C/o Shire Council, Gilgandra, NSW
4881
13th Battalion, 15th Reinforcement
Gilgandra Coo-ee
Returned to Australia, 23.4.1919
Private John Quinn 881
John Quinn was a 30 year old fitter when he enlisted in Gilgandra on the October 9, 1915. He was born in Moama NSW and his parents lived in Tocumwal NSW. He did his apprenticeship in Berrigan NSW for 5 years. He was single and had served in the Royal Australian Artillery for 3 years and possibly the Royal Australian Engineers for 2 years. John passed his medical examination in Gilgandra by Captain Burkett and was described as 5’9”, 165lbs (74.8kgs), fair complexion, grey eyes and brown hair.
John joined the Coo-ee March and marched to Sydney to train in Liverpool. After training he embarked on the ‘Star of Victoria’ on October 8, 1915 to Egypt. He trained further with the 4th Pioneer Battalion and embarked from Alexandria to France where he was taken on strength with the 46th Battalion. In July 1916 he was admitted to the Canadian General Hospital in Etaples with an injury to his right leg. He was treated and convalesced in France then discharged in October 1916 to the Etaples Base with the Sanitary Squad. From there he spent his time with the 1st Anzac Reinforcement Camp and the Australian Employment Company with a short leave break in the UK. He returned to Australia on the ‘Nevasa’ and arrived in Sydney on April 23, 1919 to be discharged on October 3 1919 with a disability of the right lower limb.
John received the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. He is commemorated on the Coo-ee Memorial Gateway.