People Australia

Duncan Victor Mulholland, 1914 by unknown photographer

A14290:Digital copies of photographs of Australian WW I Servicemen held by the Imperial War Museum (London), National Archives of Australia

DUNCAN VICTOR MULHOLLAND, son of Mr. James and Mrs. Gertrude Mulholland, was born at Petersham, New South Wales, on 19th June, 1891. He was educated at the Fort Street High School (Sydney), and entered the service of the Bank at Grafton on 24th July, 1908. He was transferred to Uralla, as ledger-keeper, in February, 1910; to Scone in May, 1911; and to Muswellbrook, as assistant, in September, 1913.

Duncan Victor Mulholland enlisted at Liverpool, N.S.W., in December, 1914, and embarked on the “Suevic” on 13th June, 1915, as a corporal in the Machine Gun section of the 12th Light Horse. He was in action in Gallipoli, Egypt and France. He was transferred to the 1st Light Horse on the Peninsula, and promoted to the rank of second-lieutenant on 22nd November, 1915; a few days later he was transferred to the 3rd Battalion, attaining the rank of first-lieutenant on 24th March, 1916. On 1st April he was seconded for duty with the 1st Machine Gun Company and promoted to captain on 28th December following.

In September, 1917, he was transferred to the 3rd Machine Gun Company in France, and while commanding that company at Strazeele on 31st May, 1918, he received wounds from an enemy shell. He was admitted to the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance Hospital, but died the same day.

Major Ffrench, of the 1st Australian Machine Gun Battalion, writing of Captain Mulholland to his father, said: —

“It is with the deepest regret that I am writing to you to tell you how we all sympathise with you and Mrs. Mulholland in your bereavement. Poor old Mul (as we called him) was one of my original officers when I brought the 1st Coy. over to France and we all liked his cheery ways and admired his undoubted pluck.

“It was, personally, a severe blow to me, as I was speaking to him the night before. The sad part was he was getting on so well and would have been sure to have had a decoration this year and perhaps promotion. It may be some comfort to you that he felt no pain, and the brother told me he died with a smile on his face. I attended the last rites and there were some of his old officers there. General Walker, the Divisional Commander, and the Brigade Commander were both represented and sent us notes saying how much they regretted the loss of a gallant officer. We are having a cross made. He was buried near Ebblinghem on 1st June. Once more, Sir, I beg you to accept from all his old comrades in arms our very great sympathy and we regret deeply the loss of a very gallant gentleman.”