Keane, Andrew
314 Gunner Andrew Keane - 36th Heavy Artillery Group
Andrew was born in Tipperary Ireland on the 31st July 1887. Not much is known of his early life in Ireland but he appears to have left at a young age and travelled to the United States before arriving in Australia.
Andrew had trained as a Plate Layer but had also served in the British Army. On arriving in WA in 1912, Andrew signed up to the Australian Permanent Artillery. He was based at Fremantle Artillery Barracks from 1912 to 1915 during which time he helped to man the guns at Fort Forrest and Arthur Head which protected Fremantle Harbour.
When the Great War began, the permanent Gunners were retained in Australia due to the threat of German Naval ships. However when that threat eased, the Gunners were able to enlist and were replaced in their role in Australia by reservists. There had been a call for experienced Heavy Artillery Gunners on the Western Front.
Many of the Permanent Gunners who were based at the Fremantle Artillery Barracks were able to enlist on the 1st June 1915. Andrew was among them and was passed as fit by the medical examiner who recorded Andrew's details as;
Height - 5 feet 8 inches tall;
Weigh - 156lbs;
Chest Measurement - 35-38 inches;
Complexion - Ruddy;
Eyes - Light Blue;
Hair - Dark Brown.
His next of kin was listed as his cousin, Michael Farrell in Philadelphia USA.
Upon his successful enlistment, the men of the permanent artillery from Fremantle were sent across to Melbourne to join their fellow artillerymen and after further training, they embarked on the H.M.A.T. “Orsova” on the 17th July 1915.
However prior to their departure, the men were marched through the streets of Melbourne, as seen below (Published in the Australasian July 1915)
From September 1915 to February 1916 the men of the 36th Heavy Artillery Group trained in England in preparation for their service in England. Andrew had originally been allotted to the 55th Battery but in October 1915 he was transferred to the 54th Battery.
On the 27th February 1916 Andrew and the 36th HAG landed at Boulogne and made their way to the battlefield. On the 16th March 1916 they sustained their first casualties when the billets they were in at Mont St Eloy were bombarded by the Germans. A few were killed and many wounded, including some of his fellow Fremantle Gunners, however Andrew came through unscathed.
William served with the 54th Siege Battery through 1916 participating in such actions as the Battle of the Somme. On the 9th September 1916 Andrew left the Battery and was transferred to 36th Heavy Group Artillery Headquarters.
Apart from a two week furlough to England in January 1917, Andrew remained with the 36th Artillery HQ through to October 1917. The 36th Heavy Artillery Group had seen action during 1917 during the Hindenburg Line outpost battles, Messines, The Third battle of Ypres and the Battle of Cambrai. Considering the amount of shellfire the Germans directed at the Heavy Artillery, Andrew was lucky to come through without being wounded. The Gunners sustained heavy casualties particularly through the Ypres action.
In October 1917 Andrew was transferred to the Signals sub section at the 36th Heavy Artillery Group HQ. On the 22nd November 1917 he had a fortnight's leave to England but returned to duty on the 12th December 1917. Andrew then remained with the Signals section through to the end of the war.
In early 1919 Andrew returned to England and was sent to the Artillery School at Heytesbury. On the 19th March 1919 he was then sent to the AIF camp at Codford as he was now waiting to be assigned passage back to Australia.
On the 19th April 1919 Andrew boarded the transport ship Sardinia at Devonport Harbour and set sail for home, arriving at Fremantle on the 28th May 1919. He was discharged from the AIF on the 27th July 1919.
Andrew spent a month in Fremantle on duty at the Artillery Barracks before heading to Victoria, and was on duty there with the Garrison Artillery till the end of 1919. He was then transferred to New South Wales, serving in the Permanent Forces till 1923. During 1921 he had been stationed at the Army Signals School.
Andrew then returned to Victoria, being a warder at Pentridge Gaol before taking up residence in Coburg in 1930.