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Patrick Tyrrell - Information

Patrick was born in Bourke in 1871. When he was older, he came to Sydney, where he completed an apprenticeship with Walter Sons & Bartholomew on George St. In 1914, he married his sweetheart Katherine Margaret Collinan in Randwick. Patrick and Katherine, known as Katie, were blessed with a little girl, Mary, in 1915. They then moved in with Katie's parents on the property of Rosebank, on Chester Rd in Ingleburn. Here, Patrick worked as an assistant granger. At the age of 35, Patrick and his brother-in-law, Denis Collinan, decided to join up together. They enlisted in the AIF at the Royal Showground Camp on the 18th of September 1916. Commencing their training, they were eventually made Privates with the 7th Reinforcements, 55th Battalion. Leaving for war service, they embarked Sydney upon the HMAT Ascanius on the 25th of October 1916.

Patrick and Denis disembarked in Devonport in late December, and were marched into the 14th Training Battalion. In late February 1917, Patrick left Folkestone for France, before joining the 55th Battalion in early April. Unluckily, at this time, Denis had been moved to a different unit. Two months later, on the 1st of June, Patrick was detached for duty with the 5th Australian Division Headquarters. While serving there, he was caught in a severe mustard gas attack on the 26th of September, during the Third Battle of Ypres in Belgium. After initial treatment, he was evacuated to England on the 10th of October, to the 1st Southern General Hospital. It took some time for Patrick to recover from the affects of the gas poisoning. In early 1918, he was still feeling rather unwell and was now suffering from chronic rheumatism. Sadly, while in hospital, he was informed that Denis had been killed in action in April. He was then sent back to Australia on the 7th of June 1918. Unthinkably, as he left England, Katie passed away on the 8th of June at her parent's residence on Chester Rd in Ingleburn. The shock of the wounding of her husband and the loss of her dear brother was too much, and her health rapidly deteriorated. Patrick returned home a widow, unable to say goodbye to his darling wife. He tearfully reunited with his little Mary, whom would never grow to know her mother or her uncle.