Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Michael Joseph Sullivan was the fifth surviving son of Denis and Ellen (née Horgan) Sullivan. He was born at Seadown on 25 March 1887 and baptized on 27 March at the Temuka Catholic Parish. The news reports of his father’s death in 1890 stated that he was one of twelve surviving children of Denis and Ellen who married in 1863 at Castlemaine, County Kerry, Ireland. There, five children were born, including Denis, junior. The first two died young. Denis Sullivan, senior, emigrated in 1873, arriving at Lyttelton, New Zealand, in March 1874. Ellen Sullivan sailed in 1875 with their three children – Honorah, Daniel and Denis. A daughter (Ellen) was born in 1876 in New Zealand; seven more followed, including Michael Joseph in 1887, all born in South Canterbury. Although only two birth registrations have been identified, all eight were baptised Roman Catholic at Temuka soon after birth. Denis and Ellen settled at Kerrytown, where the children very likely were educated at St Joseph’s School after it opened in 1883. In October 1890, tragedy struck the family, when Denis Sullivan senior was killed in a freak accident. He was riding inside a hut placed on a trolly which was being drawn by a traction engine. As they were going along the main road past the Maori Pa near Temuka, a man walking along the road noticed a chain had come loose and then saw that Sullivan was being dragged under the trolly. Unfortunately, on the engine being stopped, it was found that Sullivan was dead and greatly disfigured. Shortly after, entertainment was given at the Temuka Volunteer Hall, to support the bereaved family. The “financial results were eminently satisfactory.” After their father’s death, three of the younger boys – Bartholomew, Cornelius and Timothy – alternated between Kerrytown and Seadown School. Daniel and Denis took over the running of the family affairs after their father’s death. In the 1900s, Michael, Denis and Daniel moved to Taranaki where their maternal uncle Michael Horgan had settled with his family.

Another accident in May 1911 inflicted further suffering on the Sullivan family. Timothy Joseph Sullivan, the second youngest son of Denis and Ellen, was killed by a fall of earth while he was working near Woodville on a Government contract to extend a track. “When his mates managed to dig him out, they found that life had been completely crushed out of him.” Timothy was new to the district, but police located his brother at Temuka. One of his brothers and his brother-in-law, James Fitzgerald, brought him to Temuka for burial. Mrs Ellen Sullivan died on 1 December 1914 at her Levels Plains residence. Denis, Timothy and Ellen are buried together at Temuka.

By 1911, Michael Sullivan was a labourer at Pihama, Taranaki, and in 1914 at Auroa. In late May 1915, M. J. Sullivan, Te Kiri, volunteered for active service, along with more than 60 Taranaki men. He was selected for the eighth Reinforcements (infantry) and was to leave for Trentham on 16 August. It was, in fact, the evening of 23 August when a large crowd assembled at the Eltham railway station “to bid farewell to 43 recruits who left by special team at 9 p.m. for Trentham, . . . . . The Territorials and Boy Scouts, headed by the Eltham Brass Band, marched the recruits to the station.” Short addresses of a patriotic nature were given by the Mayor and the M.P. “The band played several patriotic airs and three lusty cheers were given for the recruits.” Among those who entrained was M. J. Sullivan, Te Kiri.

When he enlisted on 23 August 1915 at Trentham, he was a labourer at Te Kiri, New Plymouth, for J. Horgan – probably John Joseph Horgan, the son of his uncle Michael and his cousin. Single and Roman Catholic, he named his sister as next-of kin – Mrs D. [perhaps W.] Spencer, Temuka, that is Ellen (Nellie) Spencer née Sullivan. He stood at 5 feet 6½ inches, weighed 130 pounds, and had a chest measurement of 33-35½ inches. His complexion was dark, his eyes grey, and his hair black. His sight, hearing, colour vision, heart and lungs were all normal, his limbs and chest well formed, and his teeth good. Free of diseases and vaccinated, he was in good bodily and mental health. Rifleman M. J. Sullivan embarked with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade of the 2nd Reinforcements, leaving from Wellington for Suez, Egypt, on 13 November 1915 by the “Willochra”.

Disembarking at Suez on 20 December 1915, he was posted to the 2nd NZ Rifle Brigade at Ismailia on 6 February 1916. Rifleman Sullivan embarked for France from Alexandria on 6 April 1916. He was admitted to hospital, sick with haemorrhoids, on 24 February 1917 and, after rejoining his unit on 28 February, he was attached for duty with a working Battalion. On 30 May he was detached to the NZ Wing of the 2nd Anzac Reinforcement Camp, rejoining his unit almost three weeks later. More detachments followed before he proceeded on leave on 28 July 1917 for a week. In November 1917, in France, he was admitted to the Field Ambulance then to the Stationary Hospital with a slightly sprained muscle in the back. He was accidentally injured when he was heavily tackled in a football match and was not to blame. Later in the month, after a week in No. 53 General Hospital at Boulogne, he was transferred to the Convalescent Depot in France and was discharged from there to Base Depot on 29 November. His was a not severe case. Even so, it was January 1918 before he rejoined his unit in the field. He was again sent to hospital, sick with debility, from the Field on 14 April 1918, until rejoining his unit on the 22nd.

On 14 October 1918 he was appointed Lance-Corporal then on 26th promoted to Corporal. Having been admitted to No. 1 NZ Field Ambulance on 20 October 1918, he rejoined his Battalion on 27 October, having been classified injured. Corporal Sullivan was detached to the United Kingdom on 26 December 1918. While at Sling prior to his return home, he was absent without leave from 23 January 1919 until 26 January. For this he was severely reprimanded and forfeited 5 days pay. M. J. Sullivan returned home to New Zealand by the “Hororata”, leaving on 2 January 1919 and arriving here on 15 March. Discharged on 12 April 1919, he intended, initially, to go to Feilding, but this was amended to Pihama, Taranaki, in July 1920. Michael had given a total of 3 years 233 days of war service, all but 111 days overseas, and was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Michael Joseph Sullivan (3215) attested for temporary service in World War II on 11 August 1940 and entered camp on 14 August 1940. All seemed well when he was medically examined on 2 August at Wanganui. This time his next-of-kin was another sister - Mrs N. Fitzgerald (née Hanorah Sullivan, known as Nora) of Temuka, his sister Nellie Spencer having died in 1919. He was now residing at 94 Alma Street, Wanganui, still single and working as a labourer. He served with the Temporary Employment Section as orderly in the Sergeants’ Mess at Trentham from 5 September 1940 until discharge on 15 July 1941. For this he was awarded the War Medal 1939-45 and the N.Z. War Service Medal, which were despatched to his sister, Mrs N. Fitzgerald, Temuka, on 14 March 1950.

Michael died on 22 July 1946 at his residence, 94 Alma Street, Wanganui, aged 59 years. His death was due to his War Service. Earlier in 1946 his War Service Gratuity was assessed on 100 per cent permanent disability. In September 1941, at which time he was still under treatment, his disability was attributed specifically to military duty and was permanent. He had been attached to Camp Staff at Trentham for nine or ten months in World War Two, before he was marched out of camp and evacuated to Civil Hospital at Wellington, where he was found to be suffering from bronchitis and broncho-pneumonia. Michael Joseph Sullivan was interred at Aramoho Cemetery, Whanganui, his grave marked by a services stone with his World War One details and recognized by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. His estate, which was administered by the Public Trust in September 1946, consisted of War Service Gratuity Post Office Savings Bank Account (£200) and Accrued War Pension (£20). Regarding the three World War One medals which were held in his estate, his eldest surviving brother (Mr Daniel Sullivan, Waipukurau) was to be contacted for directions as to their disposal.

An older brother, Dennis Sullivan, also served in World War One, as did his nephews - Denis Patrick Fitzgerald and Michael Joseph Fitzgerald, and his cousins – James Patrick Horgan and Bartholomew John Brosnan. Cornelius Horgan, the son of another cousin, served with the New Zealand Forces, and was killed in action in France in 1917. Several nephews of Michael are known to have served in World War Two – Walter Russell Lowther, Michael Thomas Fleming, Walter Denis Sullivan, Theodore Dennis Sullivan, Thomas Henry Sullivan, Denis Verdun Sullivan who was taken prison of war, and a great-nephew, James Michael Nolan who was also taken prisoner of war.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [24 August 2013]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK18805 W5553 0110733) [10 June 2014]; Commonwealth War Graves (per ancestry.com.au) [01 February 2015]; CWGC [06 February 2015]; Wanganui (Aramoho) Cemetery (www.nzhistory.net.nz) [06/02/2015]; Aramoho Cemetery burial record & headstone transcription (South Canterbury Branch NZSG cemetery records microfiche; Whanganui District Council) [18 December 2014]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [21 December 2014]; South Canterbury Times, 18 October 1890, Timaru Herald, 20 October 1890, 2 December 1914, 3 December 1917, Temuka Leader, 18, 21, 23 & 28 October 1890, 11 May 1911, Woodville Examiner, 10 May 1911, Manawatu Standard, 10 May 1911, Hawera & Normanby Star, 1 June 1915, 10 & 24 August 1915, Taranaki News, 3 June 1915, Dominion, 30 November 1917, Otago Daily Times, 30 November 1917, Evening Post, 30 November 1917, 3 March 1919, NZ Herald, 30 November 1917, Press, 4 March 1919, Star, 4 March 1919, Wanganui Chronicle, 23 & 24 July 1946 (Papers Past) [09 August 2014; 16, 19 & 20 December 2014; 17 January 2015; 07 February 2015; 25 & 29 November 2022]; Probate record (Family Search/Archives NZ) [29 November 2022]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

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