Australian Army Veterinary Corps
Matthew MORONEY
Sergeant
Died 26 April 1918 · Aged c. 29–30*
Age discrepancy: An approximate age of 29–30 is used here from the stated enlistment age of 26 in December 1914. The exact birth date remains unconfirmed. We have not been able to confirm the exact age.
His story
Matthew Moroney was a farmer born at Kyneton, Victoria. He enlisted on 14 December 1914, giving his age as 26. He was unmarried and named his brother Frank Moroney of Lara, Victoria, as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded blue eyes, brown hair and Roman Catholic religion.
He joined the 1st Veterinary Section as Private 106 and embarked at Sydney aboard HMAT Ajana on 19 December 1914. In Egypt he was treated for influenza at the 1st Auxiliary Hospital, Heliopolis, from 31 January to 7 February 1916; a further entry records treatment for mumps in March. He was promoted to sergeant on 7 March 1916 and attached to the 15th Field Artillery Brigade in April. He sailed from Alexandria aboard Kalyan on 17 June 1916 and disembarked at Marseilles on 24 June.
On 3 March 1917 he was attached to the 14th Field Artillery Brigade from the 15th. His casualty record subsequently records leave in England and Paris, followed by a return from United Kingdom leave on 6 March 1918.
Moroney was wounded in action on 24 April 1918. The 4th Australian Field Ambulance admitted him with a gunshot wound to the arm and transferred him to the 4th Casualty Clearing Station. That station recorded his admission on 25 April with a wound to the left arm. He died of his wounds there on 26 April 1918 and was buried in Pernois British Cemetery. These papers establish the wound and medical evacuation sequence, but do not identify the precise battlefield incident.
Before the war
- Nationality
- Australian
- Date of birth
- c. 1888
- Place of birth
- Kyneton, Victoria
- Occupation
- Farmer
- Residence recorded
- Own address not stated in AIF roll; born Kyneton, brother at Lara and parents at Heathcote, Victoria
- Family
- Brother Frank MORONEY, Lara, Victoria; parents Matthew and Catherine MORONEY, Heathcote, Victoria
Military service
- Rank recorded
- Sergeant
- Service number
- 106
- Corps or service
- Australian Army Veterinary Corps
- Unit
- 1st Veterinary Section; attached to 15th and later 14th Field Artillery Brigades
- Earlier service
- Reported no previous military service at enlistment
Death and burial
- Date of death
- 26 April 1918
- Age
- about 29–30*
- Place of death
- 4th Casualty Clearing Station, France
- Recorded cause
- Died of wounds: gunshot wound to the left arm, received in action on 24 April 1918
- Cemetery or memorial
- Pernois British Cemetery
Sources and further reading
Cite this biography
Graham Hodgkins and Pete Matthews, “Matthew Moroney”, Veterinary Virtual War Memorial, https://vetsremembered.org/people/matthew_moroney/.
Contribute information
Can you add a portrait of Moroney or a dated unit diary entry naming the incident in which he was wounded on 24 April 1918?