Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

John Edward Counihan was born on 2 February 1884 at Oamaru, the first-born of Irish born parents, John Counihan and Bridget née Sullivan. Along with his three brothers and four sisters, he was educated at the local Catholic schools. John and his brother Edmond were awarded prizes at St Patrick’s Boys’ School in 1895 and again in 1896, both for writing and arithmetic. The Oamaru Hibernian Sports which were held in ideal weather on Easter Monday 1898 had become an “established fact in the sporting world of New Zealand”. Young J. Counihan finished third in the Boys’ Race. John was very likely the J. Counihan who finished runner-up with his dog “Don” in the Heading and bringing back at the Waitaki Collie Dog Club trials held at Hakataramea in May 1905. At the same meeting in May 1908, he finished in fourth place with his dog “Don” in the Huntaway and slew, and he took £1 1s for dog coming back the quickest in class I. By 1908, John was a shepherd at Pentland Hills, near Waimate.

John Edward Counihan married Catherine (Kate) Hogan on 29 January 1913 at Waimate. Their daughter, Marie Kathleen Counihan, was born on 12 October 1914 at Waimate. As of 1914, John and Catherine were living at Waimate, John employed as a sheep buyer. In 1914 he was also a committee member of the Waimate Sheep Dog Trial Club, a position he still held in 1916. At the 1916 annual trials, a sheep-guessing contest was held, the test being the live weight of two sheep. There were two winners – Mr J. Counihan guessed 208 pounds and Mr J. Armstrong 212 pounds, the actual weight being 210 pounds. Waimate property sales in the first quarter of 1914 were quite brisk, with a freehold lot in Harris Street being sold to J. E. Counihan. With regard to the proposed transfer of a large section in Waimate to J. E. Counihan in June 1915, the Canterbury Land Board referred the matter to the Minister for his consent. The following month, the property with a 5-roomed house on a quarter-acre on Harris Street was sold on account of Mr Counihan. And in January 1916, the transfer of the same large section (June 1915) from J. E. Counihan was approved. In June 1916, J. E. Counihan contributed £1 to the Waimate list for the Sailors’ Dependants’ Fund.

It appears that John Edward Counihan may have travelled back and forth between New Zealand and Australia in his position as a sheep buyer. It is likely that he came home from Melbourne in December 1917. John Edward Connihan, meat buyer, High Street, Waimate was listed in the Second Reserves, a married man with one child. John Edward Connihan [sic], meat export buyer, Collins Street, Melbourne, was called up from the South Canterbury Second Division in 1918 [N.Z. Gazette, 24 April 1918]. When he enlisted at Timaru on 14 May 1918, he was a married man with one child, a meat buyer, Roman Catholic and living at Waimate. He named his wife as next-of-kin – Kate Counihan, High Street, Waimate. He was examined at Timaru by the Travelling Medical Board that same day. Standing at 5 feet 6¾ inches and weighing 186 pounds, he had a chest measurement of 37-39 inches, a sallow complexion sallow, blue eyes and dark hair. His sight, hearing, colour vision, heart and lungs were all normal, his limbs and chest well formed. He was free from hernia, varicose veins, haemorrhoids, inveterate or contagious skin disease, with only slight varicocele, was vaccinated and was in good bodily and mental health. He had had no fits, no notifications for consumption, no treatment in a sanatorium or mental institution; just one week off work for slight appendicitis 2 years prior.

The Second Canterbury Military Service Appeal Board sat at Timaru on 6 June 1918, John E. Counihan (Waimate) asking for an extension till September. He was allowed till 12 August. Counihan left home on 12 August 1918, proceeding to camp with the South Canterbury quota (Waimate recruits) of the 45th Reinforcements, and entered camp the next day. On 19 September, Private J. E. Counihan was transferred to the 46th Reinforcements. As hostilities came to an end, from 29 November 1918, he was granted leave without pay until further orders for demobilization. A Certificate of Leave in lieu of Discharge was issued on 28 November 1918 at Featherston, and before long, John Edward Counihan was back at Waimate, a stock buyer.

In 1921 their daughter Marie was rewarded for second term attendance at St Patrick’s School, Waimate, and again in 1922. At the 1922 school prize-giving she received a Primers prize. John was also back into dog trialling, winning the Hamilton Cup in 1922, while Mrs Counihan was donating to the Pearson Memorial Fund for the aid of the Blind. In 1923 Mr J. Counihan made a donation to the Waimate Dog Trial Club’s funds. Mrs Counihan helped with the Scottish stall at the Bazaar in connection with St Patrick’s School Building Fund in March 1924. Mr J. Counihan was awarded a special prize at the Waimate Sheep Dog Trial Club’s meeting in May 1924 – gold medal, value 2 guineas, for first district competitor. Come November 1926 and Mr and Mrs Counihan and family were on the move. They now had a little son Seph Edward Counihan, born on 13 October 1924. Farmers, fat stock buyers, auctioneers and agents gathered at the rooms of the Waimate A. and P. Association on 20 November to bid farewell to one of the leading stock buyers of the Waimate district in the person of Mr John Counihan, of the firm of Messrs Sims Cooper and Co. The chairman for the occasion to mark the departure of Mr Counihan for Timaru, spoke in glowing terms of the esteem in which their departing guest was held by the farming community, as well as the mercantile firms doing business in South Canterbury. The sterling character of Mr Counihan was amply testified to by several other speakers. In handing to Mr Counihan a well filled wallet of notes, the presenter paid tribute to the business ability and upright character of their guest. All joined in wishing Mr and Mrs Counihan and family every success in their new sphere. John and Catherine Counihan took up residence at 20 Wai-iti Road, Timaru. In December 1927, Marie contributed to a duet at a pianoforte recital arranged by her teacher. Young Seph attended Waimataitai School from February 1930, leaving in February 1932 for Australia. Seph Counihan was present in fancy dress – Red Indian – at Waimataitai School’s fancy dress dance in August 1931. In February 1931, J. E. Counihan made a monetary donation to the house-to-house collection for the Earthquake Relief Fund.

Another move was looming. In late April 1931, the real estate agents were instructed by Mr J. Counihan to offer for private sale his charming home situated at 20 Wai-iti Road. “It is a two-storied Residence in concrete with Cavity walls, containing 6 rooms and Large Sun-porch with Whitney windows. The House contains every Labour-saving Convenience and is designed to reduce Housework to a minimum. There is also a Large Garage, and the Section is well laid out in Lawn and Flower Garden. The situation of this property is unsurpassed, being in the BEST PART OF WAI-ITI ROAD, and in a Very Sunny Position. It is within one minute of Caroline Bay, and has a Great Prospective Value.” On 2 February 1932, “the whole of the superior furniture, and also the charming residential property, on account of Mr J. E. Counihan, who is leaving for Australia”, was submitted to auction.

John Edward Counihan spent his last thirty years in Victoria, Australia, taking on the occupation of grazier. Both Marie and Seph married in 1950, Seph and Eileen having three sons and one daughter. Marie Kathleen McMichael died in 2002 and was buried at Cheltenham. John Counihan, senior, who died in September 1926 and Bridget who died in May 1933, were buried at Oamaru, one son and one daughter buried with them, and a brother of John. John was the eldest of four brothers who settled in the Oamaru district. John Edward Counihan – a retired gentleman - died on 17 January 1965 at East St Kilda, Victoria, Australia, aged 80 years 11 months. He was buried at Cheltenham Memorial Cemetery, Cheltenham, Victoria. He was survived by his wife Kate, daughter Marie, son Seph and grandchildren. Catherine (Kate) Counihan died on 24 August 1970, aged 85 years, and was buried with John.

His three younger brothers all served overseas in World War One – Edmund (born 1885) who embarked in 1917; Michael Joseph (born 1889) who embarked in 1918, was invalided home, and died on 2 February 1919 at Dunedin Hospital two days after arriving home, accorded a military funeral at Oamaru; Cornelius Patrick Francis (born 1895) who embarked in 1917. Edmond Counihan (31603) who served in World War One was born at Oamaru, the son of Eugene and Mary Counihan, was a cousin of John Edward Counihan and his brothers.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [24 January 2014]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK 18805 W5530 0028966) [22 July 2014]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [22 July 2014; 22 July 2024]; North Otago Times, 21 December 1895, 19 December 1896, 15 May 1916, Oamaru Mail, 21 December 1895, 19 December 1896, 4 April 1914, 5 May 1914, NZ Tablet, 1 January 1897, 15 April 1898, Timaru Herald, 17 May 1905, 13 May 1908, 8 January 1916, 25 April 1918, 7 June 1918, 10 August 1918, 26 May 1922, 22 May 1923, 25 November 1926, 13 December 1927, 24 February 1931, 29 April 1931, 13 August 1931, 23 & 30 January 1932, Waimate Daily Advertiser, 18 May 1905, 15 May 1908, 4 May 1914, 12 June 1915, 12 July 1915, 8 January 1916, 1 May 1916, 28 June 1916, 10 August 1918, 27 August 1921, 22 & 25 May 1922, 12 September 1922, 20 December 1922, 21 May 1923, 15 March 1924, 26 May 1924, 25 November 1926, Lyttelton Times, 25 April 1918, Press, 25 April 1918, Otago Witness, 1 May 1918 (Papers Past) [22 & 23 July 2024]; NZ & Australia Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [29 July 2015; 22 July 2024]; Cheltenham Memorial Cemetery, Australia (Find A Grave); Victoria, Australia, Death index; Victoria, Australia, Wills & Probate index

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

• COUNIHAN John Edward - newspaper clippings (pdf, 121.2 KB updated 13-Aug-2024)

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