Wyndham History

Patrick John Canty (c.1872-1926)

Item

Placeholder image - Veteran.png

Dublin Core

Type

Title

Patrick John Canty (c.1872-1926)

Contributor

Date

1916

Publisher

Wyndham City Libraries

Format

text

Language

eng

World War One Veterans Item Type Metadata

Name

Patrick John Canty

Birth Date

Birthplace

Service Number

2295

Enlistment Date

Next of Kin

Margaret McEvoy (nee Canty)
sister

Address at time of Enlistment

Werribee, Victoria

Occupation

Marital Status

Single

Death Date

Place of Burial

Werribee

Biographical Text

No.2295  Private Patrick John Canty
Patrick Canty was born at Gordon in Victoria to Timothy Canty and Winifred Mulvahal.  There are various spellings of his mother's maiden name. Other children of the marriage were:
  • Timothy (1865–1936)
  • David (c.1855–1938)
  • Thomas (1869–1946)
  • Daniel (1876-?), Michael (1875-?)
  • John
  • Joseph (1872–1907)
  • James
  • Annie
  • Winifred (1878-?)
  • Margaret (?–1926)
Patrick spent his childhood in the Gordon area, and then lived at Shepparton, before moving to Werribee.

War Service
Patrick Canty enlisted in the A.I.F. at Melbourne on 13 May 1916 when he was 44 years old, and was sent to Seymour for training with the Reserve Company, 4th Depot Battalion.  Between the 29 May 1916 and 5 July 1916 he was with the 3/37th Battalion Reinforcements.  He was then moved to the 4/37th Battalion Reinforcements between 5 July 1916 and 12 September 1916.  This may have been due to his age, limitations and having to repeat his training.  At the completion of training he was appointed as a Private, and sent to the Isolation Camp at Ascot Vale from the 12-25 September 1916.

The 10th Infantry Brigade, 37th Battalion, 4th Reinforcements embarked from Melbourne on 20 October 1916 per HMAT Port Lincoln A17.  They transferred to the HT A11 Ascanius troopship at Sierra Leone on 2 December 1916, and disembarked at Plymouth on 9 January 1917.

Private Canty arrived at the 10th Training Battalion, Durrington, Wiltshire, on 10 January 1917.  While there he was admitted to the Parkhouse Hospital on 11 February 1917. No reason was given in his service records.

The reinforcements embarked from Folkstone to France on 28 March 1917, and arrived at the Etaples Camp in France one day later.
Private Canty was taken on strength with the 37th Battalion from the 4th Reinforcements on 3 April 1917.  The Battalion was in position at Zudausques (in the Pas-de-Calais region of France).  Two days later they commenced a march of 19½ miles to Sercus, in extreme conditions, along snow covered roads.  The next day they marched on to Armentieres (22 miles) and set up their Headquarters at No.6 Rue Strasborg.

Early in June 1917, the 37th Battalion were at the Rue Du Sac Camp near Ploegsteert.  On 7 June 1917, they entered the front line with the 40th Battalion, to cross the River Douve on special pontoon bridges.  It was during this action that Private Canty was wounded in action for the first time.  He was first reported as being Killed in Action on a date between the 7 and 9 June 1917, but that was changed to Wounded in Action.  On 7 June, he was admitted to the 9th Field Ambulance suffering from a bullet wound to his shoulder, and transferred to the CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) the next day.  He was then moved to the 7th C.G.H. at the Etaples Camp for four days before being moved on to the 6th Con Depot for two days.

Patrick arrived back at the 3rd ADBD at Ravelles on the 16 June 1917, and was back with the 37th Battalion on the 21 June 1917. They were now based at the Regina Camp, in France.  He was treated by the 11th Field Ambulance on the 19th July 1917, suffering with influenza. Requiring further treatment, he was admitted to the 9th A.F.A. between the 24 July 1917 and 2 August 1917.  He was then transferred to No 3 A.D.R.C., until he re-joined his Battalion on 8 August 1917. The Battalion was now back at Ploegsteert.

On 12 October 1917, the 37 Battalion were at Passchendaele, and took part in the Battle of Ypres around Gravenstafel.  Private Canty was Wounded in Action (Gunshot wound in thigh and left leg) and treated by the 3rd Field Ambulance, and sent to the Casualty Clearing Station.  He then went to the 3rd Canadian General Hospital at Boulorne.  On the 17 October he embarked for England per the Hospital Ship St Andrew, and was then admitted to the Edmonton Military Hospital.  After five weeks of treatment he was transferred to the 3rd Auxilary Hospital at Dartford.

On 30 November 1917, he was discharged from the 3rd Auxilary Hospital to the No.3 Group Clearing Hospital at Hurdcott in Wiltshire. While there he reported sick to the Group Clearing Hospital at Hurdcott (on 5 December 1917), suffering with a septic foot.  On 25 February 1918, he marched in to the Carrier Centre at Sutton Veny in Wiltshire, and was assessed as Class C1A.  He marched out from Sutton Veny on the 4 March 1918 and went to No.2 Commonwealth Depot at Weymouth.  It was here that the decision was made that he was to return to Australia.

On 21 April 1918, he embarked per H.M.A.T. Suvic A29 for Discharge in Australia suffering from Premature Senility.  Patrick Canty was discharged on 17 July 1918 at 3 M.D., with a military pension, and returned to Werribee.

Post War
Werribee Shire Medal presented in June 1919.
The 1919 and 1924 Electoral Rolls list him as a Labourer at Werribee.

He married Mary Templeton at Werribee, and lived on Diggers Road. They had four children:
  • Joseph,
  • Patrick,
  • Gerald and
  • Arthur.
He died at his home on 16 September 1926, leaving a wife and four children.  The eldest was eight and the youngest nine months.  His funeral was one of the biggest in the district, with over 75 motor cars and horse drawn vehicles in the cortege.
Werribee Shire Banner, 16 September 1926, p.2 and Werribee Shire Banner, 23 September 1926, p.10.

Medals & Entitlements:
  • British War Medal
  • Victory Medal
He was granted a pension of 20/- per fortnight w.e.f. 18 July 1918.
 

Bibliography

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/
http://search.ancestrylibrary.com/
http://www.awm.gov.au/people
http://regimentalrogue.com/misc/researching_first_world_war_soldiers_part13.htm

Pioneer Index Victoria 1836-1888 CD
Federation Index Victoria 1889-1901 CD

Medals and Entitlements

British War Medal
Victory Medal

Citation

“Patrick John Canty (c.1872-1926),” Wyndham History, accessed September 28, 2023, http://www.wyndhamhistory.net.au/items/show/1593.

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