DONNELLY, Arthur Austin

Name – DONNELLY, Arthur Austin
Born – 1924
Died – 7/03/1937
Location – No 16 Catholic section
Mother – Alice Margaret Bailey
Father – Austin Norbert Donnelly

Notes – Arthur was born in Wagga Wagga, NSW in 1924 to Austin Norbert and Alice Margaret (nee Bailey) Donnelly.

His father enlisted from Toowoomba for service during WWI and after his return he married Alice in 1924. Arthur had two sisters, Ida Maud (1926) and Evelyn Dora (1928). The 1919 Census has his father Austin at Moonie Coomrith Station via Dalby farmer and grazier with a John Donnelly as station hand. In 1935-1938 Austin and Alice are at Kinkabilla via Dalby, occupations home duties and selector.

From newspaper accounts it appears Arthur was 20 feet down a well he was helping to sink. He was filling up the buskets with soil and hoisting them up when the rope broke and the bucket fell and struck him on the head. He was taken to Tara hospital in a coma and passed away three days later. The newspaper report incorrectly shows his initial as J and not A.

The headstone inscription on the grave of Arthur Donnelly reads – In Loving Memory of Arthur Austin Donnelly Died March 7th 1937 Aged 16 yrs.

Newspaper Article – Accident

War Service File  –

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