Boer war. Second service was as a Private S.N. 639, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen (1st Draft), Boer war. Third service was as a Private S.N. 634, 2nd Light Horse Regiment AIF, WW1. Fourth service was as a Private S.N. 2691, 47th Infantry Battalion AIF, WW1, during which he was killed in action in France.
When he joined the 3rd QMI in 1900 he was recorded as James David Mellifont by Murray on the AWM Boer War Nominal Roll. In the original nominal roll for the 3rd Queensland Contingent, held by National Archives, it appears he was a late inclusion recorded in a handwritten amendment at the end of the roll as Patrick James David Mellifont. He was recorded in the service paybooks as Patrick James Mellifont.
In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 3rd QMI the men were recorded in alphabetical order, but again he is out of order as a late inclusion in the last pages of the final paybook. The paybooks, Bk 4 p. 57, provides a possible explanation noting he was attested on 1 May 1900, after the 3rd QMI arrived at Cape Town on 2 Apr 1900. He served with the 3rd QMI until their tour ended and was discharged in Brisbane on 20 Jun 1901.
Not long after he was selected in the First Draft of the 6th QIB and embarked again for South Africa in Aug 1901. The members of the draft mainly consisted of men who had served in previous contingents in South Africa and were assembled as reinforcements for the 5th and 6th QIB contingents already in South Africa. Men in the draft were not recorded in the original nominal roll for the 6th QIB but are recorded in the Boer War Service Paybooks.
He was recorded as Partick James Mellifont in the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB (to which he was allotted), Bk 4 p. 77, where it is noted he directed part of his pay to his mother Mary Ann Mellifont, Grace St, Valley, Brisbane.
The Brisbane Courier, 16 May 1902, notes when the 5th QIB embarked to return to Australia that, S.N. 639, Private Pat. Mellifont, remained in South Africa for further service. The Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 77, notes he returned to Brisbane and was discharged 14 Aug 1902.
He enlisted again in 1914 for WW1 and his Attestation Paper, dated 17 Sep 1914, records him as Patrick James Davis Mellifont and notes that; he was born at Brisbane and was 33 years 4 months of age; he was married and an advertising agent; his N.O.K. was his wife Mrs. E. M. Mellifont, Ross St, Newstead; and he had previously served with the 3rd QMI in the Boer war. While on active service he suffered a ruptured kidney and returned to Australia for discharge in Brisbane on 26 May 1915.
He then joined again in 1916 and his Attestation paper, dated 20 Sep 1916, records him as Patrick James David Mellifont and notes that; he was born at Brisbane and was 35 years 5 months of age; he was married with 7 children and was a Railway Employee; kis N.O.K. was his wife Mrs. Emily May Mellifont, Ross St, Newstead; and he had 2 years of previous active service in South Africa and 252 days with the AIF in WW1. His records indicated he was twice wounded in action before he was killed in action on 4 Jul 1918 in France.
Patrick James Mellifont (as recorded on BDM Qld birth register) was born on 9 May 1881 at Brisbane, a son to Thomas Mellifont and Mary Ann Mellifont (nee McWade). He married Emily May Haskings on 27 Feb 1906 and they lived at Newstead and had 7 children with the youngest born in 1916, just a few months before he embarked a second time for WW1. Emily remarried in 1919.
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 473 & 518; National Archives Australia- B 5172 Nominal Roll of 3rd Queensland Contingent Queensland Defence Force for service in South Africa, p. 3; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 3rd QMI, Bk 4 p. 57, and 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 77; National Archives Australia- WW1 service record).
Click images to start slideshow.