SAPPER DUNCAN SHERRINGTON
5415 – 1st Tunnelling Company
Born in 1881 at Gympie, Queensland, Duncan was the son of Duncanand Mary (nee Bownes) Sherrington.
The 1903 and 1905 Electoral Rolls record Duncan Sherrington as a labourer living at the Australian Hotel, Winton.
In Queensland on 7 August 1907, Duncan married Lilly Louisa Hailey, the daughter of James and Mary Jane (nee Bellamy) Hailey.
Lilly was born in December 1888 at Southampton, Hampshire, England. James, Mary, Lilly and her brother Reginald Thomas arrived at Brisbane, Australia on 27 May 1900 on board Jumna.
Lilly died at Gayndah, Queensland on 11 March 1908, aged 19 years,just 3 weeks after the birth of their daughter, Lily Louisa (Lucy), on 20 (29) February 1908.
In the 1908 Electoral Roll Duncan is a well borer at Murray’s Plateau, Gayndah.
A medical examination at Brisbane, Queensland on 3 June 1915 recorded that he was 34 years and 2 months of age, stood 5ft 6½ins tall and weighed 200 pounds. He had a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. A scar on his right knee was recorded as a distinguishing mark. He was of the Roman Catholic faith.
He signed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’ at Brisbane, Queensland on 3 June 1915stating he was an engine driver and on the same day signed the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ as from that date.
A widower, he named as his Next-of-Kin his daughter Miss L. L. Sherrington of Gayndah, Queensland and registered his address as care of Mrs. Lena Ryder, Anna Street, Beaudesert, Queensland.
[Duncans’ sister Lena Mary Sherrington married Joseph Henry Ryder in 1908]
At Enoggera, Queensland on 4th October 1915 he was appointed as a Private,with the Regimental Number 7232, to the 10th Reinforcements, 301st Motor Transport ASC, 3rd& 4th Sections, 17th DAP as a cleaner.
Duncan embarked at Brisbane on board HMAT A69Warildaon 5 October 1915 with, 8th Company Australian Army Service Corps, 17 Divisional Ammunition Park, 301 Company (MT [Mechancial Transport]) - 1 to 13 Reinforcements. He was disembarked at Fremantle on 15 October with a broken jaw.
Duncan’s father died on 10 October 1915 at Townsville, Queensland.
A medical examination at Belmont, Western Australia on 3 April 1916 recorded that he was 34 years and 11 months of age and stood 5ft 7ins tall and weighed 13 stone 7 pounds (198 pounds).
He had a dark complexion, blue eyes and black hair. A cicatrix (scar) on his right knee was recorded as a distinguishing mark. He was of the Roman Catholic faith.
Duncan re-Attested on 3 April 1916 as a Private, with the Regimental Number 1260 (1268 in some records) in the 3rd Australian Pioneer Battalion. He stated he was a Well Borer by trade and named his daughter Lilly Sherrington of Gayndah as his Next-of-Kin, giving his address as Beaudesert, Queensland.
He signed the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ on 3 April 1916 at Belmont, Western Australia. He was officially transferred to the 3rd Pioneers on 9 April 1916 and was appointed to ‘D’ Company of that unit on15 April 1916 (19 May 1916 in some records) at Campbellfield, Western Australia.
29 May 1916 he was charged with disobedience, threatening, insolence and was fined 40 shillings
He embarked at Melbourne on 6 June 1916 on board HMAT A62 Wandilla.
Duncan was granted leave at Fremantle until 11 pm on 12 June 1916.
At sea on 13 June 1916, a Court of Inquiry declared Duncan to be an Illegal Absentee, recording that he has deserted from Wandilla at Fremantle.
His records note:
‘D’ Company 3rd Australian Pioneer Battalion
“Private failed to embark “Wandilla” Fremantle 12.6.16”
He was transferred to the Tunnelling Corps Reinforcements and re-Attested on 17 June 1916 stating he was a Well Borer by trade, a widower, and appointing his daughter Lily Louisa Sherrington of Gayndah, Queensland as his Next-of-Kin. He recorded his address as Winton, Queensland.
A medical examination on 24 June 1916 recorded that he was 35 years of age and stood 5ft 8ins tall and weighed 168 pounds. He had a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. A vaccination scar was recorded as a distinguishing mark. He was of the Roman Catholic faith.
On 24 June 1916 at Guildford, Western Australia he was officially appointed to the Tunnelling Company Reinforcements and embarked on “Zealandia´ for Melbourne the same day.
He again re-Attested at Seymour, Victoria, this time as 5415 Sapper Duncan Sherrington on 29September 1916 and on the same day again signed the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ as from 22 January 1916. A second Oath records his service as being from 22 September 1916.
Duncan embarked at Melbourne on board HMAT A23 Suffolkon 29 September 1917,Mining and Tunnelling Company - July to September Reinforcements (July-September 1916), attached to the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company (1ATC).
Suffolk departed Melbourne, Victoria on 30 September 1916 with 166 members of the September 1916 Reinforcements to the Mining Corps. She arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on 10 October and departed the same day.
Arriving atCapetown, South Africa on 30 October Suffolk departedthere the next day and voyaged on to Dakar in West Africa arriving on 15 November.
After a delay of 5 days, she sailed for Plymouth, England on 20 November, and after a voyage lasting 64 days, the Tunnellers disembarked on 2 December.
While at sea, Duncan was charged with being absent for church parade on 13 November and on 15 November was awarded forfeiture of 1 days pay and was confined to the ship for 7 days, meaning he missed any leave granted at Dakar.
Duncan proceeded overseas to France on 1 January 1917 and marched in to the Australian General Base Depot (AGBD) on 2 January. He was attached to the 1st Anzac Entrenching battalion on 12 January 1917.
The 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion which was an advanced section of the Base Depot. Formed at La Motte, France on June 6, 1916 with Captain N. Macrae being seconded from the Mining Corps as Adjutant and Quartermaster, the Battalion had an initial strength of 21 Officers and 1003 Other Ranks, mainly Infantry. The Battalion organised works near the lines and through duties would accustom the reinforcements to war conditions before being assigned to a company in the field.
For a time, all infantry reinforcements were drawn from this unit. Heavy losses at Pozieres in July through September 1916 caused all infantry to be directly absorbed into their fighting units.
The Battalion continued to be a transit unit for tunnelling reinforcements and in October 1916 there were 9 officers and 203 men in the Battalion which now served as a tunnelling company, working with the 1st Canadian Tunnelling Company at St Eloi, The Bluff and the Ravine (near Ypres). On 5 November 1917 the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion was abolished.
He was attached to the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company (1ATC)12 March 1917
He reported sick on 18 December 1917 and was assessed at the 1st Australian Field Ambulance the same day before being transferred to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station. On 19 December he was transported by Ambulance Train 31 to the 7th Convalescent Depot at Boulogne where he was admitted and diagnosed. On 21 December he was transferred to the 39th General Hospital, Havre.
At a Field General Court Martial held on 10 January 1918 Duncan was charged with:
- ‘when on active service dis-obeying a lawful command given by his superior officer in that he at No.39 General Hospital, Havre, on 2nd January 1918 when ordered by No. 56146 Acting Sergeant Heavey, RAMC, to put his cigarette out did not do so.’
2.‘when on active service using threatening language to his superior in that he at No.39 General hospital, Havre, on 2nd January 1918, after being placed in arrest by No. 56146 Acting Sergeant Heavey, RAMC, made use of obscene and threatening language.’
He was found guilty of the first charge and not guilty of the second charge and was sentenced to 35 days Field Punishment No.1.
Duncan was discharged from hospital to Base Details on 13 February and marched in to the AGBD, Rouelles, the same day. He re-joined his unit in the field on 22 February.
On 24 February 1918 he was charged with being absent without leave from 9am on 15 December until 9am on 16 December 1917. He was awarded forfeiture of 7 days pay as punishment bringing his total forfeiture to 9 days pay.
On 27 April 1918 he was taken on strength of 1ATC and continued to serve with the unit until the Armistice.
On 12 February 1919 Duncan marched out of his unit for return to Australia and marched in to the AGBD. He embarked for England on 24 February and marched in to No.3 Camp, Parkhouse on 25 February.
Duncan Sherrington was a member of 1ATC from March 1917 until his return to Australia in April 1919. In that period he would have worked at Hill 60 in the preparations for the Battle of Messines Ridge. He also most likely worked on the digging of the Catacombs at Hill 63.
He may have been involved with the Easter Raid of April 1917 and the accidental explosion of 25 April 1917 which killed 10 members of his unit.
He may have also been involved with operations on the Hindenberg Line in September 1918 when 20 members of 1 & 2ATCs where decorated. He may also have worked on the construction of the Hooge Crater dugouts.
On 20 March he was transferred to the RBAA, Heytesbury. He was granted leave until 29 March, and then an extension of leave until 3 April 1919.
Duncan left England on 20 April 1919 for return to Australia on HMAT A36 Boonah, disembarkingat Melbourne on 8 June 1919.
He was discharged from the A.I.F. in Melbourne as medically unfit on 16 July 1919 (9 July 1919 in some records), entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
The Electoral Roll for 1919 records Duncan as a well borer living at 119 George Street, Brisbane North.
The Repatriation Commission, Melbourne requested his Military Record in October 1921.
A War Gratuity claim was lodged in Queensland in September 1922.
The Electoral Roll of 1930 records Duncan as a well borer living at Ramsay Street, Cloncurry.
Duncan was an active member of the R.S.S.I.L.A., and regularly attended meetings.
On 12 May 1936 he attended the monthly General Meeting of the Cloncurry Sub-branch.
Duncan Sherington died at Jersey Plains Station, Cloncurry on 26 May 1936 aged 55 years and was buried in the Cloncurry Cemetery.
His name is on the Winton and District Roll of Honour located in the Winton Council Chambers and on the Winton and District Roll of Honour Board located in the Winton RSL.
© Donna Baldey 2017
Addendum:
Fred and Granny Schaffer raised Lily Louisa Sherrington. Her mother died not long after her birth, and her father, Duncan Sherrington, unable to raise her on his own, asked the Schaffer's if they would raise her. They said they would but she would not be raised a Catholic (as Duncan had requested) because they were not Catholics themselves. Duncan agreed to this and he never saw his daughter again. Lily felt his rejection and consequently hated the Catholic religion.
Melissa Clish – Clish Family Tree
Lily Louisa Sherrington married Reginald John Watson in 1928 and was pregnant when it was found that he was a bigamist. Granted a decree-nisi in 1930, Lily re-took her maiden name and married William Henry Manning in 1931. Lily died in 1962 in Queensland.
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One of Duncan’s brothers also served in WW1:
Arthur Joseph Sherrington,born 1874,a wharf labourer, he enlisted at Rockhampton on 2 March 1916 and served as 2462a Private with the 4th Pioneer Battalion.
He embarked at Brisbane on HMAT A50 Itonuson 8 August 1916 –failed to re-embark Itonus andwas embarked at Capetown on HMAT A18 Wiltshireon 22 September, disembarking at Plymouth on 13 October 1916. Proceeded overseas to France 31 December 1916. Returned to Australia in May 1917 and was discharged medically unfit on 29 August 1917. Next-of-Kin was his wife Mary Jane Sherrington of Rockhampton.
Arthur died on 19 August 1956 and was afforded an Imperial War grave.
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A nephew of Duncan’s also served:
John Thomas Sherrington, born 1897, son of Arthur Joseph and Mary Jane Sherrington. A stockman,he enlisted at Brisbane with his parents consent on 27 November 1915 as Jack Sherrington and was appointed to Cyclist Corps. In July 1916 he was recommended for discharge owing to bad conduct. Next-of-Kin his mother Mrs May Jane Sherrington of 189 Kent Street, Rockhampton.
He re-enlisted on 26 March 1917 as Regimental Number 3367 Trooper John Thomas Sherrington. A labourer, he embarked on HMAT A15 Port Sydneyon 9 May 1917 and served in the Middle East with the 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance. Next-of-Kin his wife Olga Sherrington of Brisbane. Returned to Australia 3 August 1919.
John died in June 1970 at Mt Gravatt, Queensland.
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4237 Private Samuel Thomas Streeter, a cousin of Duncan Sherrington, served with the 25th Infantry Battalion and was killed in action on 3 May 1917 during the 2nd Battle of Bullecourt.