Fortune’s wheel –
a County Down family in the antipodes BY PETER CONOLE
An obscure couple, Patrick McComish and his wife Elizabeth of County Down, somehow endured and outlasted the hard years of famine and social dislocation during the mid-19th Century. Their son Edward McComish (born 1835) enlisted in the British Army as a private in the 12th Regiment of Foot (generally known as the East Suffolk Regiment) on March, 3 1853. As was so often the case old Ireland was a key recruiting ground. A high proportion of both officers and men were Irish. The unit embarked for the Australian colonies during 1854. Edward never saw his homeland again. The regiment was soon involved in one of the most famous episodes of Australian history. Edward’s company went to Ballarat during the goldfields disturbances. The soldiers played a prominent role in storming the Eureka Stockade on December 3, 1854. Private McComish emerged unscathed from the fray and moved to Western Australia with a detachment assigned to our colony for garrison duty.
undeniable self defence issues, was The regimental colours of the East Suffolk Regiment convicted of manslaughter. He was dismissed from the service and served three months in prison. The questionable legal proceedings meant that the veteran’s family also suffered, for he and Ann were the parents of eight children. McComish and his wife struggled to rebuild their lives. Edward worked as a labourer, carter and gardener and seems to have been well thought of, despite his misfortune. He served as a sergeant in the militia (the Guildford Rifle Volunteers) from 1887 onwards. Edward and Ann lost all their personal possessions in a disastrous house fire of 1890. When Edward McComish died in May, 1900 his remains were consigned to a pauper’s grave.
By then his oldest son, Edward Joseph McComish He married Ann Hackett at St John’s Catholic Church (1860-1909), was doing rather well for himself. He in March, 1859. She probably sailed east when joined the WA railways establishment as a labourer in Edward’s section of the regiment was sent to New 1884 and married Alice Barker at Guildford. Edward Zealand in 1863 for active duty during the Maori Wars. the Younger worked his way up to the position of The 12th Regiment Inspector by 1895 of Foot did well and served at against tough and “...it is likely the authorities refused to send various railway fierce enemies in him (Leo) and his mates back to Australia stations before several battles and skirmishes. A high quickly for fear they might be carrying the his health failed. He died of natural point was the costly disastrous ‘Spanish Flu’ virus.” victory at Rangariri causes during in November 1863. December, 1909. Private McComish Three of his five received cash rewards for good service and was sons also gained employment in the railways system, discharged in December 1865. He and Ann returned to including two World War I soldiers. The first of those WA in 1866 to live, work and raise a family. was Arnold George MComish (born 1891) who worked Edward served in the colonial police as a constable for as a blacksmith in the railways workshop at Midland 13 years from 1866, often in hazardous areas. He was a Junction and lived in Maylands. Arnold joined the mounted trooper and worked at Guildford, Fremantle, 1st AIF in 1915 and trained as a sapper at Sydney Bunbury, Stanton Springs and the 36 Mile Station, and in Egypt. He then went to France with the 3rd a key posting on the Perth-Albany road. In 1879 Field Engineers Company and plunged into the grim Constable McComish was threatened and attacked fighting on the Somme. Sapper McComish was killed by his volatile indigenous assistant. He fought back instantly by an artillery shell at Pozieres, July 23, 1916. and hit the assailant on the head with a pistol. The As a report said: ”he did his duty nobly and well”. man died and Edward, regardless of obvious and THE IRISH SCENE | 64
