Joseph Earle McKinnon

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Thu, 07/01/2016 - 14:24

First Name:

Joseph

Middle Name:

Earle/ Earl

Last Name:

McKinnon

Mother's Name:

Violet McKinnon

Father's Name:

John McKinnon

Date Enlisted:

Wednesday, July 14, 1915

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Sergeant

Unit:

56th Battalion

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

1914/1915 Star

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Thursday, September 27, 1917

Place of Death:

Polygon Wood, Ypres, Belgium

Cause of Death:

Died of wounds

Details:

Joseph McKinnon (Service No 3087) was born in Balgownie, N.S.W. around 1891. His family moved to the N.S.W. central coast and he attended Western Public School, via Maitland.

Joseph enlisted when he was 24 years old; he was single and employed as an electrician.

He embarked from Sydney on HMAT A69 Warialda with 10th Reinforcements, 4th Battalion on 8th October 1915. The troops arrived in Egypt after the evacuation of Gallipoli, and Joseph was transferred to 56th Battalion on 23rd December 1915.

The 56th arrived in France on 29th June 1916 and took part in the battle of Fromelle in July 1916.

On 12th November 1916 Joseph was promoted to Lance Corporal. He saw service on the Western Front, and on 12th April 1917 he was promoted to Corporal, then on 27th May, further promoted to Sergeant.

Joseph was fighting at Polygon Wood, Ypres on 27th September 1917 when he was wounded, sustaining gun shot wounds to his neck and throat. He was evacuated to 3rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station for treatment but died within the hour.

Joseph is buried in Mendingham British Cemetery, Proven, Belgium: Plot VII, Row A, Grave 15.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, MCKINNON J E