Laurence Leslie MAGUIRE
Per his military service record (regimental no. 4840), Laurence Leslie Maguire was born at Gilgandra, N.S.W. He gave his age as 25 years and 11 months, his marital status as single, and his occupation as laborer. His description on his medical was height 5 feet 4 ½ inches tall, weight 10 stone 7 lbs., with a fair complexion, blue eyes, and fair hair. His religious denomination was Anglican. He claimed that he had no previous military service. He completed his medical on the 8th October 1915 1915 at Gilgandra, and was attested by Captain Nicholas at Gilgandra on the 9th October 1915.
After completing the Co-ee March he went to Liverpool Camp as reinforcement for the 13th Battalion.
On his embarkation roll his address at time of enrolment was Woodvale Park, Curban, N.S.W., and his next of kin is listed as his father, R. Maguire, Belmore Street, Gulgong, N.S.W.
On 8th March 1916 Private Maguire along with many of the other Coo-ees departed Sydney on the HMAT A15 Star of England, and arrived in Egypt on the 11th April 1916.
After arriving in Egypt he was transferred to the 45th Battalion on the 20th May 1916.
On the 7th June 1916 Private Maguire left Alexandria aboard the transport Huntspill bound for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 14th June 1916.
On the 19th July 1916 Private Maguire was taken on strength of the 45th Battalion.
On 6th November 1916 the 45th Battalion had just arrived at Dernancourt, France for training when Private Maguire was injured by having his right foot scalded. He was sent to the 1st New Zealand Stationary Hospital at Amiens, France. On 9th November 1916 he was sent by hospital train to the 8th General Hospital at Rouen, France, arriving on the 10th of November 1916. On 27th November 1916 he was sent to Le Harve, France, where on 28th November 1916 he boarded the hospital ship Gloucester Castle. After arriving in England he was admitted to the 2nd Southern General Hospital at Bristol, England.
On 10th January 1917 Private Maguire was discharged from the 2nd Southern General Hospital and went on leave until 25th January 1917, when he reported to the No. 1 Command Depot at Pernham Downs, England.
On 3rd February 1917 Private Maguire was admitted to the 1st Camp Hospital at Parkhouse, England sick. He remained hospitalised until 14th April 1917. He returned to the No. 1 Command Depot on 16th April 1917.
On 25th April 1917 Private Maguire was transferred to the 62nd Battalion which was then forming in England. Private Maguire went to the battalion lines at Windmill Hill Camp. On 12th September 1917 Private Maguire was returned to the 45th Battalion, after the decision was made to disband the 62nd Battalion. On 12th September 1917 Private Maguire departed Southampton, England bound for France.
On 13th September 1917 Private Maguire marched into the 4th Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples, France. On 21st September 1917 he departed Etaples to rejoin the 45th Battalion. On 22nd of September 1917 Private Maguire arrived at the 45th Battalion when it was about to go into action in the Ypres area of Belgium, in the Passchendaele offensive.
On 1st November 1917 he was appointed Lance Corporal.
After serving with the 45th Battalion during the winter of 1917-1918, Lance Corporal Maguire was killed in action during a German artillery barrage when manning the line against the German offensive near Dernacourt, France, on 2nd April 1918.
According to a letter sent home to his father that was published in the Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative by Captain Holman, 45th Battalion, Lance Corporal Maguire was buried on the embankment of the Albert-Amiens railway, near Albert, France.[1] His service record reports that he was buried at Albert, France. However after the war his grave could not be located, and he has no known grave.
Lance Corporal Maguire is remembered on the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux, France. The register at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial notes that he was the son of Richard Gould Maguire, and Charlotte Maguire, of Gulgong, N.S.W.
Lance Corporal Maguire’s name on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France (Photograph: S. & H. Thompson 7/9/2014)
Lance Corporal Maguire’s name is commemorated on panel 140 on the Australian War Memorial First World War Roll of Honour.
Lance Corporal Maguire’s name is also remembered on the Gilgandra War Memorial.
[1] ‘How ‘Laurie Maguire was killed’, Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative, 15 July 1918, p. 1, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article156994727
1915 Coo-ee March 