Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

William John Quinlan, who was born at Timaru, South Canterbury, NZ, enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force on 22 August 1914 at Sydney, New South Wales, aged 33 years. He had been born in 1879 at Timaru, the younger son of James Joseph and Helena Agnes Quinlan. He was educated at the Catholic Boys School in Timaru, where he was awarded three prizes in the Infant Class of 1886 – Christian Doctine, and 2nd in both reading and writing. In 1887 he was placed first in Standard I reading and spelling. In 1888 at the Sacred Heart Boys School, he was second in Standard II Christian Doctrine. The infant daughter of James and Helena died in January 1888. Tragedy befell the family in March 1894, when their “nice comfortable house” at Southerton was destroyed by fire. Mr and Mrs Quinlan and their six children got out safely but with only a few clothes. Mr Quinlan had by then been in Timaru for about 19 years. Mrs Elena Agnes Quinlan died on 4 February 1898 at her home, aged 42 years. She left her husband and six children, the youngest not yet five years old. Further tragedy struck the family on 13 May 1900, when their father took his life in his own home. His daughter Mary and son William both said that their father had not been well. It may have been in 1909 that William Quinlan left Timaru. His brother, James Joseph Quinlan, took his life in Sydney in 1912. James had married in New Zealand in 1908 but, in 1910, had failed to pay maintenance for his wife and child. William Quinlan was a municipal employee in the maintenance department. Married, he nominated his wife as next-of-kin – Mrs W. J. Quinlan, 598 Botany Road, Alexandria, (New South Wales). She was later identified as Widow: Daisy Quinlan. William had previously served with the Ninth Contingent New Zealand Mounted Rifles in the Boer War. He was then a farmer, residing at Southerton, Oxford Street, Timaru, and his next-of-kin was his brother, James Quinlan, of the same address. In 1905 William was still residing at Timaru. Private Quinlan was gassed on the Western Front after surviving Gallipoli, and was a TPI until his death. [Cenotaph Database]. In January 1918, he was to return to Australia for discharge, because of cardiac insufficiency. He was discharged on 6 April 1918. William, a labourer, and Daisy continued to live in New South Wales. William John Quin died on 27 January 1939 and was buried in the Rookwood Catholic Cemetery at Rookwood, New South Wales.

Sources

NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [18 April 2020]; Australia death index [18 April 2020]; Find A Grave [18 April 2020]; NZ & Australia Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [18 April 2020]; South Canterbury Times, 22 December 1886, 22 December 1887, 21 December 1888, 20 March 1894, 14 May 1900, Timaru Herald, 15 May 1900 (Papers Past) [18 April 2020]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.