Jeremiah Joseph Kelly

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Wed, 11/01/2017 - 12:30

First Name:

Jeremiah

Middle Name:

Joseph

Last Name:

Kelly

Date of Birth:

Sunday, December 22, 1895

Mother's Name:

Mary Ann Kelly nee Massey

Father's Name:

Thomas Kelly

Date Enlisted:

Monday, May 10, 1915

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Private

Unit:

4th Battalion

Company:

Machine Gun Section

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

1914/1915 Star

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Details:

Jeremiah Kelly (Service No 2183) was born in Wollongong, N.S.W.

Jeremiah enlisted a few days after his brother George, when he was single, 19 years of age, and worked as a labourer. He had served 2 years with 37th Infantry CMF.

He embarked from Sydney on HMAT A63 Karoola with 6th Reinforcements, 4th Battalion on 16th June 1915. After the troops arrived in Egypt Jeremiah was sent to Gallipoli on 4th August 1915 and saw service with the Machine Gun section at Lone Pine.

After he became ill, Jeremiah was evacuated to hospital in Malta on 10th September 1915. He was then sent to Egypt where he was diagnosed as having enteric fever.

Jeremiah was returned to Australia in January 1916 and discharged medically unfit on 11th July 1916.

After he returned home Jeremiah joined the N.S.W. Railways, then went into business for himself. In 1935 Jeremiah married Eileen Day and together they raised two children.

Jeremiah was active in the community and spent many years as a Councillor on the Wollongong Council, eventually serving as Mayor of Wollongong. As Mayor he attended many official functions, most notably officiating at the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Wollongong in 1954. J J Kelly Park in Wollongong is named after him.

Jeremiah died in Wollongong in 1961.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, KELLY J J