Branch of Service

Army

Conflict

World War I (1914-1918)

Date of Enlistment

13/06/1916

Date of Discharge

27/07/1919

Place of Enlistment

Goulburn NSW

Gender

Male

Place of Birth

Uriarra ACT

Address (at enlistment)

Queanbeyan NSW (Uriarra ACT)

Occupation

Engineer

Next of Kin

Eliza Gibbs (sister), Mt. Campbell via Burra NSW

Service Number

1413A

Final Rank

Private

Final Unit

Australian Employment Company AIF

McLaughlin was born in the Parish of Uriarra in 1887 where his father was a mail contractor. He gave his occupation as "engineer" when he enlisted in June 1916 at Goulburn. McLaughlin embarked in October 1916 with a Light Trench Mortar Battery but was soon transferred to the 33rd Battalion after arriving in England. He was marched out to the front in May 1917 and a few days later he was wounded in the right foot. A court martial hearing found that the wound was self-inflicted however McLaughlin appears to have escaped punishment. He rejoined the 33rd Battalion in June but was soon being treated for debility. He received another gun shot wound to the right foot during the 3rd Division's attack on Passchendaele on 12 October 1917 and was sent to hospital in England where he was treated until March 1918. He returned to France in August 1918 and was taken on strength with the Australian Employment Company. He returned to Australia in June 1919 and was discharged in July 1919.

Description - height 5 feet 8½ inches, weight 146 pounds, chest 34-37 inches, fair complexion, brown eyes, black hair, Catholic.

Biographical Register of Canberra and Queanbeyan: from the district to the Australian Capital Territory 1820-1930. Heraldry & Genealogy Society of Canberra Inc., 2001 (p.214)
AWM First World War Unit Embarkation Rolls
NAA RecordSearch - Series B2455 (First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920)