SAPPER ADAM JOHN ST CLAIR McGOWN
3330 – 1st Tunnelling Company
Born in St Cuthberts, Edinburgh, Scotland on 20 January 1892 Adam John St Clair McGown was the son of Adam Lauchlan and Mary (nee McIntosh) McGown. His father died in 1899 and his mother re-married to William Boag.
The 1901 Scotland Census records his mother living at 15 Kennedy Square, Uphall, West Lothian. The household includes his mother, Mary Boag age 31; his stepfather, William Boag, age 43; Jeannie Mcgowan, 11; Mary Mcgowan, 6; Maggie Mcgowan, 3; Adam Mcgowan age 2, and George Pirie aged 50.
It is believed he was born about 1892 and came to Australia in July 1909 as a 3rd Class passenger on board Omrah.
The Electoral Roll for Queensland records Adam John St Clair McGown working as a Station Hand at Glenmoral, Banana, Qld.
On January 5, 1916 Adam John St Clair McGown applied to enlist for active service abroad at the Central District Central Recruiting Depot in Rockhampton, Qld. Passing the preliminary medical examination personal particulars taken show the twenty-four year old was 160cms (5ft 3ins) tall, weighed 63.6kgs (140lbs) with a chest measurement of 97cms (38ins). Complexion was fresh with grey eyes and brown hair. Presbyterian was his religion and next-of-kin nominated was his sister Mrs E Moffat of Brisbane Street, Mackay, Qld.
Private McGown commenced basic training at Enoggera camp, Brisbane with the 11th Depot Battalion on January 7 until February 12, 1916 and promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal.
At Fraser’s Hill camp on February 8, 1916 the following was dealt with:
Offence:Conduct to the prejudice and good order and military discipline i.e. using
language likely to cause discontent.
Witnesses: Lt R. Reaney, Ptes J.S. Stacey, J.J.E. Cooper, B.T. McMullen,
L.G.R. Tyson & J. Kingsbury.
Award:Forfeits two days pay by Capt O’Brien C.O. 11 Depot Bn.
Further training with the 13th Depot Battalion took place from February 12 until March 21, 1916. He was recruited to the Miners’ Depot (1st Military District) on March 24.
Adam McGown married Annie Stoddart McDougall on March 27, 1916 and she became his Next-of-Kin residing at Bell Street, Red Hill, Brisbane, Qld.
The recruits formed part of the No. 4 Tunnelling Company which embarked from Brisbane, Qld early in May, 1916 aboard HMAT A69 Warilda for Sydney, NSW. Six officers and 152 other ranks together with the 1st Reinforcements of fifteen other ranks made up the two sections.
At Rosebery Park, Sydney, NSW on May 11, 1916 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 rank of Lance Corporal remained and the Regimental number 3330 in No. 4 Company was assigned to him.
The 7713-ton transport 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.). 1 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.
Docking at Fremantle, W.A. on June 1, 1916 added No. 6 Company recruited from W.A. of 14 officers and 325 O.Rs along with 1st Reinforcements of 1 Officer & 32 O.Rs departing the same day.
Durban, South Africa was reached on June 16, 1916 and Cape Town on June 21, 1916.
A few days later on June 24 the following punishment was issued on board the ship:
Offence:Neglecting to obey orders “Gambling”
Award:Reduced to ranks by Major T.H. Vincent.
Refuelling at 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 and marched into the Details camp at Perham Downs.
The Companies proceeded to France on August 29, 1916 and arrived at the 2nd Aust General Base Depot at Etaples the next day. On October 12, 1916 Sapper marched out and assigned to the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion on October 16 which was an advanced section of the Base Depot that organised works near the lines and through duties, usually of ten days duration, would accustom the reinforcements to war conditions before being assigned to a company in the field.
He was attached to the 1st Canadian Tunnelling Company on October 26, 1916.
On December 25, 1916 he was taken on strength with the 1st Aust. Tunnelling Company in the field.
Discipline was issued for another misdemeanour on February 9, 1917:
Offence:W.O.A.S. [While on Active Service]
Insubordination on 7/2/17
Award:14 days F.P. No. 1 [Field Punishment]
He went sick on August 22, 1917 to the 12th Field Ambulance at the Divisional Rest Station and admitted with Mumps and was discharged to duty six days later.
The 1st Tunnelling Company was working in the Wytschaete, Messines, St Eloi, Hollebeke and Catteau Farm areas repairing, spreading gravel, renewing pave & maintenance to all these roads early in September, 1917.
Sapper McGown was wounded in action on September 18, 1917 and taken to the 6th Field Ambulance and admitted with Shrapnel wounds to Head, right Thigh and Foot and transferred to the 17th Casualty Clearing Station where he died the following day as a result of the head and thigh wounds.
Sapper McGown was wounded in action on September 18, 1917 and taken to the 6th Field Ambulance and admitted with Shrapnel wounds to Head, right Thigh and Foot and transferred to the 17th Casualty Clearing Station where he died the following day as a result of the head and thigh wounds.
He was buried in Grave No.17 in Row D of Plot 19, in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinghe, Belgium.
Reports were completed on September 26 and October 10, 1917 and a copy was made for a War Pension on October 17.
In The Queenslander on Saturday October 20 and 27, 1916 his name appeared in the Casualty List:
As his widow Mrs A.S. McGown received a Pension of $4 (£2) per fortnight as from November 26, 1917.
The Kit Store London did an Inventory of personal items (no. 25707) on December 17, 1917 which were sent on the ship Euripides and received by Base Records, Melbourne, Vic. The articles were:
2 Metal Mirrors, Knife, 1 Safety Razors in cases, Cards, Letters, 2 Photos, Metal pencil case.
On March 1, 1918 and Inventory of his personal effects was taken by the Aust. Kit Store in London and were as follows:
Disc, Letters, Photos, Fountain pen, Chevron, Part of Rosary, Note case, Metal pencil case, Metal brooch, Cards, Metal name place.
They were returned to Australia numbered 30493 on board the Toromeo to be forwarded to his widow.
Base Records, Melbourne, Vic advised on May 31, 1918 that they had sent by Parcel Post a package containing these items on May 31, 1918. His widow receipted delivery on June 21, 1918. The second package was sent on September 30, 1918.
His widow Annie Stoddart McGown remarried on July 6, 1918 to William Richard Malcolm and her address was care of Mrs McDougall, Bell Street, Red Hill, Brisbane, Qld.
A Circular and Booklet was sent on December 12, 1919 regarding soldiers’graves.
Photographs of his grave in triplicate were transmitted on January 27, 1920 and a final notice regarding a personal inscription on his war grave sent on December 21, 1922 but went unanswered.
For his supreme sacrifice Sapper 3330 Adam John St Clair McGown was awarded the British War Medal (41068) and the Victory Medal (40646). The War Medal was remitted on March 3, 1922 to the 1st M.D. Commandant to be issued to his remarried widow and the Victory Medal was mailed to his widow by registered post (9932) on March 9 and signed for on March 16, 1923.
The Memorial Scroll (330621) was issued on March 22, 1922 accompanied by the Booklet ‘Where the Australians Rest’ and the receipt returned to Base Records on April 5, 1922. A request to the 1st M.D. for the current address of next-of-kin went out on April 8, 1922. The Memorial Plaque (330621) was forwarded later that year on September 12, 1922.
His death was also recorded in the Queensland Register as certificate 006147, page 1313 and names his parents.
Adam John St Clair McGown's name is located at panel 27 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.