Joseph Simon D’Arcy

D’ARCY, Joseph Simon- – – – SPC 1908

DoB:- – c1892, Ballarat

Father:- – Joseph D’Arcy, a house painter

Mother:– – Mary, nee Murphy

In 1908, Joe D’Arcy sat the Commonwealth Public Service exams and achieved 87.5% overall. For this commendable result he was awarded a silver medal.

Joe D’Arcy was the brother of William D’Arcy (SPC 1905-1909) who also enlisted in WWI (Service No 59962).

In the SPC College Annual of 1916-1917 there was an update of Joseph D’Arcy’s war service -“

-‘-¦ up to the day of his enlistment, which was in February 1915, he was a Customs House Officer at Geelong. He embarked for the Gallipoli Peninsula on 4 June, and here he spent five months as a stretcher-bearer. During this time he was at Lone Pine, which is famous for the many noble deeds enacted there by our brave lads. He took part in the famous evacuation, after which he was infected with enteric fever and jaundice. After spending some time in the hospitals at Lemnos Island and at Alexandria, he was invalided home, where he stayed for about eight weeks. On the 12 May he re-embarked for Egypt, whence he journeyed through France to England. After spending some time in the Mother Country, he crossed the Channel and rejoined his unit, which at present is with the fighting forces in France’.

Service No:- 3269

Rank:- – Private

Unit:- – 6th Light Horse Field Ambulance

Joseph Simon D’Arcy enlisted on 19 February 1915, aged 23 years. He was five feet nine and a quarter inches tall, with a dark complexion, grey eyes and black hair. He gave his occupation as civil servant. After enlisting at Geelong, he embarked from Melbourne aboard the Ajana on 4 June 1915.

Private D’Arcy proceeded to Gallipoli on 30 August 1915 where he was a stretcher-bearer. By November of that year, he was severely ill with enteric fever (also known as Typhoid Fever). Despite being hospitalised for several months, he did not recover enough to resume active duty, so he was returned to Australia for a complete rest.

By June 1916 he was considered well enough to be returned to war service, and so he embarked on the Anglo Egyptian arriving at Folkstone, England. On 21 August 1916 he proceeded overseas for service in France.

In July 1918, Private D’Arcy’s mother was notified that her son was to be awarded the Military Medal,

-‘-¦relating to the conspicuous services rendered by the undermentioned member of the Australian Imperial Force.

AWARDED THE MILITARY MEDAL

HIS MAJESTY THE KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Military Medal for bravery in the field to the undermentioned:-

No 3269 Private J D’ARCY -¦’

In January 1919, Private D’Arcy proceeded from Havre, France back to England to prepare for his return to Australia. He left England on 17 March 1919 aboard the Plassy, and arrived in Melbourne on 30 April 1919.

Joe D’Arcy married Eileen Mary Imelda McCoy around 1937 in Melbourne. They had two children, Joseph Eric and Ronald Anthony.

Joe died on 25 November 1967, aged 75 years. He was buried in the St Kilda Cemetery, Victoria.