12. The McCaughan Brothers

WW1 – The McCaughan Brothers

Saluting their Service - Grahame Old

Introduction

There were a number of families from Collie and Surrounding Districts who provided more than one son to the War effort during WW1. Records show that there were fourteen (14) families from Collie with three siblings who served overseas. The McCaughan brothers were all born in the coal mining area of Gippsland Victoria, the family moved to Collie prior to the war and lived in Raymond St. The story of the McCaughan brothers is typical of many other families in Collie during WW1. A short service related history on each brother follows;

177 L/Cpl Alexander McCaughan – 9th Bn AIF

Alexander, the second of the McCaughan brothers, was born in 1892 at Coalville Victoria. When war was declared in Europe, Alexander was working as a labourer in Queensland, eager to do his bit he enlisted in Brisbane on 21 August 1914, age 22. His listed next of kin was his mother Mrs Alice Alexandria McCaughan, Raymond St Collie. Alexander was the first of the brother’s to enlist, he was allocated to the 9th Infantry Battalion and after training sailed to Albany to join the AIF convoy bound for Egypt. After further training in Egypt Alexander, along with his 9th Battalion mates underwent their baptism of fire at Gallipoli. He survived Gallipoli and then found himself on the Western Front in France. Alexander fought three long years of war in France and Belgium but tragically was killed in action on 20 June 1918 at Merris, France, age 25 yrs. The circumstances around his death are best described in this extract from the History of the 9th Australian Infantry Battalion;

9th AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BATTALION – War Diary June 1918

Report by Lieutenant Raff

“I have to report the capture of 2 prisoners and a machine gun as follows:-

At daybreak enemy was seen carrying his gun into a camouflaged position in the hedge. He was not fired on in order not to give our position away. After an hour or two one of the enemy appeared and saw our party watching him. A sniping duel then took place in which 4 of the enemy were seen to be hit. Later on Pte McCAUGHAN and Pte WAND crept out to take the position, the former throwing two bombs inside and then firing his revolver.  Unfortunately he was then sniped from the right flank and was shot dead. Later on L/Cpl MILLER and Pte VANCE went out and crawled up to the position. They were also sniped at but without result. L/Cpl MILLER put his head inside and two of the enemy surrendered and came out. Two others were inside dead. Pte VANCE carried back the machine gun under fire from the right”.

Alexander McCaughan was buried in the Courcelette British Cemetery France plot 3, row f, grave 27. He is remembered on the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, panel 56 and on the Collie Soldiers Park Memorial.

Footnote:

In 2018 the great niece of Alexander McCaughan, Leslie Obrien, wrote an article on Alexander’s life, it was headed A ‘Collie boy’ who had a very long war, then died at journey’s end. The article was subsequently published in the Collie Mail.  Extracts from that article are re-produced here;

1. “He had been in the militia in Collie thus knew something of army life”.

2. “My son and I travelled to Merris in France to visit the exact place where Alexander had died. We travelled to Courcellette British Cemetery and visited his burial place.  We placed a small Australian flag and some gum leaves on his grave”.  

3. “This year (2018) I returned again to France. I participated in a series of events that commemorated the centenary of the liberation of Merris by Australian forces. I delivered a short speech, in French, during a commemorative service at a nearby war graves cemetery.  Later, French school children read the names of a select number of Australian service men, including Alexander’s, and told something of their story.  Alexander’s photograph now hangs on the walls of the local (Merris) war museum”.

4. “Alexander’s name is inscribed on the War Memorial in Soldiers’ Park in Collie and a rosebush planted nearby honours his name. Alexander McCaughan’s name is not, however, inscribed on the walls of the Western Australian War Memorial in Kings Park”.

5. “A project to rectify the WA Honour Roll records is in progress and Alexander’s name has now been added to the official WA war dead database”.

‍

Note: A project to correct the anomaly of some WA soldiers not being listed on the Kings Park Memorial had already commenced. Collie Cardiff RSL provided a list of names of a number of Collie Boys who had enlisted in other states but had listed their NOK (next of kin) as residing in Collie. Alexander McCaughan was included in that list.

861 Sgt Thomas McCaughan – 32nd Bn AIF

The youngest of the McCaughan brothers, Thomas, was born in 1894 at Korumburra, Victoria. He was working in the mining industry in Collie when he enlisted on 25 May 1915, age 20, his listed next of kin was his mother Mrs Alice Alexandria McCaughan, Raymond St Collie. Thomas was eager to join his brother Alexander in the great adventure. After training at Blackboy Hill he was allocated as a re-enforcement for WA’s own 32nd Infantry Battalion. Thomas embarked for Egypt on 18 November 1915 where he joined the Battalion which was being brought up to strength after the disastrous Gallipoli campaign. Thomas was soon identified as a leader of men and promoted to Sgt, in June 1916, after further training with the Battalion he embarked for France and the horrors of the western front. The Battalion fought its first major battle at Fromelles on 19 July 1916, having only entered the front line trenches 3 days previously. The battle was a disaster the battalion suffered heavy casualties. Sgt Thomas McCaughan was among the wounded with severe gunshot wounds to the arm and chin on 21 July 1916. He was hospitalised in France before being evacuated to hospital in England for further treatment. Thomas was released from Hospital in October 1916 and attached to the Command Depot in England, in June 1918 he re-joined his Battalion in the field France however in August was again admitted to hospital in France then England with severe chronic appendicitis. He was returned to Australia in December 1918 and discharged from service in March 1919, medically unfit.

1081 Spr John McCaughan – Sapper 5th Aust Broad Gauge Rail Corps

The oldest of the McCaughan brothers, John, was born in Coalville Victoria in 1891. He was working as a machinist in the mining industry in Collie when he enlisted on 3 June 1916, age 25, his listed next of kin was his wife Mrs Della McCaughan, Wittenoom St Collie. The couple had two children. By the middle of 1916 the war was no longer the great adventure but rather a horrible war of attrition. Recruits were hard to find. John must have agonised over the decision to either remain with his wife and children or to enlist. His final decision was to join his brothers and he enlisted on 03 June 1916, at Bunbury. After training he was allocated to the Aust Army Medical Corps and in December 1916 he found himself in the camp band (John had been a member of the Collie brass band prior to enlistment).       In January 1917 he was transferred to the Railway Corps and in May 1917 he found himself in France with the 9th Company Aust Army Railway Corps. John was hospitalised in France July 1918 with influenza, discharged in August he was transferred to the 5th Aust Broad Gauge Railway Corps operating in the field France. In January 1919 he was admitted to hospital with an undiagnosed condition (NYD), evacuated to hospital in England he was later treated for exertion. In June 1919 John McCaughan returned to Australia and was discharged from service on the 10 September 1919.

The McCaughan Brothers Remembered forever at the Collie Cardiff RSL

                                                     ‘Lest We Forget’

‍