SAPPER MAURICE GRADY
7670 – 1st Tunnelling Company
Martin Gready (later Grady) was born in Roscrae Tipperary in 1826 and died at Potts Hill, Sydney in 1890. Martin was the son of a free immigrant man who became a constable in the border police at Grafton and Cassilis, NSW, 1853-55, before turning to farming and mining. Jane Crotty was an Irish Famine orphan. Born in Clonmel Tipperary in 1832, she died at Marrickville, Sydney in 1914.
Martin and Jane were mostly tenant farmers in the Mudgee area and struggled to bring up their children in the early years in Mudgee.
Maurice Grady was born in Mudgee, NSW in 1873, the son of Martin and Jane (nee Crotty) Gready (also known as Grady) who had married in 1853.
Maurice’s siblings were: Francis (Frank) born about 1853 in Grafton, died Sydney 1927; Michael born 1855 Cassilis, died Sydney 1926; Martin born Llangollen 1856, died 1878 in Mudgee; John, born 1858, died 1859; John, born 1860, died 1860; Ellen born Mudgee 1861 died (Ellen Monahan) in North Sydney 1935; Patrick John born 1863, died (poss Fremantle 1918); William Grady born 1864, Meroo Goldfields, died 1864 Meroo Goldfields; Thomas Grady born 1865; William Grady born 1867 Mudgee, died 1889 Mooroopna Vic; Jane Ann born 1870 Mudgee died Chatswood Sydney 1888; Baby Mary Ann born 1872, died 1872; and James born Mudgee 1875 died 1933 East Fremantle.
The Electoral Rolls record:
1906 – Grady, Maurice, Labourer, living at Mornington Mills, Swan.
The 1916 Electoral Roll records: Grady, Maurice, Labourer, living at Wellington Bush Landing, Swan
Maurice completed an Application to Enlist in the Australian Imperial Force at Bunbury, Western Australia (WA) on 21 February 1917. He gave his address as Harvey, WA, and stated that he was a Miner by trade.
A medical examination the same day recorded that he was 44 years of age and stood 6ft 1ins tall. He weighed 154 pounds, had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and iron grey hair. He was of the Roman Catholic faith.
He named as his Next-of-Kin his brother James Grady of King Street, East Fremantle, noting that his parents were dead, and signed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’, and the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ on 22 February 1917.
On 10 April 1917 at Blackboy Hill, WA, he was appointed to the 20th Reinforcements, 28th Infantry Battalion. He was transferred to the Depot Battalion on 3 May and on 15 May he was transferred to the Tunnelling Corps. He was sent to the Tunnellers training camp at Seymour, Victoria and on 22 June his rank was changed to Sapper.
On 2 August 1917 at Seymour, he was appointed to the Tunnelling Companies April Reinforcements.
Maurice embarked at Sydney, NSW on 8 August 1917 on board Anchises.
The April Reinforcements consisted of 168 members who embarked on the troopship HMAT A68 Anchises on August 8, 1917 from Sydney, NSW. Colds and influenza were prevalent at the commencement of the voyage.
Crossing the Pacific Ocean the vessel arrived at Colon, Panama on September 2, 1917 departing six days later. Halifax, Nova Scotia was reached on the 18th and after three days in port departed on September 21, 1917. The final journey to England was completed after a 55-day voyage when they docked at Liverpool on October 2, 1917.
The troops were detrained to Tidworth. The following day they arrived at Nos.1 and 3 Details Camps at Parkhouse for further training for the front.
The Embarkation Roll records his address as East Fremantle, WA and his Next-of-Kin as brother J. Grady, 75 King Street, East Fremantle, WA.
Maurice proceeded overseas to France on 22 November 1917 and marched in to the Australian General Base Depot (AGBD) at Rouelles on 23 November. He marched out to the 1st Anzac Corps Depot in the field on 25 November, arriving there on 27 November.
On 5 December he was attached to the 3rd Pioneer Battalion, returning to the Anzac Corps Depot on 13 December. On 18 December 1917 he was attached to the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company (1ATC).
In February he was due his Blue Chevrons. Each blue Service Chevron denoted one year’s service from 1 January 1915. A red Chevron denoted service before 31 December 1914.
On 27 April 1918 he was taken on strength of 1ATC.
He reported sick on 5 June and was treated at the 29th Casualty Clearing Station. Diagnosed with myalgia (muscular pain caused by strain, inflammation or heavy exertion), he was transferred to Ambulance Train 39 and then admitted to the 6th General Hospital at Rouen on 6 June.
On 12 June he was evacuated to England on board Hospital Ship Essequibo with sciatica and admitted to the 1st Birmingham War Hospital on 13 June 918 with neuritis (inflammation of nerves of peripheral nervous system). He was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on24 June and discharged to No.2 Command Depot, Weymouth on 9 July.
Maurice was admitted to the 1st Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, on 16 July with psoriasis. He was discharged back to No. 2 Command Depot on 7 September.
Maurice left London on 19 October 1918 for return to Australia on board Sardinia. He was recommended for discharge due to myalgia, rheumatism, senility and debility.
Disembarking at Fremantle on 16 December 1918, Maurice was discharged from the A.I.F. on 10 February 1919 as ‘medically unfit’.
He was entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. The medals were not collected and were returned to Depot in September 1924.
In early July 1936 the medical and military records of 7670 Maurice Grady were provided to the Repatriation Commission, Perth. On 31 July 1936 the Repatriation Commission, Perth advised Base Records, Melbourne that the last known address of Grady M.: 7670 : 1st Tun. (deceased) was P.O. Wagin.
Maurice Grady died on 2 July 1936 aged 69 years, his death registered at Katanning, WA. He was buried in the Roman Catholic section of the Wagin Cemetery, Lot 101. The cemetery records him as ‘Gradey’.
© Donna Baldey 2014
with the assistance of Julie Bodycote, great grand niece of Maurice Grady