LIEUTENANT RIGHTON JOHN CAVANAGH M.C.

3rd Tunnelling Company

Righton John Bangham Cavanagh was born on May 10, 1892 the son of John and May Harriet (nee Gibbs) Cavanagh in Perth, Western Australia. His father died in 1900 and his mother remarried. Righton was educated at the Christian Brothers’ College in Perth and also studied Civil Engineering at the University of Western Australia. Snippets of his achievements appeared in the newspapers:

There is an image in the Western Mail of Friday 25 December 1914 of the Council of the Guild of Undergraduates of the University of Western Australia, including R. J. Cavanagh.

At the Recruiting Depot in West Perth, W.A. on February 20, 1916 the young Civil Engineer applied to enlist for active service abroad. Passing the preliminary medical examination personal particulars taken reveal his age of twenty-three years, was 164cms (5ft 4½ins) tall with a chest measurement of 87cms (34ins). Postal address was Albion Hotel, Cottesloe, W.A. Being declared fit for service the recruiting officer accepted his application.

Forms of Attestation were completed the same day giving further information of his weight of 68.1kgs (150lbs) with a chest expansion of 84-87cms (33-34ins) and a fresh complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. One distinctive mark was a vaccination scar on his left arm. Roman Catholic was his religious faith. Next-of-kin nominated was his mother Mrs May Harriet Treadgold of Albion Hotel, Cottesloe, W.A. He signed and took the ‘Oath of Allegiance’ the same day.

Recruiting had begun in earnest for volunteers for the No. 6 Tunnelling Company under Captain F.W. Lawson early in March, 1916 to assemble a company of skilled W.A. miners with their camp established at Blackboy Hill, near Perth, W.A. As the company formed and paraded daily throughout March, R.J. Cavanagh joined the Company on March 15, 1916. They moved to Belmont camp on March 27 where he joined them on March 30 and the company trained throughout April and May without incident until ready to embark. He was appointed as Second Lieutenant on April 16, 1916.

Meanwhile on the eastern side of the country early in May, 1916 the No. 4 Tunnelling Company consisting of six officers and 152 other ranks together with the 1st Reinforcements of fifteen other ranks making up two sections, embarked from Brisbane, Qld aboard HMAT A69 Warilda for Sydney, NSW.

At Rosebery Park, Sydney, NSW they joined their Headquarters and two sections (8 officers & 153 O.Rs.) plus 1st Reinforcements consisting of one officer and seventeen other ranks for final training.

The 7713-ton transport Warilda departed Sydney, NSW on May 22, 1916 and collected in Melbourne, Victoria the No. 5 Company recruited from Victoria, South Aust. & Tasmania made up of Headquarters and 2 Sections (8 officers & 173 men) (3 M.D.). One Section from Tasmania (3 officers & 76 O.Rs); also 1st Reinforcements for No. 5 Company (17 men from Vic. & 8 men Tas.) The ship departed on May 25, 1916 for Adelaide, S.A. to collect one Section of 3 officers & 76 O.Rs with 1st Reinforcements of 8 O.Rs.

The No. 6 Tunnelling Company was ready to embark and paraded in Perth, W.A. with the event reported in The West Australian on Wednesday May 31, 1916:

Docking at Fremantle, W.A. on June 1, 1916 the No. 6 Company recruits comprising of 14 officers and 325 O.Rs along with 1st Reinforcements of 1 Officer & 32 O.Rs boarded Warilda and departed the same day.

Durban, South Africa was reached on June 16, 1916 and Cape Town on June 21, 1916 while St Vincent completed the African ports of call on July 7, 1916. Discipline was fairly good except at intermediate ports where Away without Leave caused concern. The fifty-eight day voyage experienced remarkable pleasant weather terminating at Plymouth, England on July 18, 1916. Four, Five and Six Companies comprising of 1064 officers and other ranks were detrained to Amesbury and Tidworth to begin training for the front at Perham Down’s camp.

The Reinforcements proceeded to France on August 8, 1916 marching into the Aust General Base Depot two days later.

The No.6 Tunnelling Company reinforced the 3rd Tunnelling Company and taken on strength as 2/Lt Cavanagh reported for duty.

The following are entries from the After War Report of that company:

He was wounded in action on February 15, 1917 resulting from an enemy mine blast but remained on duty. This was mentioned in the After War Report of the Company:

In the Official History of the Great War by C.E.W. Bean in the section “The Work at Hill 70” the following extract appears:

His promotion to Lieutenant was granted on February 20, 1917 while recuperating. The After War Report states the following:

Base Records advised his mother on February 25, 1916 that he had been wounded but remained on duty.

His name appeared in the Western Mail on Friday March 16, 1917 in the Casualty List:

Two Blue Chevrons were issued to wear on his uniform on June 1, 1917 for twelve months service.

The Lieutenant proceeded on leave on February 15 and rejoined his unit on March 3, 1918.

He was accidentally injured on May 11, 1918 and taken to the 34th Field Ambulance with a fracture to the base of his skull and transferred to the 6th Casualty Clearing Station. On May 14, 1918 he was conveyed on A.T.11 to the 14th General Hospital at Boulogne and two days later transported on the hospital ship Pieter de Connick to England entering the 3rd London General Hospital.

The After War Report noted the following on the incident:

Base Records advised his mother of the injury in the following telegrams on May 25, 1918:

He remained in hospital for twenty-seven days and the medical report from the hospital states:

Injured in France 11/5/18 by fall out of window. Haemorrhage pain left ear. Ecchymosis (ruptured blood vessels) of eyelids. X-rays indefinite.

His mother received advice from Base Records on June 5, 1918 that her son had been transferred to hospital in England and the address for correspondence. A telegram was also sent and reads:

On June 10, 1918 a medical board report on the officer was prepared and his statement of case reads:

Disability:Fractured Base of Skull

Origin date:11/5/18

Origin place:France

Essential facts:11/5/18 his story that he fell out of a window during a fit of somnambulism [sleep-walking]. Fell 15 feet. Diagnosis fractured base of skull and left jaw (lower) also fracture head mandible, the fracture extending into external Auditory Mastoid?.

14th General 14/5/18 “Condition Normal” 3rd L.G.H. 16/5/18 on admission no symptoms ecchymosis right eyelids and abrasions of chin and knees. Dental treatment undertaken. Good progress by 3 days.

Present condition:States he has no headache and that his mental condition quite normal.

Except for slight weakness he can use his lower jaw in normal way.

Special Medical treatment:Convalescent home.

Lieutenant Cavanagh was transferred to Cobham Hall Convalescent Home in Kent on June 12, 1918. The Medical Report states:

Disease:Fractured Base of Skull

Result of fall, 12 ft. 11/5/18. Had bleeding from left ear for 8 hours. Concussion for about 6 hours. Is feeling fairly well. No headaches. No Deafness.

Mrs Treadgold received news from Base Records on June 27, 1918 that her son was now convalescent and the address to write to him.

Another medical board report was prepared on July 11, 1918 which states:

Feels quite well. Complains of irritation in R. ear.

Present condition:Spec Report re-Ears

Blood clot in left ear. Clot removed T.H. intact. Hearing in both ears

Class A for hearing.

Fit for general service: 2 weeks.

He left on Medical Board Leave for two days on July 8-10, 1918 to attend No.1 Aust Auxiliary Hospital for an Aurist’s examination and report. On July 25, 1918 he was discharged to the Overseas Training Brigade and proceeded to France from Southampton on August 8, 1918. The next day he arrived at the A.G.D.B. in Rouelles leaving two days later and rejoined his unit on August 13.

He was with his unit when Peace was declared and the Tunnelling Companies remained on the front as part of the Army of Occupation assisting with the rehabilitation of their area by clearing roads and bridges of delayed-action mines and booby traps left by the enemy.

Lieutenant Cavanagh was awarded the Military Cross and this was mentioned in the After War Report:

He is mentioned in the After War Report in the following entries:

News of his Decoration reached home and was shared in the Geraldton Guardian on Thursday January 30, 1919:

He was recalled to Base on March 27, 1919 to prepare for return to England and he departed on April 2, 1919 crossing the English Channel from Havre arriving at Southampton the next day and marching into No. 3 Group camp at Codford a day later.

On May 9, 1919 was granted leave for Non-Military Employment from 9/5/19 to 11/11/19 with pay of £1/1/0 per diem and sustenance of 6/0 per diem to attend a course in Municipal Engineering at Kings College University, London W.C.2. Unfortunately the course was not completed and cancelled from July 22, 1919. Reports from the college were very satisfactory. He returned to the Assistant Adjutant General’s Office for disposal orders.

A letter advising his mother was sent on August 7, 1919 that his Majesty the King had graciously approved of the award of the Military Cross to her son which had appeared in the London Gazette dated April 2, 1919 and the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on July 23, 1919.

His mother received a letter advising her of her son’s Commission as Temporary Second Lieutenant in the British Army for services against the time of his return from active service. This referred to his first appointment and not his present rank. This was receipted on October 9, 1919.

Before departing he had to ensure that all debts had been paid and if any money was owed any accounts were to be forwarded for payment to his address given as Freemason’s Hotel, Midland Junction, W.A.

After demobilisation he embarked on October 18, 1919 on the H.T. Morea for the return journey home. On October 30, 1919 his mother was advised by Base Records that her son was on his way home. The ship arrived at Fremantle, W.A. on November 21, 1919. The same day at the 8th Aust General Hospital in Fremantle he went before a medical board and medical history essential facts were listed as:

Scalp wound due to mine explosion, a month off duty. Fractured skull May 10th, 1918 one month in hospital returned to duty. No illness on Service. Soldier’s present condition. Feels well. (Sgd) R.J. Cavanagh. All vital organs were checked as normal and recommendation of ‘Fit to demobilise’ was noted.

Termination of his appointment was issued in Perth, W.A. (5th M.D.) on January13, 1920.

Base Records forwarded to him on March 30, 1920 a copy of the extract dated December 1919 which appeared in the London Gazette for his Military Cross. The Citation reads:

This letter was returned unclaimed at Cottesloe and re-addressed to his mother’s new address at 104 Angore Street, North Perth, W.A. on April 30, 1920.

As well as the Military Cross, Lieutenant Righton John Cavanagh, 3rd Tunnelling Company was entitled to wear the British War Medal (11087) and the Victory Medal (10960) for service for his country.

He was among fellow Lieutenants attending a fellow officer’s funeral reported in The West Australian on Monday May 1, 1922:

A few months later a description of his wedding was published in The West Australian on Tuesday October 24, 1922:

In the Register of Tunnelling Company Officers in 1925 he is listed as R.J. Cavanagh M.C., Water and Sewerage Board, Perth, W.A. His electoral address was Churchman’s Brook, Armadale. In 1931 their address was 83 Rookwood Street, Perth and he was a Civil Engineer. This remained the same until 1949.

He was a pall-bearer at the funeral of a Tunneller reported in The West Australian on Thursday August 2, 1934:

Members of the Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage were featured in The West Australian on Friday January 17, 1941 with a brief history of their careers with the Public Works Department:

He is mentioned numerous times in the newspapers in both career and social events and a few have been featured here:

Their address was Reservoir, Kings Park, Perth from 1949 onwards with his occupation as Engineer.

On 30 July 1952, Righton and Doris returned from an overseas trip to England as 1st Class passengers on board s.s. Strathmore.

Righton John Cavanagh passed away on 16 September 1957 at Floreat Park, Perth, W.A., aged 65 years.

He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery, Roman Catholic section, Lawn 2, grave J019.

His wife Doris Annie Cavanagh died on 28 December 2001 at City Beach, Perth, aged 102. She was buried with her husband.

© Donna Baldey 2012 / 2015