Flanagan, Luke

No.4811 – Private Luke Flanagan – 48^th Battalion AIF

Luke Flanagan was born in Fremantle Western Australia on the 21^st July 1879, to William & Eleanor Flanagan, being one of nine children. He was educated locally and spent some time in the Fremantle, Rottnest Island and Claremont region. His father William was the chief warden at Rottnest Island and later at the Hospital for the Insane at Claremont. The family lived in the cottages in Henderson Street Fremantle. However before his enlistment Luke was working as a labourer in the Pinjarra region. On the 3^rd November 1915 Luke applied to enlist in the AIF and was accepted for service. The medical examiner found him to be 5 feet 9 & ½ inches tall; weight of 137 lbs; chest measurement of 32-35 inches; fair complexion; grey eyes and dark brown hair. His religious denomination was Roman Catholic.

Luke was initially assigned to No.35 Depot and then to “A” Company of 4 Depot Battalion. On the 16^th December 1915 he was assigned to the 14^th Reinforcements to the 16^th Battalion AIF. Luke trained with this group through January 1916 and into February however on the 12^th February he was transferred to the 15^th Reinforcements to the 16^th Battalion. He trained with this group in WA until the end of March 1916. Their embarkation orders then came through and on the 1^st April 1916 they boarded the H.M.A.T. “Ulysses” in Fremantle Harbour and set sail.

On arrival in Egypt he was taken on strength of the 4^th Training Battalion but was then transferred to the 12^th Training Battalion and left with them for England where he continued his training with them on the Salisbury Plains. On the 17^th July 1916 Luke crossed over to France where he marched into the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples. The following day he was taken on strength of the 48^th Battalion. Luke served with the 48^th Battalion through the operations at Pozieres and Mouquet farm through August 1916 and came through unscathed. The battalion then moved to Belgium where they spent September & October 1916 though they were soon called back for their 2^nd sojourn on the Somme.

In November the 48^th Battalion served in the muddy battlefield of Flers. On the 26^th November Luke was severely wounded when shrapnel struck him through the arm. He was evacuated back through the 5^th Field Ambulance and was then sent to the 11^th Stationary Hospital at Rouen. Here his wound was assessed and it was found that the wound to the arm was very serious and it would have to be amputated. This was done though Luke’s condition continued to deteriorate after the operation and on the 2^nd December 1916 he died from his wounds at 4am.

Luke was buried at St Sever Cemetery Extension in Rouen France plot O.III.K.6.

Two of his brothers also served in the war but survived, Edgar was a Sergeant in the 3rd Division Ammunition Column and Edwin was a Lieutenant in the 35th Battalion.