Timothy Laurence DRISCOLL
Born 1897 in Kellerberrin, Western Australia [15]
Son of Michael DRISCOLL and Catherine LUCEY [15]
His parents were "addicted to drink" resulting in him and three of his brothers spending time at Clontarf Boys Home [P137]
Admitted to Clontarf on 22 August 1902 for being a neglected child with health stated as good and education as poor [P137]
He was sent from Clontarf Boys Home on 21 January 1911 to work for a farmer for four years [P137]
Worked as a farmhand until enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) in Perth on 1 March 1915 [30: item 3522342]
Upon enlistment he was 5 feet 8¾ inches tall, weighed 130 pounds, had grey eyes, dark brown hair and a dark complexion [30]
He gave his next of kin as his sister Miss Annie DRISCOLL, which was later changed to his mother Mrs Catherine DRISCOLL [30]
Although aged only 18 he gave his age at enlistment two years older than he actually was - as 20 years and two months [30]
His mother gave her signed and witnessed consent for him to serve abroad, as he was under 21 years of age [30]
After training at Blackboy Hill he was appointed to the 6th Reinforcements of 10th Light Horse Regiment on 16 April 1915 [30]
Embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia for active service abroad on the H.M.A.T. A63 Karoola on 25 June 1915 [30]
Trooper 1014 in the Australian Imperial Force's 10th Light Horse Regiment in Turkey and Egypt during the First World War [30]
Joined his unit on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey on 2 October 1915 before being moved to Egypt in late December 1915 [30]
In September 1916 his mother hadn't heard from him for four months and grew concerned of his welfare [30]
His mother spoke to the Australian Red Cross Society who contacted the A.I.F. on her behalf to ascertain his condition [30]
Admitted to hospital sick on 27 May 1917 until 10 July 1917 when he lost seven days of pay for "breaking out of hospital" [30]
He was detached to the Imperial School of Instruction for just over a week, from 29 July 1917 to 8 August 1917 [30]
Became a 1st Class Gunner on 8 August 1917 after attending the 29th Hotchkiss Gun Course [30]
To railway construction works at Kantara in Egypt on 25 August 1917 and worked as part of the Railway Construction Unit [30]
Hospitalised due to sickness 5 February 1918 to 15 March 1918, 16 July 1918, and 22 September 1918 to 15 March 1918 [30]
Served the end of the war with the 10th Light Horse Regiment and the 3rd Light Horse Training Regiment in Egypt [30]
Embarked on his return to Australia on the H.T. Oxfordshire and disembarked in Western Australia on 4 August 1919 [30]
Discharged from the A.I.F. on 3 October 1919; received the 1914/15 Star, Victory Medal and the British War medal [30]
He appears to have acquired farmland in Carnamah as a returned soldier through the Soldier Settlement Scheme [44]
Took up the 1,140 acre Victoria Location 6928 [44] on part of the Yarra Yarra Estate in Winchester, South Carnamah [194]
Yarra Yarra was one of four soldier settlement estates in Carnamah, and had previously belonged to Donald MACPHERSON [244]
In 1920 his address was care of James E. HUNTER of Wylam Farm in Winchester [39: 22 & 23-Jul-1920]
Advertised under "Missing Friends" in The West Australian newspaper in July 1920 endeavouring to locate his mother [39: 23-Jul-1920]
Later in 1920 he was working clearing land on Leonard F. BULLOCK's Koonga Farm in Coomberdale [10: 22-Oct-1920, 24-Dec-1920]
He was found on a bed at his camp on Koonga Farm with a severe wound to his head on Friday 15 October 1920 [10]
His employer immediately took him to the Moora District Hospital, where he remained in a comatose state for a number of days [10]
He revealed to his sister, who travelled from Meckering to be with him, that he'd tripped when out kangaroo shooting [10]
His gun had gone off when he tripped and beyond that he couldn't remember anything further [10]
He'd previously attempted to clear up what happened with contradicting stories of a tree falling and being hit by a car [10]
No credibility was given to these stories as he was deemed not in a stable state to give any reasonable account of anything [10]
He had a sharp head wound and a slightly scorched forehead, and despite improving over a period of two months, he succumbed [10]
Died 18 December 1920; buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Moora Public Cemetery in Moora, Western Australia [116]
Presumably unaware of his death, the Mingenew Road Board sent to him in Carnamah in 1923-24 his initial rates for his 1,140 acres [44]
From The Moora Herald and Midland Districts Advocate newspaper, 24 December 1920
Timothy L Driscoll
"The death at the Moora Hospital of a returned soldier named Timothy Driscoll, age about 24, who it will be remembered met with a mysterious gun accident at Mr Bullock's farm at Coomberdale on the 14th October last came as a rude shock to those who were hopeful that under the careful nursing and unremitting attention, combined with the best medical skill, that he would ultimately recover, as he was until recently making slow progress towards that desire. Last week, however, he took a turn for the worse, and it was thought advisable to summon his relatives. He gradually sank and died at 10.30 on Saturday last, the actual cause of death being the forming of an abscess on the brain caused by a gunshot wound. The deceased was a man of quiet demeanour, and a favourite with all with whom he came in contact, and had served four years at the front. The funeral took place on Sunday last, the remains being followed to their last resting place, the Roman Catholic Cemetery, by a large number of mourners, prominent amongst whom were many members of the R.S.L., under their President, Lieu-Col. Denton, D.O.S., V.D. An adjourned inquest into the cause of death (no clear account of the accident having been given) was held on Monday before Mr H M Hayton, acting coroner and a jury of three, consisting of Mr S G Snell (foreman), and Messrs W L Fornero and W Morgan, when a verdict of accidental death was returned."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Timothy Laurence Driscoll' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 26 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/timothy-laurence-driscoll [reference list] |
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