DONOGHUE, Francis

Francis, a son of Francis and Catherine Donoghue, was born in the Uralla district of NSW. He became a Farmer at Delungra NSW where he was active in various community organisations before World War 1.

At the age of thirty three he enlisted at Inverell in October 1916. He was one of a group of thirty two men given a farewell at the Inverell School of Arts hall and presented with the Inverell medal and a pair of socks.

Francis joined the 13th Battalion, 23rd Reinforcement and left Australia for England on HMAT A72 Beltana in November 1916. After a month in England he was sent to France in February 1917 where he was placed on duty with the 4th Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery. Francis was wounded in action in August 1918 and invalided back to England with a gunshot wound to his knee. He returned to Australia in 1919 and was medically discharged in 1920.

After the War he served as Secretary to the Delungra RS & SILA Branch for many years. He died at Delungra in 1937 and was given a Military Funeral.

Private Donoghue has his name recorded on the Delungra Honor Roll and on the new memorial gate at Anzac Park, Delungra.

Image: used with permission of family