Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

John Clancy was born on 8 March 1874 in Ireland, according to his Personnel file. It appears that he was born on 8 February 1875 at Ballinderry, Borisokane (Nenagh), Tipperary, Ireland, to Thomas Clancy and Jane née Dowling (or Doolan). On enlistment with the New Zealnad forces, John noted that he had served in the South African War for two years 4 months with the Leinster Regiment. John Clancy enlisted with the 100th Foot (Leinsters) on 31 March 1898 at Birr, Ireland. He was then single, 23 years old, and born at Ballinderry, Borisokane, Tipperary, Ireland.

By 1914, John Clancy was a farm labourer at Morven. He may have been a labourer at Elderslie near Oamaru in 1911. Enlisting on 16 December 1915 at Trentham, he named his brother as next-of-kin – Joe Clancy, Borrisorane, County Tipperary, Ireland. Joseph was born about 1886 in County Tipperary. In 1901 he was a carpenter (like his father Thomas and brother George), living at home at Nenagh, Tipperary, with his parents (Thomas and Jane), sister Ellen and brother George. Joseph was still at Nenagh in 1911, with his widowed mother Jane and brother George. John also named a friend – Peter Burns, Morven, New Zealand. Peter Burns was his employer. John was a labourer, single and Roman Catholic, his address being Criterion Hotel, Waimate.

Private J. Clancy embarked with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion of the 11th Reinforcements, departing from Wellington for Suez, Egypt, on 1 April 1916. In a lengthy hospital report published on 1 June 1917, J. Clancy, 6/4219, was listed as a severe case but doing well. Embarking at Avonmouth per the “Maheno” on 8 August 1917, John Clancy was in a batch of soldiers from the front which reached Wellington on 18 September 1917. “The Mayor (Mr G. Dash) has been advised by the Defence Office that Private Loper, of Waimate, and Private Clancy, of Morven, are due to arrive at Lyttelton per troopship on Wednesday, and should reach Waimate by the express that day.” [Waimate Daily Advertiser. 17 September 1917.] Clancy had suffered a gunshot wound to his right hand which resulted in permanent disability. His intended address was Studholme Junction, Canterbury, New Zealand. He was discharged on 13 December 1917. From April 1916 the name of J. Clancy appeared regularly on the Waimate Daily Advertiser Roll of Honour under the sub-title of Answered the Call.

“MORVEN.

SOLDIERS HONOURED

In our report of the welcome social held at Morven on 15tli inst, we had not the names of the men honoured on that occasion. This is the complete list of names: — Medals presented to next of kin of the following men who gave their lives, for the Empire: . . . . . . The following returned men received medals as tokens of honour from Morven residents: . . . . . , J. Clancy, . . . . .” [Waimate Daily Advertiser, 19 May 1919.] The whole of the people of Morven and surrounding districts had turned out to welcome home returned soldiers. The hall, which had been tastefully decorated, was packed by eight o’clock, “late comers being unable to gain admission”. A short concert – musical items, Scotch recitations – preceded the welcome addresses and presentation of medals. The presentation of medals to the next-of-kin of eighteen local boys who had made the supreme sacrifice, was very solemn. “As a bereaved mother, or a sorrowing yet proud father came forward to receive the district’s token of honour and sympathy, one was forced to realise the tragedy of war.” Supper – for some five hundred people – followed and the “inevitable dance”.

John Clancy was still in the Waimate area in 1926. He died on 30 June 1950 in Ireland. His death was registered at Thurles, Tipperary, his age given as 75 years.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museumm Cenotaph Database [04 July 2022]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [15 July 2022]; Scotland, Ireland and Wales, Militia Attestation Papers (ancestry.com.au) [15 July 2022]; Ireland, Select Births and Baptisms (ancestry.com.au) [15 July 2022]; 1901 & 1911 Ireland census returns for brother Joseph (per ancestry.com.au) [15 July 2022]; Ireland Death registration (ancestry.com.au) [15 July 2022]; Dominion, 1 June 1917, 18 September 1917, Waimate Daily Advertiser, 19 April 1916, 17 September 1917, 30 May 1918, 19 May 1919, 21 September 1926, Timaru Herald, 22 May 1919, 7 June 1922 (Papers Past) [18 September 2019; 05 & 15 July 2022]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, Teresa Scott, South Canterbury Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.