Branch of Service

Army

Conflict

World War I (1914-1918)

Date of Enlistment

24/08/1915

Date of Discharge

11/06/1917

Place of Enlistment

Trentham, New Zealand

Gender

Male

Date of Birth

24/06/1882

Place of Birth

Michelago NSW

Address (at enlistment)

Kakahi, New Zealand (previously Reedy Creek, Naas Valley ACT)

School(s) Attended

Michelago School

Occupation

Labourer

Next of Kin

Garrett McNamara (brother), Wagga Wagga NSW

Service Number

24/1440

Final Rank

Private

Final Unit

2 Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade

Queanbeyan RSL Wall of Remembrance, Crawford St, Queanbeyan NSW
Michelago Public School Roll of Honour
Michelago District Roll of Honour World War 1, Ryrie Street, Michelago

Jack McNamara's parents (John and Catherine McNamara) were living in the remote Reedy Creek area of the upper Naas valley when he was born. A site on Naas Creek a few kilometres south of Reedy Creek is also associated with the McNamara family. According to Higgins, material from the house was used to build Horse Gully Hut after World War 2. McNamara was a grandson of the pioneer Garrett Cotter (after whom the Cotter River is named) and a cousin of Frank and Cec Cotter. Both of his parents died before he had turned ten. There is a story about his mother acting as a midwife for the birth of Ted Oldfield (who also served in World War 1) at Reedy Creek in November 1890 which suggests that McNamara and his siblings did not move to Michelago until after she died in 1891. He lived there for awhile with his uncle, Michael Cotter, and is believed to have later moved to Wagga Wagga before migrating to New Zealand.

McNamara was working as a mill hand at the Kakahi State Sawmill on the North Island when he enlisted at Trentham near Wellington in August 1915. He served with the 2nd Battalion of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, arriving in Egypt in December 1915 and in France in April 1916. The New Zealanders were positioned east of Armentieres in northern France when, on 19 July 1916, McNamara was shot in the right shoulder fracturing his clavicle and his second rib. His right index finger was also damaged. McNamara was evacuated to a hospital in London for treatment and returned to New Zealand in early 1917 where he was discharged in June that year.

McNamara was living with his wife at Taumarunui, near Kakahi, when he enlisted for service in World War 2 as a Signalman. By then he was 61 years of age and working as a lineman with the Post and Telegraph Department. He died at Taumarunui on 8 December 1973.

Description - height 5 feet 4 inches, weight 126 pounds, chest 33-36 inches, clear complexion, hazel eyes, brown hair, Catholic, nearly all his molars were missing so teeth had to be fitted.

Neil C. Smith, 'Under Friendly Flags : Australians who served in the land, sea, and air forces of allied nations in World War One', 1998 (p.104)
Matthew Higgins, 'Rugged Beyond Imagination', 2009 (p.68 re Catherine McNamara)
Matthew Higgins, 'Voices from the Hills. Places, People and Past Lifestyles in Namadgi National Park', KHA 1990 (p.169)
Archives New Zealand - http://archives.govt.nz/world-war-one
Information provided by Colleen Cotter of Michelago