Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Denis Sullivan (sometimes spelt Dennis) was the second surviving son of Denis and Ellen (née Horgan). He was born at Gurrane, Castlemaine, County Kerry, Ireland, on 22 July 1871 (according to family trees). Another record gives 17 October 1871 at Milltown, Kerry. His personnel file at archives New Zealand has the spelling Dennis; in most records Denis is usual. The news reports of his father’s death in 1890 stated that he was one of twelve surviving children of Denis and Ellen. On enlistment, he gave a birthdate of 15 February 1878 at Tralee. Denis, senior, and Ellen married in 1863 at Castlemaine. There five children were born, Denis being the fifth. 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 when 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. Denis and his older brother Daniel took over the running of the family affairs after their father’s death. In the 1900s, Denis, Daniel and Michael 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.

Denis Sullivan, junior, had moved away from South Canterbury by 1914, probably earlier, and engaged in farm work at Marton. On 25 July 1916, “the men of the No. 6 Group, quota of the Nineteenth Reinforcements, were accorded a send-off by the citizens of Palmerston in front of the Patriotic Society’s Office in the Square. . . . . . The men themselves mustered about 150 strong and were of very good physique. The Mayor, . . . . , congratulated the recruits on offering their services for King and Country. He said that it was very gratifying to know that the reinforcement was over subscribed. . . . . . We should be proud to know that New Zealand had raised already 62,000 soldiers under the voluntary system. . . . . . He wished the men success in their mission.” The Officer Commanding the District said that they “were going away to play at war, the most serious game a man could play. He asked them to keep fit. . . . . They were going into camp where they would have every opportunity of promotion. He wished them good-bye and success to their arms.” After the Rev. Haslam spoke, the men marched off round the Square to the station, headed by the Municipal Band and the Boys’ Drum Band. They entrained on the Main Trunk Express for Wellington. Among those who went into camp that morning was D. Sullivan.

So, it came about that Denis Sullivan enlisted on 28 July 1916 at Trentham, stating his age 37 but actually aged 44, and with no previous military experience. Denis was single, a farm labourer, Roman Catholic and residing at Marton. He was not a big man - 5 feet 4½ inches tall, 9 stone 7 pounds in weight and having a chest measurement of 33-36 inches. His complexion was dark, his eyes blue grey, and his hair dark brown. His sight, hearing, colour vision, heart and lungs were all normal, his limbs and chest well formed, and his teeth efficient. Having had no illnesses, diseases, fits or slight defects, and being vaccinated, he was in good bodily and mental health. Seven years prior he had suffered for some months with fractured ribs. His nominated next-of-kin was a friend – Mrs J. Dailey Martin, Marton. Private D. Sullivan embarked with the Otago Infantry Battalion of the 19th Reinforcements, departing from Wellington for Plymouth, England, on 15 November 1916. Having disembarked at Devonport, he marched in to Sling on 29 January 1917 and on 3 March was on his way overseas to France.

On 17 October 1917, Denis was admitted to the 14th Stationary Hospital with mild boils on his left leg. A few days later he was admitted to the Military Hospital at Bethnal Green with these boils, perhaps on both legs. He was transferred to the Convalescent Depot at Hornchurch on 1 November. The boils were cured but he suffered a bout of tonsillitis in early November. Leaving Hornchurch on leave on 30 November, he was to report, on furlough, to Codford on 17 December 1917. He had had nine months service in France but had been unable to carry on for some months. He also had pyorrhoea, which improved with treatment. While his general physical condition was good, he was unfit for active Service. From Codford he reported at the Discharge Depot at Torquay.

Classified unfit by a Medical Board, he embarked at Liverpool on 1 February 1918 for the return to New Zealand by the “Tahiti” (Draft 149). The Provisional Medical Board convened at Auckland on his arrival by the “Tahiti” found that his disability was “Prematurely Old”. The Medical Board, assembled at Palmerston North (where Private Sullivan was hospitalized) on 25 March 1918, determined that his original disability was “Over age – disabled by Active Service (in France)”. This resulted in Debility and, while he had improved, his disability was likely to be permanent. He was however consiudered fit for civil employment. Denis Sullivan was discharged on 15 April 1918, being no longer physically fit for Active Service on account of illness and being over age. He was issued with the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He returned to the Marton district, to farm labouring work for his former employer at Makirikiri. Although a gentleman whose “attitude savours of sharp practice” objected to a number of names on the 1919 Manawatu electoral roll - Dennis Sullivan, Makirikiri among them - he was recorded there. He spent some years in his old age in retirement at Jubilee Home, Wanganui.

Denis Sullivan died on 18 December 1965 at Wanganui, aged 94 years (not the registered age of 98 but the age given in his death notice). In his Will signed in March 1964, Denis directed his remains be buried in the Returned Servicemen’s portion of the Aramoho Lawn Cemetery, which duly happened after a service conducted by the Roman Catholic priest. He bequeathed all to his youngest brother, Patrick Sullivan, who lived in Christchurch and attended Denis’ funeral.

A younger brother, Michael Joseph Sullivan (24/1493), 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 Denis 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 [07 February 2015]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK18805) [02 August 2015]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [21 December 2014]; Timaru Herald, 18 & 20 October 1890, 2 December 1914, South Canterbury Times, 18 October 1890, Press, 20 October 1890, Temuka Leader, 18, 21, 23 & 28 October 1890, Woodville Examiner, 10 May 1911, Manawatu Standard, 10 May 1911, 14 March 1918, Temuka Leader, 11 May 1911, Manawatu Times, 26 July 1916, Evening Post, 9 November 1917, 13 March 1918, Dominion, 9 November 1917, Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, 14 March 1918, 18 March 1919 NZ Times, 14 March 1918 (Papers Past) [19 & 20 December 2014; 07 February 2015; 05 & 06 February 2017; 25 November 2022]; Aramoho Cemetery burial record & headstone transcription (South Canterbury Branch NZSG cemetery records microfiche; Whanganui District Council) [07 February 2015]; Timaru Herald, 20 December 1965 (Timaru District Library) [19 May 2017]; Probate record (Archives NZ/FamilySearch) [23 June 2017]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

• SULLIVAN Denis - newspaper clippings (pdf, 117.4 KB updated 01-Dec-2022)

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