Jack Mulholland (1921 - 2012)

Born 6 Sep 1921 in Hay, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Esmae Eileen (Thomas) Mulholland — married 1945 in Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia

Died 13 Aug 2012 at age 90 in New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Truly one of the unsung heroes of 19th February 1942: during the initial two bombings of Darwin, Northern Territory. As a member of the anti-aircraft battery, Jack laboured in the deafening roar of anti-aircraft fire, explosions, nearby machine-gun fire and screaming dive bombers, helping to bring down some of the bombers.

Jack Mulholland was born in New South Wales, Australia

Jack Mulholland was born on 6th September 1921 in Hay, New South Wales, Australia. He was the son of Jack Mulholland and Muriel Plows. ^[1]

Upon completing his formal education Jack obtained employment as a bank clerk.

Jack Mulholland is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Second Australian Imperial Force 1940-1945
14th Australian Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery; 1st Australian Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery

On 30th October 1940 in Lindfield, in Sydney's northern suburbs, having just turned nineteen years (the minimum age for doing so), Jack transferred from the Australian Military Force (Militia) to the Second Australian Imperial Force, his nation's all-voluntary expeditionary force for the Second World War. ^[2] As a Gunner he served on one of the QF 3.7inch anti-aircraft guns of the 14th Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery on Darwin Oval. Whilst these 'high angle' guns were very good against high-flying horizontal bombers, they were next to useless against dive bombers and fighters. So, the gun positions took a lot of incoming fire. The first attack, from the same aircraft carriers that bombed Pearl Harbor ten weeks earlier, came at 10:00am and lasted 42 minutes. The guncrews had no sooner re-stocked their ammunition and cleaned their guns than air raid sirens announced the second attack, by heavier land-based bombers launched from Ambon, at a little after 12:00pm. The highly anticipated invasion that was expected next, never came!

The 14th Battery continued to serve as a unit of Northern Territory Force. After being promoting to non-commissioned rank, Jack was commissioned as a Lieutenant, serving his final posting in Sydney with the 1st Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery, before being demobilised on 8th November 1945; the war over, and won. ^[2] Although yet to be confirmed, it is likely that Jack was awarded, for his war service, the:

• 1939-1945 Star (served more than 180 days operational service)
• Defence Medal (served at least six months in prescribed non-operational areas such as Palestine, Ceylon Northern Territory and North Queensland)
• War Medal 1939-1945 (issued by the British Government for military service during World War Two; it mattered not where that service was rendered) and
• Australia Service Medal 1939-1945 (instituted by the Commonwealth Government in 1949 to recognise the service of soldiers, especially those who may not have qualified for one of the other service medals)

Jack married Esmae Thomas in mid 1945 in Chatswood, in Sydney's northern suburbs, New South Wales. ^[3] They subsequently had two sons and two daughters:

1. Ross
2. Brian
3. Jane
4. Eve

Following the war, Jack returned to his pre-war job in banking; remaining so until retiring in 1981.

Jack and Esmae retired to Wyoming, on New South Wales' Central Coast. In 1995, Jack drew heavily on his experiences during the 1942 Japanese bombing of Darwin in writing his autobiography, Use the 1916 Ammo First. The book was re-published in 2006 as Darwin Bombed: An A/A Gunner's Reflections. ^[4]

Aged ninety years and widowed, Jack passed away on 13th August 2012 and his ashes placed in the Macquarie Park Cemetery. The Sydney Morning Herald of 23rd August carried the following tribute: ^[5]

"MULHOLLAND, Jack.

"Passed away peacefully August 13, 2012, aged 90 years. Much loved husband of Esmae (deceased). Loving father of Ross, Brian, Jane (deceased) and Eve and their families. Family and friends of Jack are warmly invited to attend his Funeral Service to be held in the Camellia Chapel, Macquarie Park Crematorium, corner Delhi and Plessey Roads, North Ryde, on Tuesday (August 21, 2012) at 2.30 p.m."

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #33474/1921
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll: NX142618 (N99746) Lieutenant Jack Mulholland; accessed 14 Sep 2022
3. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #8314/1945; registered at Chatswood
4. ↑ Australian War Memorial; accessed 14 Sep 2022
5. ↑ Sydney Morning Herlad tributes; accessed 14 Sep 2022

See also

• Grose, Peter. An Awkward Truth: The Bombing of Darwin 1942. Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest NSW, 2009. ISBN 978-17417-56432.
• Grose, Peter. 1942: The Year the War Came to Australia. Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest NSW, 2021. ISBN 978-17610-66641.
• WikiTree: Battle of Northern Australia; accessed 21 Jun 2024.