Personal
Ex-private John Martin McDonnell died on Tuesday at the residence of his father, Mr Martin McDonnell, Caversham, at the age of 23 years. He was educated at the Caversham school and then was employed by Mr A. C. Watson, wheelwright, Temuka. Later he was removed to Wellington, and joined the Artillery. On the outbreak of war, when he was 18 years old, he joined up, and left New Zealand with the Main Body. He served throughout the Peninsula campaign, and later was wounded at the battle of the Somme. Being found unfit for further service, he was invalided home about two years ago, and since then he has been ailing. -Temuka Leader 22/5/1919.
A military funeral was accorded yesterday afternoon to the late John McDonnell, son of Mr M. McDonnell, of' College street, Caversham; a returned soldier, who died as the result of disabilities contracted on active service. The coffin was carried on a gun carriage to the Southern Cemetery, returned soldiers acting as pall-bearers, and Bugler Thomas sounded the "Last Post." Captain Dyer was present on behalf of the Defence Department. -Otago Daily Times, 24/5/1919.
John McDonnell's Army record fleshes out the story told above. He joined the NZ Field Artillery shortly before the beginning of the war, as soon as he was old enough to be eligible. Perhaps his youth was the reason he was disciplined at Moascar in Egypt for causing a disturbance after lights out - it might also have contributed to a diagnosis of syphilis at that time.
He spent two months on the Gallipoli Peninsula and was slightly wounded in the head and suffered shell shock at the Somme, in September, 1916. He was treated for that in England and while there began to bleed from the lungs, leading to a diagnosis of tuberculosis. He was invalided home to New Zealand at the end of October. He was discharged as medically unfit the following February and spent time under treatment at the Pleasant Valley Sanatorium.
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