Malone, Martin Patrick

6110 Sapper Martin Patrick Malone - 6th Railway operating Company

Martin Patrick Malone was born in Perth WA to Martin and Maria Malone in 1892. He was one of several children born into the family in WA, with Michael (1897), Catherine (1900), Patrick (1902) and John (1905). There were older siblings including Joseph were born in Melbourne when the family lived in Victoria.

The family moved to North Fremantle while Martin was still young and set up residence in Coventry Parade North Fremantle. Martin was educated at Christian Brothers College Fremantle.

After leaving school Martin took up employment with the WA Government Railways. During this time he was also an active sportsman, playing football for the North Fremantle Amateurs. He was in the 1912 Premiership team.

On the 20th June 1916 Martin enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was passed as fit by the medical examiner who recorded his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 7 & 1/4 inches tall;

Weight - 148lbs;

Chest Measurement - 34-37 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Brown.

After his successful enlistment Martin was sent to No.78 Training Depot where he was taken through the basics of infantry training. On the 1st August 1916 he was transferred into the 18th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion. He remained with this group till the 4th September 1916 when he was transferred into the 17th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion.

Martin trained with this group for the next two months and on the 9th November 1916 Martin and his group boarded the transport ship HMAT Argyllshire in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for England. On the 10th January 1917 the ship reached Devonport Harbour in England.

Martin and his group were then sent to the 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone Camp on the Salisbury Plains. On the 6th February 1917 Martin was sent to Fargo Military Hospital suffering from influenza. However after a two week spell in hospital Martin returned to the 7th Training Battalion.

On the 25th April 1917 Martin was sent to France and after a week in the 2nd Australian Division Base Depot in Etaples he was taken on strength of the 28th Battalion on the 2nd May 1917.

He joined the 28th Battalion just in time to take part in the 2nd Battle of Bullecourt. There was much hand to hand fighting with the Germans in the trenches as they tried to consolidate the gains made by other Australian units.

Martin survived Bullecourt unscathed but a month earlier his brother Joseph John Malone had been wounded and taken Prisoner of War by the Germans at Bullecourt.

After a few days in the line the 28th Battalion were relieved from their positions. The 28th Battalion then spent June to August out of the front line undergoing rest and training.

However on the 5th June Martin was sent to hospital ill. He was diagnosed as PUO or Pyrexia of unknown origin. He spent ten days at No.56 Casualty Clearing Station and was then transferred to No.3 Stationary Hospital at Rouen.

On the 20th June 1917 Martin was sent to England and was then admitted to hospital in Exeter. Martin's condition was now labelled as Trench fever. Martin would spend over six weeks there and on the 30th July 1917 he was sent to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford.

On the 6th August 1917 Martin was then transferred to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth. On the 28th August he was then transferred to No.4 Command Depot Camp at Codford.

On the 14th September 1917 Martin was sent to the Overseas Training Brigade Camp at Longbridge Deverell. He would spend the next few weeks regaining his fitness before being sent back to France.

On the 20th October 1917 Martin left Southampton England and returned to France, eventually being taken on strength of the 28th Battalion on the 28th October 1917. The 28th Battalion were then in Belgium on the Passchendaele front.

Martin remained with the 28th Battalion in Belgium till the end of February 1918. Because of his pre war railway experience Martin was then transferred to the 6th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company. The Railway operating Companies transferred supplies and troops from the bases to various parts of the front. While operating further from the front line than the infantry, the railway units were often under shellfire or aerial bombing from the Germans. He spent the remainder of the war with this unit.

On the 22nd November 1918 Martin was granted leave to England, returning to his unit on the 18th December 1918. He then resumed working on the railways till the 19th March 1919. Though the war was over there was still much work in the moving of troops and supplies.

On the 1st May 1919 Martin returned to England and went to Codford Camp until he was assigned a berth on a troopship home. On the 21st June 1919 Martin boarded the transport ship Kongin Louise and set sail for Australia. When the ship reached Durban South Africa Martin got into trouble for overstaying his leave in the port and was given 48 hours detention on the ship and was also fined two days pay.

Martin arrived home in Fremantle on the 2nd August 1919 and was discharged from the AIF on the 16th September 1919.

Martin returned to his pre war career of working for WA Government Railways. In 1922 was listed as a fireman and living in Coventry Parade North Fremantle. He appears to have remained there for the next few years.

In 1923 in North Fremantle he married Minne Beatrice Wren.

In 1927 his father Martin Malone died and after this Martin (jnr) went prospecting in the Goldfields though he came back regularly to visit family in North Fremantle. In 1934 Martin got into trouble for driving under the influence of alcohol in Victoria Avenue North Fremantle on Christmas Eve. However from the article below it sheds some light on Martin's health at the time

DRUNKEN DRIVING CHARGE.

North Fremantle Collision,

Martin Patrick Malone (42), prospector, appeared on remand in the Fremantle Police Court yesterday, before Messes. A. E. Padv and- J. H. Foxworthv. J.P.s, on a charge of having been In charge of a motor truck while under the influence of liquor at North Fremantle on December 24. He was further charged with having driven the truck in a manner dangerous to the public. Joshua Darby Carmody, tramway motorman, described a collision between the car he was driving and accused's motor truck in Victoria-avenue, North Fremantle, about 5.30 p.m. on December 24. Constable George Mann, of North Fremantle, said the accused was unsteady on his feet after the accident and was very much under the influence of liquor. Sergeant Michael O'Brien, of North Fremantle, testified that Malone was very much under the influence of liquor when brought to the North Fremantle police station by Constable Mann.

Called as a witness by Mr. W. E. Slattery, who appeared for the accused, Dr. B. J. Hallion, of Fremantle, said he had attended Malone last year for a fractured spine. For about four months Malone had had his body in a plaster cast. - Malone suffered from bronchial asthma and was extremely wasted in his muscles. Witness thought it quite reasonable that accused, after having driven 150 miles over corrugated roads, might be tremulous and unsteady in his gait. A test had shown that Malone was more affected by exertion than the average man.
Malone, in evidence, said his spine was fractured in May last. For about five months his body was in a plaster cast. On the day of the accident he had driven from the country 160 miles over rough roads. He had had only one drink on the journey. Just before the accident he saw the tram car, which he thought was travelling towards Fremantle. It was very hard to see because the sun was glaring on the windscreen of his truck. He endeavored to stop the truck when he saw the tramcar move in his direction, but could not do so in time to avoid a collision.
Samuel Daniels, who was a passenger in the truck with Malone, gave evidence that in his opinion Malone was not under the influence of liquor and was quite capable of driving the truck. Mr. Pady said that the Bench did not regard the offence as very serious and would treat it accordingly. The accused would be fined £1, with 18/ costs, in default five days' imprisonment. On the application of Sergeant Nisbet the second charge against Malone was withdrawn.
 
 

Martin lived with his wife Minnie at Fields Find in the Goldfields. Though the town is now longer in existence it was situated between Paynes Find and Yalgoo.

Martin Patrick Malone died in Royal Perth Hospital on the 13th February 1949 aged 56. He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery plot Roman Catholic SC 0546