John WALSH 1845-1902. b. Melbourne, Port Phillip (Victoria) to Charles WALSH and Ann WHITE; farmer of Wando Vale and Digby, S-W Victoria, d. Hamilton hospital, Victoria; was married in 1870 to Mary BURNS c.1837-1915, b. Co Kilkenny, Ireland, to Patrick BURNS and Bridget KYLE (KEYLEY); d. Digby, S-W Victoria. Mary BURNS was a sister of Ellen BURNS 1834-1914 who married William James HARVEY c.1837-1902, and also lived at Digby, S-W Victoria.
John WALSH and Mary BURNS had the following children:
- Patrick WALSH 1871-1890, b. Casterton, S-W Victoria, d. Digby, S-W Victoria;
- Ann WALSH 1873-1955, b. Wando Vale, S-W Victoria, d. Casterton, S-W Victoria; m. 1901 to Daniel MURPHY 1868-1933, b. Casterton, S-W Victoria to Daniel MURPHY and Mary LAWLER; Share Farmer "Talisker Estate" Merino, Victoria; d. Casterton, S-W Victoria, 8 children.
- Bridget WALSH 1875-1960, b. Digby, S-W Victoria, d. Merino, S-W Victoria; m. 1910 to Thomas MURPHY c.1875-1956, b. Tahara, near Merino, S-W Victoria to Thomas MURPHY and Margaret GRIFFIN; d. Merino, S-W Victoria. 2 children.
- John Thomas WALSH 1879-1916, b. Digby, S-W Victoria, farmer and road contactor, enlisted in the AIF, d. Glenroy Military Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria.
- 1916, Mar 30 : Farmer & Road Contractor, single, aged 37y, of Digby, S-W Victoria, applied to join the AIF
- 1916, Jun 19 : enlisted in AIF, Hamilton, Victoria
- 1916, Jun 21 : Pte 48094, 14th Depot Battalion, AIF, Ballarat, Victoria.
- 1916, Jul 1 : Pte 48094, 6th Battalion (20th Reinforcements), AIF, Broadmeadows Army Camp.
- 1916, Jul 26 : Pte 48094, 6th Battalion (20th Reinforcements), AIF, died from measles and pneumonia, Glenroy Military Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria.
- 1916, Jul 29 : Pte 48094, 6th Battalion (20th Reinforcements), AIF, buried Digby Cemetery, S-W Victoria
- Named : Casterton War Memorial
- Tree No. 33 : Digby Avenue of Honour Planted by Mrs T MURPHY
- 1916, Aug 3 : Obituary
"The Casterton Free Press" (Vic.) Thursday, 3rd August 1916.
DEATH OF A DIGBY SOLDIER. (From Our Correspondent.)
The last Digby volunteer to go into camp was Private John T. Walsh, who entered the Ballarat camp on June 20th, and was transferred thence to Broadmeadows on July 1st.
At Broadmeadows he contracted measles ; but no serious results were expected, and it came as a great shock to this community when it was learned on Thursday last that Private Walsh had, on the previous day, succumbed to an attack of bronchial pneumonia which had supervened. His death occurred at the military hospital at Glenroy, near Broadmeadows. Prior to his enlistment Private Walsh was a well-known municipal contractor in the Portland and Glenelg Shires, and the quality of his work indicated the character of the man--trustworthy and genuine.
Jack Walsh (as his friends will always know him) was of a retiring, peaceable disposition. War was foreign to his nature, and it was due entirely to a strong sense of national duty that he laid aside the familiar tasks of peace times in order that he might become practised in the art of war.
He will be greatly missed here where he had spent all his life-time. Private Walsh was born at Digby 37 years ago. His parents--old and respected residents--and his elder brother pre-deceased him. Two sisters--Mrs Thos Murphy, of Digby, and Mrs Daniel Murphy, of Sandford--survive him to mourn the loss of an affectionate brother.
The remains were brought by rail to Merino on Friday night, and from there to the Roman Catholic Church at Digby, where the body remained overnight. The funeral took place on Saturday afternoon to the Digby Cemetery. The cortege comprised the largest concourse of mourners ever seen here, testifying to the general esteem in which the deceased was held. The officiating clergyman was the Rev. Fr. Kane, of Portland, who, at the conclusion of the burial service, delivered a brief, though eloquent and fitting address, pointing out that, because the Divine Will had not permitted Private John Walsh to go to the front, he was none the less a hero than those other brave soldiers who had laid down their lives on far- away Gallipoli or elsewhere. Private Walsh had doubtless given his life to his country. We who knew him were well aware from his actions here that had the Almighty permitted him to reach the battle front no soldier would more thoroughly have done his duty to his King and his country. It was, some measure of comfort to his friends to know that he had been laid to rest amongst his own people, instead of filling a lonely grave on some far-away battlefield.
The coffin-bearers were Messrs J. and A. Harvey and Messrs Thomas and Daniel Murphy.
The mortuary arrangements were in the hands of Messrs Kohn and McCallum.