17/09/1915- Completed Medical Examination Pinjarra WA
29/09/1915- To 31 Depot Company as Private
16/10/1915- To “A” Company 4th Depot Battalion
1/11/1915- To 28th Battalion 8th Reinforcements
3/03/1916- Transferred 51st Battalion Tel-el-Kebir ex No. 7 Training Battalion Zeitoun Egypt
12/06/1916- Disembarked Marseilles France ex Alexandria
15/08/1916- Reported MISSING IN ACTION France
15/08/1916- Reported Wounded in Action ( Shrapnel Wound Arm ) & Captured Taken as PRISONER OF WAR at Pozieres France on 19/08/1916 & Interred Lazarett Bergkaserne Munster Germany
2/11/1918- Reported DIED OF SICKNESS ( Influenza ) whist a PRISONER OF WAR at Dulmen Camp Germany- Place of Death Recklinghausen- originally Buried at Protestant Cemetery Recklinghausen and later exhumed to Cologne South Cemetery Rhine Province Germany
Service Medals Awarded
British War Medal – No. 30843
Victory Medal – No. 30661
Memorial Plaque/Scroll – No. 347895
Memorial Inscriptions
Australian War Memorial Canberra – Panel No. 153
Coolup War Memorial, Western Australia.
PRISONER OF WAR- RED CROSS FILES SUMMARY
14/09/1916- Card from No. 3592. Private Herbert Joseph McMahen to Mr. Fitzhubert 8 Southampton Row London- ” As you see by this card I am a Prisoner of War. I was wounded and captured last month. Your address has been given to me , so I am taking the liberty to write to you. My reason you can possibly guess. Will you also be good enough to see our base about our kits. There is a mate of mine here with me, his name is C. A. Jeffries No. 402. AIF. My address is on front of card. Thanking you in anticipation “.
14/10/1916- London – Certified by Lady Garvagh, 4 Marble Arch W.- ” Prisoner of War- Interred at Munster in Westphalia Camp III “.
20/10/1916- London- From AIF Headquarters List dated 6/09/1916- ” Missing 15/08/1916- Prisoner of War- Interred at Gef. Munster III in Westphalia “.
15/11/1916- London – From German List dated 14/10/1916- ” Prisoner of War- Suffering from shell wound chest- Upper Arm “.
20/12/1916- London- Card from Bureau De Secours Dated 11/12/1916- ” Prisoner of War- Transferred : Friedrichsfeld bei Wesel “.
20/03/1918- London- From Postcard received from Soldier- ” Prisoner of War- Interred Friedrichsfeld- I am getting on alright . I can also say the same for Pte. Cooke , 15th battalion and Geo. Freeman 55th Battalion “.
4/12/1918- London- Certified by Information from L/Cpl. A.M. Smyth ( Repatriated Prisoner of War). 10th AIF, 3/12/1918- Prisoner of War- Died 2/11/1918 at Dulmen of Spanish Influenza “.
12/12/1918- London- From Informant 1705 Pte. G.W. Ricket- ” Died P.O.W.- Pte. McMahen was on a working party ( the same as L/Cpl. Smyth ) at the time of his death. Pte. Knight of Queens West Surreys was also on the working party. He was very young and was so cheerful. He used to sing to keep us all laughing with his comedian turns “.
15/12/1918- London- From Informant A.M.Smyth at Adminstrative Headquarters Aust.Imp. Force B. records Section- Statement by 2684. L/Cpl Smyth A.M. 10th Battalion regarding the death of 3592. Pte. McMahen H.J. 51st Battalion- ” The above-named soldier was at Dulmen Camp , Command 6, while I was there. He was suffering from “Flu ” and reported to the Doctor who gave him 5 days off duty at the barracks. He went to bed, and while there he turned worse. On the 1st November he was taken to hospital but they did not entertain any hope for him. He died at 1.20 on the morning of the 2nd. I think the trouble was inflammation of the lungs. He was buried on the 6th November in the Cemetery ( Protestant ) at Rocklinghausen, and I attended the funeral. There were seventeen other British Soldiers there. He was given all possible attention by his mates while at the Barracks and was also well looked after in the Hospital by the brothers of the Convent. A German Parson read the Burial Rites in English at the funeral. His personal belongings were taken by the German Authorities “.
20/03/1919- London- From official German List forwarded by Geneva Red Cross 24/02/1919- ” Prisoner of War- Died 2/11/1918 in Res. Hpl. Section Convent at Rocklinghausen from Pneumonia. Buried Protestant Cemetery at Rocklinghausen. Grave marked “.
****** Thanks to Debra Osborn ( dosborn@iinet.net.au ) who has advised the following details for her Grand Uncle – Herbert Joseph McMahen :-
Date of Birth – 31 May 1889.
Enlisted at 26 Years of Age.
Died 2 November, 1918, aged 29 Years.*****