Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Michael Daniel Gladstone Mulcahy, who was born on 24 December 1887 at Lime Hills near Gore, was the first-born of Irish-born Patrick Mulcahy and his Scottish-born wife, Isabella (Bella) Baxter White née Stewart. Patrick and Bella married at Gore. By 1889 they had moved to South Canterbury, where several children were born. About 1896, the family moved to Wellington and there five more children were born. Michael started his education at Fairlie School in January 1893 and, as Gladstone, transferred to Newtown School, Wellington, in 1899. He remained there until at least 1900. Michael Mulcahy married Kate Rebecca Mary Kelly on 12 January 1910 at Waipawa. Their daughter, Norah Kathleen, was born in 1910 at Waipawa, and their son, John (Jack) Douglas, was born in 1911 at Wellington. A son and a daughter were to be born after is return from the war. Michael Daniel Gladsone Mulcahy was farming at “Fern Glen”, Taumarunui, when he enlisted, naming his wife – Mrs Kathleen Mulcahy, of the same address, as his next-of-kin. In December 1917 at Trentham, Sgt M. D. G. Mulcahy was transferred from the 33rd Reinforcements to the 36th Reinforcements. He embarked with the 40th Reinforcements, leaving per the Tahiti” on 10 July 1918 for Plymouth, England. M. D. G. Mulcahy, 52854, returned home per the hospital ship “Marama” which arrived at Auckland on 17 July 1919, with 672 men aboard. He resumed his farming career. In the summer of 1933-34, Mr and Mrs Mulcahy of Tutekehua, suffered the total loss by fire of their home and furniture. Fortunately, by the following August, they were completely established in their new home. Michael Daniel Gladstone died on 16 September 1970 in Auckland, aged 82 years. He was buried in the Services Section of Waikumete Cemetery. He lost two brothers in the War – John who was killed in action at Gallipoli on 8 August 1915 and Patrick who was killed in action at the Somme on 16 September 1916. His second youngest brother, Hugh James Mulcahy, died on 11 November 1918, a victim of the influenza epidemic. At this time both their parents, Patrick and Isabella, were in London. Patrick Mulcahy, senior, had lowered his age considerably and enlisted in 1916. His wife Isabella later joined him in England to do her part in the war effort. A Patriotic Family, reported the Dominion of 13 August 1917. ‘A very fine example of practical patriotism is that shown by Mrs. Mulcahey [sic], of Wellington, and her family. Her husband is at the present time fighting in France, a son fought on Gallipoli, another is fighting in France, and yet another is in camp preparatory to leaving for the front. Every son available for service is “doing his bit,” and Mrs Mulcahey herself has left for England to work in a munitions factory. Mrs. Mulcahey is a Scotchwoman, one of that splendid type which was the backbone of New Zealand in the early days, and whose descendants are doing so much to make the name of this country an honoured one among the nations to-day. For some time before she left she was associated with the Returned Soldiers’ Hostel at Newtown, working for the benefit of the soldiers who were inmates there.’

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [24 November 2021]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [24 November 2021]; School Admission record (South Canterbury Branch NZSG) [24 November 2021]; Waikumete Cemetery headstone transcription [24 November 2021]; Otago Witness, 27 January 1888, Dominion, 13 August 1917, Evening Post, 18 December 1917, Feilding Star, 22 November 1918, NZ Times, 9 July 1919, Northland Age, 17 August 1934 (Papers Past) [24, 25 & 26 November 2021]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [24 November 2021]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record

Related Documents

• MULCAHY - newspaper extracts (pdf, 737.3 KB updated 02-Dec-2021)

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.