Corkhill, Maurice

3437 Private Maurice Corkhill - 16th Battalion AIF

Maurice Corkhill was born in Melbourne Victoria in 1887 to Robert and Mary Carroll. He was one of five siblings, with, Robert 1879, Joseph 1879, George 1881 and Michael 1884.

Shortly after his birth the family moved across to Western Australia and took up residence in North Fremantle. Robert Corkhill secured employment with John Lysaght Australia Ltd in North Fremantle.

Maurice found work as a Carrier for the GPO and also served in the WA Highlanders of the Citizens Military Forces for twelve months before resigning from the service.

He also played Australian Rules for the North Fremantle football club.

In 1912 Maurice was living at 29 Thompson road North Fremantle and was still working for the Post Office

When the Great War began Maurice tried to enlist early in the war but was knocked back due to medical reasons. However he tried again, enlisting on the 20th September 1915. The medical officer passed him as fit for service and recorded his medical details as;

Height - 5 feet 10 & 1/4 inches tall;

Weight - 148lbs;

Chest Measurement - 36-39 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Dark.

Upon his successful enlistment Maurice was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 11th Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA for the next few months while they waited for their embarkation orders to arrive. These finally came through and on the 1st November 1915 Maurice and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Benalla and set sail for Egypt.

They arrived in Egypt towards the end of November 1915. The men would have been expecting to be sent on to Gallipoli but due to plans underway to evacuate the Dardanelles, they were instead retained in Egypt.

While in Egypt the 11th Reinforcements to the 16th battalion had their photograph taken and which was published in the Daily News paper on the 8th February 1916. (Pictured below) The paper stated it was known as the 'Footballers Platoon' for as well as Maurice Corkhill who had played for North Fremantle, it also contained Bruce Campbell from Subiaco, Cleave Doig from East Fremantle, and 'Dido' Cooper, William McGilvray and Arthur O'Donnell from South Fremantle.

Maurice remained in the reinforcement camp in Egypt for the next few months. On the 7th March 1916 he was taken on strength of the 16th Battalion. He trained with his unit for the next few months in Egypt.

On the 2nd June 1916 the 16th battalion left Egypt on a transport ship and proceeded to France, arriving at Marseilles on the 9th June 1916. After their arrival the men were entrained north to the Armentieres sector of the Western Front. They would have their first experience of the Western Front in this sector.

In mid July 1916 they were then transferred to the Somme battlefield. The 1st Australian Division had captured Pozieres village on the 23rd July 1916, and the 2nd Australian Division then furthered the gains already made. The 16th battalion, as part of the 4th Australian Division, then went into the line to advance the line towards Mouquet farm.

On the 10th August 1916 Maurice was hit in the back and spine by shrapnel after being blown up by a shell, also suffering severe shell shock. He was evacuated to the 13th Field Ambulance where initial treatment was given before being sent to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station. Maurice was then sent to the 6th General Hospital at Rouen.

Maurice only spent a few days here as on the 15th August 1916 he was shipped to England where he was admitted to the 1st London General Hospital at Camberwell. Maurice would remain here for the next four months undergoing treatment.

On the 5th January 1917 Maurice was then sent to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield. Maurice was now marked as for return to Australia, being medically unfit for further service due to his wound. On the 10th January he was given a two week furlough and on the 25th January 1917 he went to No.2 Command Depot Camp to wait for a troopship to take him home.

On the 13th February 1917 Maurice boarded the HMAT Benalla and set sail for Australia, arriving back in Fremantle in March 1917.

After his arrival Maurice was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in Fremantle for further examination and treatment. He was discharged from the AIF on the 4th July 1917. He was then granted a war pension of 30/- per fortnight. After he had returned home he was given an official welcome as reported in the WA Record.

A welcome home was given to a returned soldier, Private Maurice Corkhill, by the members of the St. Anne's branch, of the Hibernian Society, in the Rechabite Hall, North Fremantle, on Tuesday, April 17th. Private Corkhill being the first member of the branch to return from the war. Over 100 persons attended, and a very enjovable evening was spent, Mr. P. Carroll presiding. After the toast of the King, the Rev. Father Flynn proposed the toast of "The Guest" in a neat speech, in which he complimented Private Corkhill on his patriotic action in enlisting in the defence of the Empire, and wished him a speedy recovery from the injuries he had received "somewhere in France." The toast of the Corkhill family was proposed by Mr. Dowling, and responded to by Mr. R. Corkhill, senr. The other speakers were the Rev. Father Neville, Mr. Slattery, and Mr. Craig, the ex-Mayor of North Fremantle.

He initially returned home to Thompson Road North Fremantle and resumed his role as a Master Carrier for the GPO.

In 1920 Maurice purchased a lot in John Street North Fremantle. In 1921 he married Mary Dolores Hevron at St Anne's Church North Fremantle and she purchased the neighboring block in John Street. The property would later become known as Corkhill House.

A son Maurice Dennis Corkhill was born in 1922, though sadly Mary died through complications and their son died just after three weeks.

In 1925 Maurice's sister Honora died aged just 26 at their family home in John Street. She had been ill for some time and was formerly a dressmaker at Economic Ltd Fremantle and the Bon Marche stores in Perth.

In 1926 Maurice re-married to Catherine Ethel Shannon and they continued residing at 12 John Street. Two children were born from the marriage, Joan, Mary born in 1932, Kevin in 1934 and Catherine in 1935.

Sadly Catherine died in an accident at 12 John Street in 1937. As reported in the West Australian on 1st December 1937;

FALL INTO COPPER.
Infant Dies from Burns.
Suffering from shock and burns as the result of having fallen into a copper of hot water at her home on Monday afternoon, a two-year-old infant died at the Fremantle Hospital late on Monday night.
The victim was:
CORKHILL, Catherine (2). of 12 John street North Fremantle.
About 2 o'clock on Monday afternoon, the little girl was playing with her father Maurice Corkhill, contractor, of North Fremantle in the garden of his home and, suddenly missing her, he began to search for her in the house. Running through the open doorway of the laundry, he was alarmed to see the child's legs protruding from the copper into which she had evidently fallen backwards, her head then resting in about nine Inches of fairly hot water. Though badly burnt, the child was still conscious, and the father must have arrived only a few moments after she had fallen. Dr. Dermer immediately attended to the infant's burns, and the child was then taken by car by Mr. Corkhill to the Fremantle Hospital, where she died late the same evening.
A poignant feature of the tragedy was the fact that the mother had taken the precaution to bolt the door when she finished washing on Monday morning. The bolt was withdrawn by the child, who stood on an attaché case in order to reach it. The little girl was the youngest of four children, the eldest being a girl of ten years.
 

Maurice became heavily involved in the local community and became a North Fremantle Councillor in 1932 onwards.

Through the 1930's and 40's the family continued to reside at 12 John Street North Fremantle.

Maurice again offered his services in World War Two. He enlisted on the 9th November 1940. He was assigned a service number W31741 and was assigned to the 5th Garrison Battalion. He served in the metropolitan area between 1940 to 1942 and was then discharged.

Maurice lived at 12 John Street North Fremantle up to his death.

He died on the 17th August 1969, aged 83 and is buried at Fremantle Cemetery plot Roman Catholic Mon C3 0474.