Cecil’s occupation and marital status on enlistment was detailed as a School teacher, who was single.
- Date of Birth – 20 May 18941NSW Birth Death and Marriages, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/ Birth 7522/1894, Byrne Cecil J, Parents John and Mary J, Registered in Braidwood. Accessed 22 March 2024.
- Parents – John and Mary Bryne, Redbank, Araluen2Commonwealth War Graves, https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/545360/cecil-john-byrne/ Accessed 22 March 2024.
- Enlisted at Araluen on 28 September 1915 and embarked from Sydney, on board HMAT A29 Suevic on 20 December 19153University of NSW AIF project https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=42154 Accessed 24 March 2024.
- Regimental Number – 30164National Archives of Australia. https://www.naa.gov.au/. NAA: B2455, BYRNE C J, Item ID– 3178705, Accessed 22 March 2024.
- Aged at embarkation – 21 years
- Military service – 17 Battalion, 7th Reinforcement. Rank – Private. Served at Egypt and the Western Front5Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/174349. Accessed 22 March 2024.
- Awarded the Military medal for gallantry and devotion to duty as runner and guide (Pozières)
- On the 1 August 1916 at Pozières, acted as a runner to Major Grant, while [a] party was employed digging forward trench in No Man’s land, went back and forth under heavy shell fire and acted as guide to reliefs.6Commonwealth Gazette 184, 1 December 1916
- Died of wounds on 11 March 1917 (aged 22 years and 10 months)7Australian War Memorial, https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1525810 Accessed 22 March 2024.
- Buried – Martinpuick Cemetery, France8Find a Grave.com. Panel 172, on a monument at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/249769499/cecil-john-byrne. Accessed 22 March 2024.
Cecil was the eldest son of John and Mary Byrne of Redbank, Araluen and the grandson of the late Mr Patrick McCarron, of Araluen. John Byrne (Junior) and Mary Josephine McCann had nine children—Cecil, Vincent, Cassie, Leo, Colin, Monica and Marie, Basil, and Kathleen.
In February 1916, Cecil Byrne of the 17th Battalion, 17th reinforcements was reported ill in Cairo.9Roslyn Maddrell, Braidwood. Letters from the Front, Hypercet Printing, Goulburn. 2004. p 68.
In a report called ‘A Night on the Battlefield’, in November 1916, the Braidwood Review and District Advocate10Braidwood Review and District Advocate (NSW : 1914-1954), Tuesday 14 November 1916, p 3. published a letter from ‘Signaller C. J. Byrne, writing, to his mother (Mrs. John Byrne, Junr., Araluen) from France, under date September 19 says;— “I will try to give a short account of a particular night on the battlefield. The day had been very hot and dusty, and that night, with equipment, ammunition, bombs, etc., we wended our way along the communication trench to our front line, shells bursting all the way. … My mate and I (signallers both) had to keep up communication with the officers in the battalion by means of despatch carrying, which necessitated a man being all over the place at once. … Flares and star shells of red, white and green colors and rockets were continually going up. The white ones are used to light up the place, and the red and green ones for signals. … I was surprised next evening when told that I had been mentioned in despatches, and much more so a couple of weeks later, when it came out in orders that I had been awarded the Military Medal… The French people had a hearty welcome for us when we came out, and I had several kisses from some of the prettiest girls I have ever seen. They said “tres bonne Australians” which means “very good”.’
In a letter Cecil wrote to his mother, dated France, 17 November 191611A Call from the Dardanelles, Roll of Honour, Byrne, Cecil John. 100 years of ANZACS, Braidwood Library 2015. he described ‘the weather is dreadful here now, heavy frost every night and still plenty of mud, but it is frozen hard… I have had nearly nine months of active service… It snowed during the night, everything is white this morning, and oh! It is cold.’ Cecil wrote to his mother in December 1916 detailing how he spent Christmas12Maddrell, Braidwood. Letters from the Front, p 94. and explaining that as they “did not receive anything from the Red Cross, so we decided to make a Christmas pudding of our own and we did it. It caused a fair amount of amusement, as everyone wanted to have a hand in it”.‘
The Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal13Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1889; 1895; 1897-1954), Friday 30 March 1917, p 9. reported on 30 March 1917 ‘Quite a gloom was cast over the Valley on Saturday last when it became known that Cecil Byrne and Charles Knight had lost their lives in recent fighting on the western front. Cecil Byrne was very popular in Araluen, and it was hoped that, as he had been in action for some months without receiving injuries, his luck would see him through. But the fates decreed otherwise.’
The Braidwood Review and District Advocate14Braidwood Review and District Advocate (NSW : 1915-1954), Tuesday 12 March 1918, p 6. reported ‘ROLL OF HONOR.–A tribute to the memory of PRIVATE CECIL JOHN BYRNE, who died of wounds in France on March 11th, 1917, aged 22 years and 10 months.’
‘This gallant hero was the beloved eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. John Byrne, junr., and the dearly loved grandson of the late Mr. Patrick McCarron [McCann], of Araluen. He received his early education at St. Joseph’s Convent School, Araluen, and, under the able tuition of the good Sisters, passed examinations in music, typewriting, and shorthand. When about 16 years old he left school, and was employed in various occupations; amongst others, for a short period he was assistant in the local post office. With the intention of becoming a school teacher he went to school to Mr. and Mrs. A. McGuinness, and under their careful instruction, at the age of 18 years, he sat for examination in August 1912, and, being successful, was appointed in September to his first school at Ned’s Creek, about 20 miles from Crookwell. The next year he was received to the public school at Frogmore, near Cowra, and in the following October was called from there to Hereford College, Sydney. During his term there he joined the citizen forces, and went through all military training. From the College he was appointed to the Public school at Thule, and at length was sent to the Public school at Moama to relieve the headmaster, who was ill in Sydney.
On the 27th December last his mother, Mrs. Byrne, received a letter from Major McLean, Major in charge of base records, in which he says:— “It is with feelings of admiration at the gallantry of a brave Australian, soldier who nobly laid down his life in the service of our King and country that I am directed by the Hon. Minister for Defence to forward to you, as the next of kin of the late Private C. J. Byrne, 2nd Pioneer Battalion, A.I.F., the Military Medal which His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to award to that gallant officer for conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty while serving with the A.I.E.F. I am also to ask you to accept his deep personal sympathy in the loss which not only you but the Australian army has sustained by the loss of Pte. C. J. Byrne, whose magnificent conduct on the field of battle helped to earn for our Australian soldiers a fame that will endure as long as memory lasts.”
‘He came to Araluen for the September holidays, and enlisted, going on to Sydney to hand in his resignation, and having put in his course of training in camp, he sailed for Egypt on the 23rd December, 1915, with the 17th Battalion. From Egypt he was sent to France, having there joined the Signallers in the 2nd Australian Pioneers. He took part in the great battle of Pozières. His bright and intelligent descriptions of the many adventures he came through were very interesting. He gained the esteem and admiration of his captain and officers, and was much loved by his comrades. On two occasions he was mentioned in despatches, and was awarded the Military Medal for bravery on the battlefield, the only medal awarded in this district. His modest bearing and unassuming manner endeared him to everyone, and his parents must find great consolation in the many expressions of genuine regret sent to them from near and far when it became known of the loss of their hero son who gave his life for his country.‘
The article concluded ‘Above is the latest photo of the late Private Byrne, together with one of his grave in France and the Military Medal which he had the honour of winning. R.I.P.’