Matthew Stephen John McCormick

McCORMICK, Matthew Stephen John- – – SPC 1902-1904

DoB:- – 1886, Dean, VIC.

Father:- – Thomas McCormick, farmer

Mother:- – – Henrietta, nee Nearon

The College Annual of 1903 mentioned that Stephen, as he was known, McCormick was a -‘good kick’ of the football, playing at -‘full-back; defends splendidly; rarely lets the ball pass through’.

In the Annual of 1916-1917, it was noted that he

-‘-¦ sailed from Melbourne on the 10 October 1915, landed in Egypt on 7 November, and after a few months’ stay in the land of the Pharoahs was sent to France. We have had no communication from him since he went into the trenches, but we trust he will come through his hardships with glory. He told us that he met Corp Prendergast and Pte F McGrath, two SPC old boys, in the trenches-¦’

Service No:- 3404

Rank:- – Gunner

Unit:- – 48th Battery

Stephen McCormick enlisted in the AIF on 17 July 1915. He was 29 years old, unmarried, with a ruddy complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He was five feet, ten inches tall, and his occupation was clerk.

After leaving Australia, he sailed for Egypt where, at Tel-el-Kebir, he was attached to the 48th Battery as a Gunner on 16 March 1916. He proceeded to France, where he was promoted to the position of Bombadier on 1 June 1916.

In March 1917, Bombadier McCormick was transferred to England after sustaining an injury to his chest while in France. His service record does not elaborate on what that injury was. It was severe enough for him to be returned to Australia on 27 July for discharge from the armed forces. Upon arriving in Australia, he was discharged as medically unfit on 3 November 1917.

When Stephen McCormick returned to Australia and civilian life, he married Jeannie Morton in 1922 and they lived at 73 Bendigo Street, Richmond. They had one daughter, Mae, who was born in 1926. Stephen worked as a potato inspector.

Stephen died on 4 May 1941 at the age of 54, as a result of heart problems stemming from at least ten years earlier. He was buried at New Cheltenham Cemetery, Victoria.