Photo Gallery

 

Next

Percival William MC INTYRE

Rank	Reg/Ser No	DOB	Enlisted	Discharge/Death	Board
Lieutenant	860	26	25 Aug 1914	1 Jun 1917	2

Lieutenant Percival William McIntyre (1888—1962)

McIntyre Brothers Booklet

Father’s Banking Career

In 1915 Mr William McIntyre was transferred from Hobart to Brisbane to take up his appointment as Manager of the Commercial Bank of Australia Limited at 239 Queen Street.  His wife, Mrs Isabella McIntyre accompanied him. Their two sons, also bankers, having already enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, had left the country to serve abroad.  Their names - Lieutenant P. W. McIntyre and Private C. D. McIntyre - are on the honour board which was unveiled by Rev. Dr E. N. Merrington on Sunday 10 September 1916.

William McIntyre’s career in banking began in Sydney where he joined the Mercantile Bank of Sydney in 1883. When the Mercantile Bank of Sydney was absorbed by the Commercial Bank of Australia Limited (CBA) in 1892, he was appointed as a branch manager in which capacity he served in Gosford for 12 years, Warracknabeal for seven years, Hobart for five years and Brisbane where he was branch manager of the CBA from 1915 till his retirement in 1927.

Mr W. McIntyre became well known for his commercial activities, particularly while he held the honorary position of president of the Brisbane Chamber of Commerce.  In addition to his business interests he was active in freemasonry, church and sporting organisations. He was vice chairman of the committee of management at Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.  His first wife, Mrs Isabella McIntyre died in February 1929.  Later the same year he married Margaret Crookey in Brisbane.  Mr William McIntyre died on 9 October 1934, aged 72 years. His funeral service was held at Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian Church and his body was interred in the Toowong Cemetery.

Early life and enlistment

Percival William McIntyre, the elder son of William McIntyre (1862 – 1934) and Isabella Susan née Boxsell (1865 – 1929), was born in 1888 at Petersham in Sydney, New South Wales where his father was on the staff of the Mercantile Bank of Sydney.  As his father pursued his banking career in the CBA Bank, the McIntyre family lived in Gosford in New South Wales, Warracknabeal in Victoria and Hobart in Tasmania during Percy’s boyhood and youth.  Prior to the Great War of 1914-18, young men were encouraged to participate in citizen forces and Percy McIntyre was for two years involved in Rifle Club activities.

Percival William McIntyre was employed as a bank clerk aged 26 years when he enlisted at Bombala, New South Wales to serve overseas in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF).  He named his father then living in Hobart as next-of-kin and was given regimental number 860.  Private McIntyre was appointed to G Company, 1st Battalion at Kensington, Sydney on 25 August 1914.  The 1st Battalion was the first infantry unit recruited for the AIF in New South Wales.  The battalion was raised within a fortnight of the declaration of war in August 1914 and embarked just two months later. Percy’s unit departed Sydney on board HMAT¹ Afric A19 on 18 October 1914.  After a brief stopover at Albany, Western Australia, the battalion proceeded to Egypt arriving on 2 December. He was appointed corporal from 29 December 1914.

Gallipoli

The battalion took part in the Anzac landing on 25 April 1915 as part of the second and third waves and on 28 April P. W. McIntyre was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. Though the battalion served on Gallipoli Peninsula until the evacuation in December, Lieutenant McIntyre left much earlier.

He was troubled by an abscess during August requiring treatment twice at Mudros before he was transferred in September to the 3rd London General Hospital suffering debility.  His father was notified by telegram he had been admitted to a London hospital with heart disease in September. Four months later, after examination by a medical board in London on 28 January 1916, Lieutenant McIntyre was found fit for duty and his father was notified by letter accordingly.

Pozières

It is recorded, however, that Percival William McIntyre married Isobelle (Babs) Allum at Kensington, Middlesex in June 1916.  Soon afterwards Lieutenant McIntyre was ordered to join the British Expeditionary Force in Europe and he reported to the Australian General Base Depot in Étaples on 24 July 1916.  The 1st Battalion was heavily involved in battle around Pozières at that time.  It was there he was wounded in action suffering severe gunshot wounds to back and right shoulder.  He embarked for England on hospital ship Dieppe and was admitted in turn to 3rd London General Hospital at Wandsworth, 6th Auxiliary Hospital, South Kensington and Granville Canadian Special Hospital at Ramsgate.  It became evident that Percy McIntyre’s wounds would prevent his further participation in the war.

Post War

His young wife, Isobelle McIntyre, was a passenger on the ship Osterley of the Orient Line departing London for Australian ports on 1 December 1916.

Lieutenant McIntyre returned to Australia on the hospital ship Kanowna from Southampton and his appointment was terminated on 1 June 1917. He was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Percival and Isobelle McIntyre began their married lives in New South Wales at Goulburn where Percival worked at the local branch of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney (CBC). His appointments as Bank Manager of CBC branches in New South Wales were at Tocumwal, Bowral, Dorrigo and Willow Tree.

After Percy’s retirement they lived at Evans Head where he died on 23 March 1962, aged 74 years. Isobelle cherished his memory. ive years later she wrote to the army’s records section:

“I wish to apply for the Anzac Commemoration Medallion or Badge as next-of-kin. My late husband – Percival William McIntyre died five years ago. I think enlisted at Bombala 24th August 1914. Was at the landing – invalided to England with enteric fever and heart – later rejoined his battalion in Pozières where he was badly wounded.

Was appointed 2nd Lieut. on 28th April 1915.

Yours faithfully

(Mrs) Isobelle McIntyre”²

The letters “OK” were printed by hand below the letter, indicating her request was granted.

She wrote again 18 months later:

“Would it be possible for me to get the Gallipoli Medal – I know you sent me the medallion which I value – I have these

medals belonging to my late husband and would very much like to have this one. I do hope your answer will be yes.

Yours faithfully,

Isobelle McIntyre (widow of Lieut P. W. McIntyre, 1st Batt. AIF)” ³

The reply indicated “the badge may only be issued to the members concerned and in no circumstances can they be issued to next-of-kin or others”⁴ and no further assistance in this matter could be given. Mrs Isobelle McIntyre died at Evans Head on 14 September 1978.

---

---

References
•    National Archives of Australia, military records, World War 1
•    Australian War Memorial, embarkation rolls, unit histories
•    The Official War Diary of No. l Casualty Clearing Station. Ref. AWM 4(26/62], Australian War Memorial
•    Australian Electoral Rolls, 1919 – 1972 
•    Brisbane City Council, cemetery records
•    Queensland Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages
•    England and Wales Civil Registration Marriage Index, Apr May June 1916, Kensington District, page 436
•    Annual Report, 1921, Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Brisbane, page 42
•    Ancestry on line
•    The Ryerson Index on line
•    Examiner, Launceston, 6 January, 1912, page 9
•    Mercury, Hobart, 10 January 1913, page 2; 18 November 1915, page 4
•    Telegraph, 15 September 1927, page 14
•    Queensland Figaro, Brisbane, 24 September 1927, page 1
•    Telegraph, Brisbane, 9 October 1934, page 9
•    Courier-Mail, 10 October 1934, page 1; 13 July 1935, page 20

---

Compiled by Noel Edward Adsett, Brisbane. April 2017 ©

 

 

SLQ Historypin – Linking our digital stories to the world.

The Lives, Links and Legacy Stories are being shared through the State Library of Queenland's QANZAC 100: Memories for a New Generation Historypin Hub. Visit this site:

Know anything about this person or want to contribute more information?

Please contact Miriam at staheritage@gmail.com