The Hallahan Brothers – Walter Rewi Hallahan was one of four Kalgoorlie brothers who served with the Australian army in World War I. Two of them, Alf and Wendell, were killed in France in 1916. Walter was killed in September 1918, one month before the armistice was declared while serving with the 11th Battalion. The only brother to return home was Robert Walter Hallahan. Alf and Robert all took part in the Gallipoli landing on April 25, 1915.
The Hallahan brothers Robert (standing, left), Walter, Alf (seated, left), and Wendell. The four, who were in London at the same time and had just been to see a West End production when they decided to have this photograph taken to send to family in Kalgoorlie.
Wendell arrived at the Dardanelles in May with other reinforcements. Walter was the family’s most highly decorated soldier, receiving the Military Cross and Military Medal. As a member of the 11th Battalion’s machine-gun section, he was among the first to land at Gallipoli. His actions during the landing and on two later occasions on the Turkish peninsula earned him the Military Medal. The citation said:
“For conspicuous gallantry and good work.”
During the Gallipoli landing he made it off the beachhead and set up his machine gun and for 48 hours continuously kept his machine gun in action, despite receiving heavy shrapnel and rifle fire. Just over a month later on May 18-19, 1915, when the Australian lines came under a surprise attack from the Turks, he lifted his machine gun on top of a parapet and began firing, when the enemy was less than 50 yards away.
His commanding officer also recommended him for an award on August 1, 1915, when he took part in an advance on the Turkish lines. The official citation said Walter Hallahan carried his machine gun across the open while under heavy fire and brought it into action in the enemy’s trenches. Even more poignant, he thought his fighting days were over when, in early September 1918, he was sent to England and told he was going home on the next available transport ship. He also had another reason to visit London. Walter and an English nurse had fallen in love and planned to get married in London the Thursday before he sailed.
However, the day before the wedding, Captain Hallahan received new orders returning him to his unit in France. A dejected Walter arrived at the front line on September 14. Four days later he was killed by a piece of shrapnel.
Of the other brothers, Alf was killed in action soon after arriving in France with the newly formed 51st Battalion in June 1916. Wendell, with the 6th Battalion, died two months later. The only brother to survive the war was Robert Thompson Hallahan, who was first captured at Lagnicourt on April 15, 1917. He escaped his German prisoner-of-war camp three times but was recaptured on every occasion. He was eventually released after the armistice. On his return to Australia, Robert became an Anglican minister and was rector of St Phillip’s Church of England in Sydney. He died in 1958.
The brothers were all born in New Zealand and were the sons of James Patrick Hallahan and Janet nee Bernard. They also had three sisters, Mary Jane, Grace Margaret, and Agnes Mary. Their mother died in 1904, so was spared the knowledge of the death of her sons. Their father James Patrick died in Perth WA in 1946.
This article appeared in the Kalgoorlie Miner on the 16th of February 2016 and is reproduced with their kind permission.
Moya Sharp
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