My surprise ANZAC

As a first generation Aussie, I didn't expect to find any ANZACs in my family tree.

But on obtaining the marriage certificates for my Grandmother's siblings, I discovered that one of her sisters married a corporal in the Australian Imperial Force on 7 January 1919, at Brixton Hill, London.

Marriage certificate of Michael Denis Cronin and Mary Geraldine Crilly - 1919

This prompted me to access the National Archives of Australia website to see whether I could find the army service records for Michael Denis Cronin, my great-uncle by marriage.

I found records for a Dennis Michael Cronin, enlisting on 23 September 1914, and also records for a Michael Denis Cronin, enlisting a year later on 29 September 1915.  Which man was my great-uncle?

Dennis Michael Cronin enlistment 1914


Michael Denis Cronin enlistment 1915

The details on both enlistment papers are quite similar, apart from the reversal of the two Christian names, that one was Roman Catholic while the other was Church of England, one month's difference in age, and one with mother as next of kin, the other with father as next of kin.

I concluded that they were the same man, my great-uncle, known to the family as "Denny".

The earlier papers showed Denny was discharged after a week, with the comment by the enlistment officer - "I consider him fit for service subject to getting a set of false teeth".

Did it take a year for him to get his false teeth?  Or was there some other reason he was discharged, and so when he applied again, a year later, he thought he needed to change a few of his details?

Whatever the reasons, the second set of papers showed Denny sailed from Australia on 28 January 1916, and was on active service in France and Belgium in 1916 and 1917.  In April 1918 he was wounded in action and taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, England.

Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley (Picture - Wikimedia Commons)

He was discharged to Littlemoor Camp, Weymouth, England on 18 September 1918.

Littlemoor Camp in Weymouth   (Photo from Australian War Memorial)

Presumably it was around this time that Denny would have visited his sister in London. Frances Cronin had married my Grandmother's younger brother, Fred Crilly in August 1918.  Presumably it was also around this time that Denny met his wife-to-be, his sister's sister-in-law, my grandmother's younger sister, (Mary) Geraldine Crilly.

Denny's army records show that on 17 December 1918 he "embarked for return to Australia per 'Ulysses'".  There is an additional remark - "Did not embark".

On 7 January 1919 Denny Cronin married (Mary) Geraldine Crilly.

The next note in his army records, on 8 January 1919 reads "for duty with Australia House".

It is unclear what his role was at Australia House or how he was employed between January and April of 1919, but the next note in his records showed "instructed to proceed to France on 22 April 1919 via Southampton and Havre for duty with Prime Minister of Australia."

This was followed by "Proceeded overseas - France via Southampton (Reporting to Australian Prime Minister, Paris.)"

And finally "Embarked 'Orsova' 18 July 1919 with wife.

Discharged 20 October 1919."

HMAT Orsova - which brought Australian Prime Minister William (Billy) Hughes, and Corporal and Mrs MD Cronin back to Australia in 1919 (Photo - Wikimedia Commons)

The goal for my next blog is to hopefully uncover what Corporal MD (Denny) Cronin’s role was at Australia House, and why he was chosen to accompany Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes on the ship back to Australia after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, and why he was given seemingly preferential treatment for his new wife to accompany him.

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