Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

George the son of Francis Winks Byron DARMODY & Emma BIRKHEAD and was born on the 27th of March 1886 in Kew (Semaphore), SA.

Francis and Emma were married on the 6th of January 1880 in St Paul’s Anglican Church, Pt Pirie, SA.

His father was the son of James Wilkes DARMODY & Margaret WINKS and was born on the in 1849 in Workhouse Stoke Damerel, Devon, England.

His mother was the daughter of George BIRKHEAD & Maria MORTON and was born on the 10th of November 1856 in Adelaide, SA.

George was the fourth child born into this family of 10 children; 4 boys and 6 girls.

His mother was previously married to Dr. Samuel Wilfred SECKER on the 29th of November 1876 at the residence of her mother, Mrs Maria COOK, Solomontown, SA.

Samuel was a ships surgeon on board the Ben Voirlich and had arrived in South Australia in 1875.

They had a son; Samuel Wilfred Stewart SECKER, born on the 7th of August 1877. Dr. Secker was sentenced to 2 years hard labour in Yatala Labour Prison for Forging & Uttering on the 13th of November 1877.

Dr Secker died on the 30th of August 1878 in Yatala Prison from Haemorrhage of the lungs.

George’s Half Sibling;

(1) Samuel Wilfred Stewart SECKER (07.08.1877 – 23.02.1943)

George’s Siblings;

(1) Francis Charles Alfred DARMODY (12.11.1880 – 21.05.1954). He married Annie Tynan MCGORM on 21.11.1907 in North Adelaide.

Children; Kathleen Jessica (28.12.1909 – 28.01.1996), Francis John (05.09.1912 – 22.06.1991).

(2) Joseph Robert DARMODY (04.09.1882 – 22.06.1939)

(3) Ruth Emily Maria Jessie DARMODY (01.02.1885 – 11.069.1885).  

(4) Charles Albert Edward DARMODY (01.06.1888 – 01.12.1917). He drowned in the English Channel as the result of an attack by an enemy submarine. 3rd Mate on SS Rydal Hall in WW1. 

Children; Edmund Cave SOUTH (illegitimate) (1911 - ?)

(5) Maria Lily May DARMODY (25.07.1890 – 24.09.1938). She married Charles Ambrose JONES on 03.01.1922.

Children; Gwenyth El-ma Ambrose JONES (19.08.1923 – 26.03.2008), Raymond Charles Ambrose (24.02.1926 – 1986).

(6) Harriet Emma Eleanor DARMODY (28.04.1892 – 17.06.1970). She married Harry Hanson GILBERT on 12.01.1914 in Prospect.

Children; Mavis Joy HAWKES (03.06.1915 – 23.02.1996), Joan MASON (17.06.1917 – 17.04.2001), Molly CAREY (27.08.1919 – 10.04.2008) + 2 more.

(7) Louisa Grace Morton DARMODY (14.05.1894 – 1969). She married Victor Arthur John HARPER on 21.07.1919 in Prospect.

Children; Francis Victor Arthur (16.08.1920 – 17.08.1920), Dorothy Morton GEBERT (17.11.1920 – 06.07.1990), Maureen Alice Grace (09.08.1925 – 24.09.1969).

(8) Ada Gertrude DARMODY (19.07.1895 – 01.09.1968). She married Ronald Reginal UERN on 03.06.1924 in Adelaide.

Children; Ronald Stanley (05.03.1925 – 1987), Kelvin William (29.05.1928 – 24.07.1982).

(9) Charlotte Alice DARMODY (16.01.1899 – 27.05.1899)

________________________________________

George’s father was a painter in Pt Pirie and the family moved to Sutherland Street, Semaphore just before 1883.

George and his siblings attended the local school and on leaving school George followed in his father’s footsteps and became a painter.

He was also a very talented pianist and held concerts.

In the late 1900’s George joined the South Australian Naval Force and served with them for a few years, as did his brother Joseph.

His brother Charles also joined the South Australian Naval Force and by 1908 was an Able Seaman on board the Westralia. Charles then served on the Barrier and in 1912 was serving on the Steamer Cotswold Range, heading to Manila from NSW.

By 1912 George had moved to Darling Street, Medindie with his parents.

His mother died on the 26th of July 1914 at their home and they buried her in the North Road Cemetery.

Shortly after his mothers death the Darmody family moved to 90 Highbury Street, Prospect.

Charles by now was a Senior Quartermaster on the Steamship Craigforth, which was shipping cargo in the Black Sea.

In July 1914 they loaded 4.370 tonnes of wheat at Henichesk, Ukraine for delivery to Hamburg, Germany, via the Dardanelles.

On the 5th of August 1914 Charles was lucky to survive when his ship hit a mine near Istanbul-Büyükdere and was beached in damaged condition. Fourteen of his crew members were killed in the explosion.

They were then towed into Halıcıoğlu for temporary repairs and the cargo was removed by barges and seized by the Turkish authorities.

After repairs they proceeded for the Dardanelles and arrived on the 27th of September at Çanakkale, but were refused to pass the Dardanelles which were closed on this day by the Osmanlı Government and ordered to sail for Gelibolu. On arrival at Gelibolu they were ordered by Osmanlı Government to sail for Istanbul, They arrived in Istanbul on the 13th of October an anchored, only to be detained 2 weeks later and taken as Prisoner’s of War, even though Turkey had not entered the war as yet. 

Charles was then released and managed to get to Alexandria, through Romania and Greece. Whilst there he volunteered for service with the British Naval Expeditionary Forces, for the relief of Antwerp, but was rejected on account of dental defects.

At the age of 28 George enlisted into the RAN on the 13th of October 1914 and was allotted the service number 4150 and the rank of Stoker and posted to HMVS Cerberus in the Port of Melbourne.

George was then posted to the newly commissioned HMAS Fantome and despatched to New Guinea, returning to Sydney on the 21st of February and posted back to HMVS Cerberus.

It was during this time, in early 1915, after being rejected by the British Naval Expeditionary Forces, Charles joined the crew of HMTS Warwickshire, carrying troops to France on the Rangoon service.

George was then posted to HMAS Warrego and for the next six months was engaged in patrols off the east coast of Australia before returning to Sydney, via Melbourne in August 1915 and posted back to HMVS Cerberus until the 24th of January 1916, when he was posted to HMAS Huon.

During this time his other brother, Joseph enlisted into the AIF, Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train on the 21st of December 1915 (503). He later embarked from Melbourne on board RMS Malwa on the 25th of July 1916, disembarking in Egypt where he remained for the rest of his war service.

From the 27th of February 1916 George was posted back to HMVS Cerberus until the 14th of March when he was based at a London Depot.

On the 2nd of August he was posted to the Battle Cruiser & flagship HMAS Australia and was sent to the North Sea, patrolling as a unit of the British Grand Fleet.

On the 12th of November 1917, they collided with HMS Repulse and were then docked for three weeks. With repairs completed, they resumed a generally uneventful routine of patrol and fleet exercises in the North Sea.

During this time Charles was transferred to HMTS Istrar, carrying troops to Salonika. Luckily he was then transferred to HM Trentham Hall, a munitions ship, as HMTS Istrar was torpedoed and sunk by U-Boat U-39 on the 2nd of December 1916 about 120 miles out of Alexandria.

Charles was then promoted to 3rd Officer of HM Trentham Hall, running to the White Sea in Russia. He then had another narrow escape when he left port the day before seven munition ships were blown up, and 600 lives were lost, at Archangel in March 1917.

It was while on his second voyage from Archangel that his ship was beached on Pluckington Bank, and became a total wreck, in the River Mersey through heavy enemy gunfire on the 25th of May 1917.

Charles was then placed as a relieving officer on HMTS Rydall Hall.

On the return voyage, loaded with Manganese Ore, from Calcutta to Dunkirk Charles’s ship was torpedoed by U-Boat UC 75, and he was, with 22 other crew, lost at sea, presumed drowned, on the 1st of December 1917.

In the last year of the war HMAS Australia was used for aircraft experiments, with the ship’s echelon turrets being thought to offer better wind exposure and a safer take-off position than alternative warships.

On the 7th of March 1918 they successfully launched a Sopwith 1½ Strutter from a platform erected on one of the ships 12-inch gun turrets. This was the first ever launching of a two-seater aircraft from a battle cruiser. They then went on to achieve the first take-off with a full load on the 4th of April 1918 and launch several more flights without difficulty, including one at anchor. By the end of the war nearly every British capital ship carried a Strutter for reconnaissance and a Sopwith Pup or Sopwith Camel as a fighter.

The signing of the Armistice brought the fighting in Europe to an end and on the 21st of November, the Grand Fleet came out from the Firth-of-Forth in two divisions to meet the German High Seas Fleet steaming across the North Sea to be interned at Scapa Flow. 

HMAS Australia had the honour of leading the port line at the head of her squadron. 

HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Sydney were also there, taking their place among the light cruisers. After anchoring, each enemy ship was allocated a guard-ship. 

George and his crew members on board HMAS Australia were given charge of the latest German battle cruiser Hindenburg.

George married Elizabeth Gertrude WRIGHT on the 14th of August 1920 in St Laurences Priory, North Adelaide.

Elizabeth was the daughter of George Alexander WRIGHT & Mary DALY and was born on the 5th of July 1895 in Pt Adelaide, SA. Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant when they married.

They welcomed their first child; George Francis, on the 13th of November 1920 in Medindie, followed by Doreen May.

By 1923 they had moved to 57 Highbury Street, Prospect.

His father died on the 5th of July 1923 and they buried him in the North Road Cemetery.

Elizabeth died on the 6th of April 1942 at their home 86 Highbury Street, Prospect and George buried her in the West Terrace Cemetery the following day; Catholic Eastern Ground, Row HE South, Plot 3.

Their son George enlisted into the 2nd AIF on the 28th of July 1942 and was allotted the service number SX20598. He was discharged on the 14th of October 1942 and enlisted into the RAAF the following day (437065).

George died on the 13th of January 1957 and was buried in the West Terrace Cemetery the following day; Catholic Eastern Ground, Row HE South, Plot 3.

George’s grave is UNMARKED and the tenure is still current.

__________________________________________

Military Service;

At the age of 28 George enlisted into the Royal Australian Navy on the 13th of October 1914 in Pt Adelaide and was allotted the service number 4150 and the rank of Stoker.

He listed his father of 90 Highbury Street, Prospect, as his next of kin.

He was posted to HMVS Cerberus for nearly 6 weeks from the 13th of October 1914 to the 21st of November.  HMVS Cerberus had been designated as Port Guard Ship for the Port of Melbourne. She was a base for naval dock guards and small craft detailed to patrol the harbour.

George was then posted to the newly commissioned HMAS Fantome on the 22nd of November until the 27th of February 1915. HMAS Fantome was a patrol vessel used in mainly Australian waters but was despatched to New Guinea, with George and the crew.

They returned to Sydney on the 21st of February and George was granted 7 days leave before being posted, once again, to HMVS Cerberus at Port Melbourne until the 19th of April.

George was then posted to HMAS Warrego the following day.

HMAS Warrego was a River Class Torpedo Boat Destroyer and f or the next six months George was engaged in patrols off the east coast of Australia before returning to Sydney, via Melbourne in August 1915.

From the 16th of October 1915 George was posted back to HMVS Cerberus until the 24th of January 1916, when he was posted to HMAS Huon.

HMAS Huon was a River Class Torpedo Boat Destroyer, a sister ship to HMAS Warrego. HMAS Huon was commissioned the month before, but was not quite complete, so George never sailed on her until the 2nd of February.

From the 27th of February 1916 George was posted back to HMVS Cerberus until the 14th of March when he was based at a London Depot.

On the 2nd of August he was posted to the Battle Cruiser & flagship HMAS Australia and was sent to the North Sea, patrolling as a unit of the British Grand Fleet.

On the 12th of November 1917, they collided with HMS Repulse and were then docked for three weeks. With repairs completed, they resumed a generally uneventful routine of patrol and fleet exercises in the North Sea.

In the last year of the war HMAS Australia was used for aircraft experiments, with the ship’s echelon turrets being thought to offer better wind exposure and a safer take-off position than alternative warships.

On the 7th of March 1918 they successfully launched a Sopwith 1½ Strutter from a platform erected on one of the ships 12-inch gun turrets. This was the first ever launching of a two-seater aircraft from a battle cruiser. They then went on to achieve the first take-off with a full load on the 4th of April 1918 and launch several more flights without difficulty, including one at anchor. By the end of the war nearly every British capital ship carried a Strutter for reconnaissance and a Sopwith Pup or Sopwith Camel as a fighter.

The signing of the Armistice brought the fighting in Europe to an end and on the 21st of November, the Grand Fleet came out from the Firth-of-Forth in two divisions to meet the German High Seas Fleet steaming across the North Sea to be interned at Scapa Flow. 

HMAS Australia had the honour of leading the port line at the head of her squadron. 

HMAS Melbourne and HMAS Sydney were also there, taking their place among the light cruisers. After anchoring, each enemy ship was allocated a guard-ship. 

George and his crew members on board HMAS Australia were given charge of the latest German battle cruiser Hindenburg.

George completed his service and was discharged from the RAN on the 12th of June 1919.