Charles Vincent ROONEY

Regimental number9635
Place of birthBallina, Co Mayo, Ireland
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationLabourer
Addressc/o GPO Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation22
Height5' 10.5"
Weight152 lbs
Next of kinMother, Annie Rooney, 64 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin, Ireland
Previous military serviceServed for 6 months in the Royal Field Artillery, Fermoy; purchased discharge.
Enlistment date21 September 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll23 August 1915
Place of enlistmentBrisbane, Queensland
Rank on enlistmentGunner
Unit nameField Artillery Brigade 3, Reinforcement 13
AWM Embarkation Roll number13/31/4
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A35 Berrima on 17 December 1915
Rank from Nominal RollGunner
Unit from Nominal Roll13th Field Artillery Brigade
FateReturned to Australia 19 August 1919
Medals

Military Medal

'On 26th August 1917 at about 5.30 p.m. near POTIJZE an ammunition dump of the 13th Aust. F.A. Brigade became heavily shelled by the enemy and was set on fire causing the ammunition in the dump to explode. No. 9635 Corporal ROONEY who was in charge of the dump immediately set to work to extinguish the fire. This was successfully accomplished and by his initiative, bravery, and disregard of risk he succeeded in extinguishing the fire and in saving a large quantity of valuable ammunition required for immediate use in Batteries.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 31
Date: 7 March 1918

Discharge date20 January 1920
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Taken on strength, Divisional Ammunition Column, and posted to No 1 Section, 24 January 1916.

Appointed Acting Sergeant, 19 February 1916; reverted to Gunner, 4 March 1916.

Transferred to 5th Division Artillery, Tel el Kebir, 14 March 1916. Taken on strength, 13th Field Artillery Brigade, 1 April 1916, and posted to 52nd Battery.

Promoted Temporary Corporal, Ferry Post, 17 April 1916; Corporal, 14 May 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Transferred to 25th Field Artillery Brigade, in the field, 9 July 1916.Detached for duty, Gas School, 8 August 1916; rejoined unit from detachment, 12 August 1916.

Transferred to 12th Brigade Ammunition Column, 28 January 1917.

On leave to England, 23 March 1917. Admitted to Milbank Military Hospital, London, 4 April 1917; transferred to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, 11 April 1917; discharged on furlough, 26 April 1917, to report to No 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, 11 May 1917. Marched into Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery, Larkhill, 17 June 1917.

Found guilty, Larkhill, 6 June 1917, of overstaying leave from 1200 to 2030, 6 June: reprimanded, and forfeited 5 days' pay.

Proceeded overseas to France, 19 June 1917; taken on strength, 5th Division Artillery, in the field, 1 July 1917, and posted to 49th Battery.

Awarded Military Medal.

Reduced to theranks, 27 February 1918.

On leave, 6 March 1918; rejoined unit from leave, 24 March 1918.

Transferred to 113th Battery, 24 March 1918; to 51st Battery, 14 June 1918; to 113th Battery, 25 August 1918.

On leave to United Kingdom, 8 December 1918. Admitted while on leave to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, 15 December 1918 (influenza); discharged to No 2 Command Depot, Weymouth, 28 December 1918. Admitted to 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital, Bulford, 14 January 1919; discharged to Convalescent Training Depot, Parkhouse, 14 February 1919; total period of treatment for venereal disease: 32 days.

Found guilty, 11 April 1919, of being absent without leave from 0810 parade after being warned, and evading embarkation on board HT 'Medic': forfeited 28 days' pay.

Found guilty, Weymouth, 29 July 1919, of being absent without leave from 2359, 29 July, to 2000, 7 August 1919: awarded forfeiture of 9 days' pay; total forfeiture: 18 days' pay.

Commenced return to Australia on board HT 'Ajana', 19 August 1919; disembarked Sydney, 9 October 1919; discharged, Sydney, 20 January 1920.

Medals: Military Medal, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, ROONEY Charles Vincent