Michael Cronin

CRONIN, Michael- – – – – SPC 1904-1905

DoB:– – 8 June, 1890

Father:- – Michael Cronin

Mother:- – Mary, nee Keenan

Michael Cronin was a boarder at St Patrick’s from Ararat.

Service No:– 1657

Rank:– – Private, later Sergeant

Unit:– – 24th Battalion

Michael Cronin enlisted on 10 November 1914 at the age of 24 years. At the time of his enlistment, his father was dead and his mother had remarried and was Mrs Mary Kenny. Michael put his occupation as motor driver. He was a tall man, at five feet 11 and a half inches, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.

He embarked from Melbourne aboard the Demosthenes on 16 July 1915, and proceeded to Gallipoli on 7 October. He survived the campaign on the Turkish Peninsula, but was taken by hospital ship to Malta in mid-November suffering from neurasthenia (shell shock, or post traumatic stress). From hospital on Malta he was transferred to a convalescent hospital in Egypt. By 11 December 1915 he rejoined his battalion, and in January the following year was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in the field at Suez, Egypt.

In March 1916 Sergeant Cronin proceeded from Alexandria to Marseilles and was promoted to the rank of Company Sergeant Major at Fleurbaix. On 23 August he was wounded in action and admitted to hospital suffering from shell shock. It must have been a relief to be detached to the 6th Training Battalion in England where at least there was a brief reprieve from action. In March 1917 he once again proceeded overseas from Folkstone to Etaples, France.

On 3 May 1917 Sergeant Major Cronin was again wounded in action, receiving shell wounds in his left buttock and hand. He was transferred to the Casualty Clearing Station, but on 6 May 1917 he died from his wounds.

He was buried at the Military Cemetery at Grevilleres, France.