CLUNES, Sydney

CLUNES, Sydney – A Southern Downs Veteran

CONFLICT : WWI
SERVICE NO : 2243
RANK : Private
UNIT : 2nd Light Horse Regiment
ENLISTMENT DATE : 2/09/1915
AGE : 21
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT : Toowoomba, Queensland
PLACE OF BIRTH : Dalveen, Queensland
RELIGION : Church of England
OCCUPATION : Labourer
DATE OF DEATH : 22/06/1982
PLACE OF BURIAL : Warwick, Queensland

MEMORIALS : Dalveen WWI Honour Boards, Stanthorpe Soldiers Memorial Rolls of Honor

View Veteran’s Service File : CLUNES, Sydney

NOTES :

Sydney Clunes was born at Dalveen and was one of four boys and four girls born to William and Maria Clunes of Dalveen. Amongst the earliest settlers to the district, the family lived at their property Gordon Bush. All of the children attended the Dalveen State School.

Three of the four brothers enlisted during the First World War. Reginald Clunes 2494 was the first of the Clunes brothers to enlist on May 6, 1915. Next was Sydney who enlisted on September 2, 1915 followed by Gordon Clunes 21198 on October 19, 1915.

Sydney was recommended by Donald Cameron Lieutenant – Colonel Commanding 12th Australian Light Horse Regiment for honour or reward. The inscription on the form reads:

For conspicuous gallantry & devotion to duty from 19.9.18 to 3.11.18. Pte Clunes displayed great gallantry at Samaka in dressing wounded under heavy Machine Gun & Rifle fire at risk of his own life. His services have been most valuable attending to sick day and night & remained on duty (all other A.M.C. personnel having been evacuated to Hospital) although ill with fever, till he was evacuated to Hospital himself. His consistent devotion to duty was undoubtably the means of saving a large number of men from serious illness. His conduct is most worthy of the highest consideration. I cannot speak too highly of the work done by Pte Clunes.

Upon his return, Sydney married Grace Minnie Von Dohren on March 14, 1922 and the couple lived at their Dalveen property Holmwood on Sorrento Road all their lives. Prior to the war Sydney worked as a station hand on local properties. After the war he became an orchardist at Holmwood and later worked as a nurseryman at the Passchendaele State Forest.

When Australia was caught up in the Second World War, Sydney enlisted once again in the service of his country. He was promoted to Sergeant and placed on Reserve for home service.

A staunch member of the Lodge, Sydney was the first chair upon the establishment of the Granite Remembrance Lodge at Thulimbah, which was consecrated on August 23, 1948. Over the 54 years of the Lodge’s existence (1948-2022), thousands of dollars were collected each ANZAC Day on behalf of Legacy. Sydney received his 50 Year Jewel, known as the Service Jewel in 1977 at the Warwick Lodge.

Sydney and Grace had one daughter named Judith who sadly passed away in 1966 at the young age of 32 years. Grace passed away two years later in 1968. In his later years Sydney moved into Carramar Aged Care in Stanthorpe before transferring to Akooramak Aged Care in Warwick. He passed away three weeks after the move in 1982.

Sydney Clunes was a man of great courage in serving his country, a man of his community and a man who held to the Golden Rule. Integrity, Honesty, Brotherly Love and Truth.

Information provided by the Clunes family.

Read about Southern Downs Military History here.