Joseph Cudmore

CUDMORE, Joseph- – – – SPC 1908

DoB:– – 1894, Natte Yallock, VIC

Father:– – Michael Cudmore, -‘Mountain Creek’, Moonambel, via Avoca, VIC

Mother:– – Jane, nee Coady, 3 Cook Street, Glenferrie, VIC

Joseph Cudmore was a boarder at St Patrick’s for one year. He sat the Primary University exam, passing in the following subjects: English, Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, French, History, Geography, Writing, Composition and Drawing.

Service No:- 661

Rank:– – Private, later Lieutenant

Unit:– – No 2 Aust General Hospital, later Lieutenant in 43rd Battalion

Joseph Cudmore enlisted on 9 October 1914 in Sydney. He was 23 years and three months old, five feet 10 and a half inches tall with a fair complexion, hazel eyes and light brown hair. He put his occupation as bank clerk. He embarked at Sydney aboard the Kyarra on 28 November 1914 bound for Suez.

His war record shows that Private Cudmore returned to Australia in July 1915 aboard the Ballarat, disembarking at Melbourne, and then returned on 30 September aboard the Argylshire, although it was not made clear why. By December 1915 he was transferred to AIF Headquarters in London, after completing special transport duty. In March 1916 he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, and in August was promoted further to the rank of Staff Sergeant Quarter Master Store (QMS).

In June 1918 he proceeded overseas to France, via Southampton, and on 22 August was wounded in action. He received a gunshot wound to his left forearm, and was invalided to hospital in England. By 17 September 1918 he resumed duty from hospital and proceeded once again overseas to France. On 1 October 1918 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.

In January 1919 he returned to England for further training at Salisbury. On 14 April he was arrested and tried for the charge of: -Absenting himself without leave, in that he at Hurdcott absented himself without leave from 15 February until 18 February 1919. The Court found the accused guilty. The Court sentenced the accused to be reprimanded-.

Lieutenant Cudmore returned to Australia on 1 November 1919 aboard the Nestor. He was discharged from the AIF on 14 February 1920.

Joseph Cudmore married Mary O’Halloran in Waverley, NSW in 1922. Joseph died in Sydney in 1953, aged 59 years.