SAPPER ARTHUR McCORMAC
alias CHARLES ARTHUR McPARLIN
1097 – 3rd Tunnelling Company / Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company
Charles Arthur McParlin was born at Doon, Victoria in 1876 the son of Enos and Jane (nee McKigney) McParlin. One of his siblings was Katherine who married William Thomas Ducrow and they lived in Kalgoorlie, W.A. He married Ethel Eddy in Western Australia and their announcement appeared in the:
Children of the marriage were:
Agnes Lilian May1899
Richard Arthur William1901
Mary Rose Irene1903
Lorna
In 1903 they were residing at Mulwarrie, Coolgardie, W.A. and his occupation was blacksmith.
He was a member of the Davyhurst Riflemen Club and results of a competition come from the:
Two officers came to the Kalgoorlie district recruiting for the Mining Corps where on November 22, 1915 at the Drill Hall in Boulder, W.A. the forty-year old applied to enlist under the name of Arthur McCormac. Personal particulars on the Application show his address as 116 McDonald Street, Kalgoorlie and was 178cms (5ft 10ins) tall with a chest expansion of 82-89cms (32-35ins). Passing the preliminary medical examination was declared fit for active service and the recruiting officer accepted his application.
Forms of Attestation were completed adding further information that he was born at Euroa, Victoria and had been previously been rejected for service on grounds of age, feet and chest. Complexion was fair with blue eyes that passed the eye test with good vision and grey hair. A distinctive mark was noted as second toe on left foot slightly ‘hammer’. Presbyterian was his religious faith and next-of-kin was his sister Mrs Katherine Ducrow of 116 McDonald Street, Kalgoorlie, W.A. He was sworn in the same day.
Acknowledgement to the departing volunteers was published in the:
Those miners who wish to join later on can enlist in the ordinary way, and if the West Australian quota is not complete they can be taken on at Blackboy Hill.
Enlistment and departure details of the men were printed in the:
The recruits were placed for basic training as a Unit at the Helena Vale camp at Blackboy Hill, W.A. as the Corps was being established. A major portion of No. 3 Company was recruited by 2nd Lt. L.J. Coulter, A.I.F. who was sent from N.S.W. to W.A. for that purpose. The Unit’s title as the No. 3 Company and made up to strength with 1 Officer and 274 Other Ranks.
The company embarked from Fremantle, W.A. on December 18, 1915 and sailed to Sydney, NSW on board the troopship SS Indarra. On Boxing Day (Dec 26th), 1915 the Unit arrived in Sydney and marched into Casula Camp, near Liverpool, NSW. They were joined by the 4th Section of the Tasmanian Miners, bringing the establishment strength up to 15 officers and 349 Other Ranks under the command of 2nd Lieutenant L.J. Coulter. Mining Corps Units from all Military districts came together at Casula to complete training as a Corps. Arthur was assigned the regimental number 1097 in the rank of Sapper and remained in No. 3 Company.
At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.
The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre.
Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded. Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.
Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board.
On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.
The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.
The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.
Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.
A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.
The No. 3 Company became the 3rd Tunnelling Company in the field.
On July 11, 1916 Sapper went sick to the 12th Casualty Clearing Station then transferred the next day for treatment to the 25th General Hospital at Hardelot for Haemorrhoids. Was discharged to the 1st Aust Divisional Base at Etaples on August 4 and returned to his unit on August 29, 1916.
With his civil qualifications of a blacksmith these skills were more beneficial to the work of the Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company therefore was transferred and taken on strength on October 7, 1916.
Service continued without incident until disciplinary action was administered for the following:
Crime:8/1/17 Insolence
Award:14 days F.P. No. 2 [Field Punishment] 15/1/17
Sapper was admitted to the 18th Corps Rest Station on September 20, 1917 suffering from Myalgia (muscular pain) and returned to duty the next day.
Blue Chevrons were issued to wear on his uniform for serving twelve months abroad.
On November 11, 1917 authorities learned that his real name was Charles Arthur McParlin and by sworn declaration confirmed this to be true assuming this name.
Leave was granted to the United Kingdom proceeding on February 28, 1918 and returned on March 12.
A few weeks later on April 25, 1918 he was wounded in action being gassed by a shell and admitted to the 139th Field Ambulance then transferred the 62nd Casualty Clearing Station before being conveyed on A.T.17 to Boulogne entering the 2nd Aust General Hospital suffering from a mustard gas poisoning.
On May 5, 1918 was moved to the 10th Convalescent Depot at Wimereux for three days then relocated to the 17th Convalescent Depot at Ecault, progressing to the 1st Aust Convalescent Depot on May 9 where he remained until May 15.
By just re-assuming his name of Charles Arthur McParlin and being wounded in action Military authorities had no trace of this soldier under that name on their records and requested details of enlistment, name and address of next-of-kin on May 24, 1918. He returned to the A.G.B.D. at Etaples and assessed at the Medical Board Depot on May 30 classed with debility B3.
His sister was regretfully advised by Base Records on June 1, 1918 that he had been wounded in action – gassed and his postal address for correspondence. The next day he returned to England arriving at the No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth to await his voyage home.
Queried about his name on June 4 Base Records wrote to his sister on June 8, 1919 requesting confirmation if Arthur McCormac was his correct name.
His name was listed in the Casualty List printed in the:
In the archives of Major Richard Morse, O.C. AEMMBC, was the letter transcribed below, written in pencil on YMCA paper:
On August 8, 1918 Sapper McParlin embarked on H.T. Carpentaria for home to receive discharge in Australia due to premature senility. Next-of-kin were advised by Base Records on September 8, 1918 that he was on his way home. The ship docked in Fremantle, W.A. (5th M.D.) on September 28, 1918.
He became a patient at No. 8 General Hospital in Fremantle, W.A. and released on October 25, 1918 with a good conduct sheet while an inmate.
Military Discharge was issued in Perth, W.A (5th M.D.) on November 8, 1918 as medically unfit.
His Will was returned to the Deputy Assistant Adjutant General’s Office, 5th Military District in May, 1919.
The British War Medal (8187) and the Victory Medal (8152) were issued to Sapper 1097 Arthur McCormac, 3rd Tunnelling Company / Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company for serving his country.
In 1925 his address on the Electoral Roll is Siberia in the Kalgoorlie district where he worked as a miner.
The following year the War Gratuity Schedule was received by Base Records on September 26 and a request for his Statement of Service by the Repatriation Commission.
He is a Prospector’s nominee for the Sandalwood Board referred to in an article appearing in the:
He was a prospector at Broad Arrow, Kalgoorlie district in 1931. Several years later at Davyhurst in the Mount Margaret region he applied for a Goldfield Mining Lease which was advertised as follows:
He was still in the Mount Margaret area at Ora Banda working as a prospector in 1943 and was reported chairman at a meeting in Kalgoorlie later that year which was published in the:
His sister Katherine Ducrow died on March 28, 1945 and buried in the Catholic Section of the Kalgoorlie Cemetery.
Three years later on March 11, 1948 Charles Arthur McParlin passed away at Esperance, W.A. at the age of 72 years. Notices were published in the:
Mrs Ethel McParlin resided with her son Richard at Mandurah and Claremont, W.A. passing away on February 7, 1955 aged 77. Burial took place in the Anglican portion of Karrakatta Cemetery in section ZM, gravesite 038.
© Donna Baldey 2013