McAULIFFE, Reginald Harry William DCM

McAULIFFE, Reginald Harry William DCM – A Southern Downs Veteran

CONFLICT : WWI
SERVICE NO : 762
RANK : Sergeant
UNIT : 2nd Tunnelling Company
ENLISTMENT DATE : 21/08/1915
AGE : 21
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT : Yelarbon, Queensland
PLACE OF BIRTH : Peak Hill, New South Wales
RELIGION : Roman Catholic
OCCUPATION : Farmer
DATE OF DEATH : 31/01/1964
PLACE OF BURIAL : Toowoomba, Queensland

MEMORIALS : Yelarbon War Memorial, Yelarbon Roll of Honour, Goondiwindi War Memorial

View Veteran’s Service File : McAULIFFE, Reg Harry William

NOTES :  Reginald (Reg) was born in Caswell Street, Peak Hill, New South Wales, on 22nd May 1894, the eldest child and only son of William and Minnie Elizabeth McAuliffe. In 1910 the family left the Peak Hill district and selected Cranbourne, about one mile from Yelarbon just across the border in Queensland. Reg greatly assisted his ageing father in developing Cranbourne from a wilderness into a productive farm. The two men worked side by side until the outbreak of World War One.

Like many other young men from the newly settled Yelarbon district, Reg enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces (A.I.F.) at Yelarbon on 21st August 1915 at the age of twenty-one years and three months. After completing his basic training Reg was appointed to No 2 Mining Corps at Casula on 3rd January 1916.

On 19th February 1916 Reg was promoted to the rank of corporal and the following day he embarked from Sydney on H.M.A.T. ‘Ulysses’ for Europe. After duty in Egypt he sailed again and disembarked at Marseille in France on 5th May 1916, and he remained in Europe for one month short of three years until victory was achieved. Reg had an impressive war record and for years was involved in trench warfare particularly in the Somme Valley around Villers-Bretonneux, which was a decisive battle of the war. Reg was promoted to sergeant in the field on 1st October 1918. Reg sailed home from London on 19th April 1919.

During his period of active service, he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM). In the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No 109 dated 15th September 1919 the following was promulgated – His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve the above award (DCM) for distinguished service in connection with military operations with the armies in France and Flanders – No 762 Sergeant R.H.W. McAuliffe.

The act of gallantry for which the award was made was promulgated in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No 52 dated 10th June 1920. It read:

No 762 Sergeant R.H.W. McAuliffe D.C.M. – for gallantry and devotion to duty for nearly three years, notably from 8th August to 12th October 1918, when he was in charge of parties engaged on mine reconnaissance and forward road work during the advance from Villers Bretonneux to Bellicourt, when his disregard of danger set a fine example to his men.

His parents held a special knife and fork dinner for Reg at Cranbourne to celebrate his safe return home and all ex-soldiers from the Yelarbon district were invited to attend.

Reg married Mabel Alice Weymouth in Brisbane on 28th April 1928. During the Second World War Reg served in the Volunteer Defence Corps, and was very active with the R.S.L. and raising funds for the war effort. In 1944 Reg developed a serious heart condition and was advised by his doctor to retire. The family then reluctantly moved to Toowoomba. Reg’s health declined until his eventual death in Toowoomba on 31st January 1964.

Abridged from Chapter 12 of The Remarkable Family of William & Minnie Elizabeth McAuliffe 1893 – 1999 by John Sidney Hamblin, published in 2010.

Copyright 2026 Deborah C Wheeler and Duncan McLean, Southern Downs Military History

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