Raymond Tasman Donoghue
Encyclopedia
Raymond Tasman Donoghue GC
(10 December 1920 – 29 April 1960) was an Australia
n tram
driver posthumously awarded the George Cross
for the gallantry he displayed in Hobart
, Tasmania
.
His date of birth is recorded as December 1920, however several of his service history documents have this recorded as December 1919. While the reason is not yet determined, it may be possible that to enlist, Donoghue needed to be 21 years of age, so may have lied about his age in order to enlist. This was a common practice during WWII.
On 5 January 1940, Donoghue was living in Battery Point, Hobart, when he signed up to deploy overseas. He was initially posted to 6 Garrison Battalion in Hobart but on 14 March 1940 he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) and became TX1087 Private Raymond Tasman Donoghue, posted to 2/12 Australian Infantry Battalion. He was sent on pre-embarkation leave almost immediately, and on 4 May 1940, he sailed to Scotland.
After spending six months in Scotland, Donoghue deployed to the middle east with 2/32 Aust Inf Bn. He spent a few short weeks undergoing further training before deploying to Greece on 25 March 1941. Details are vague, but it seems Raymond Donoghue was captured by the Germans on 28 April 1941 and reported Missing In Action (MIA) on 8 June 1941. In August of the same year he was reported as a POW, being held in Stalag 18A, where he remained until 10 June 1945, being employed as a "pick and shovel labourer" until he was recovered and taken to the UK.
Two days after being released, Raymond completed a report of his treatment as a POW. He stated that he was captured along with a colleague, TX631 PTE Leonard Leo Charles Bevis, who also enlisted at Battery Point. His comments on the living conditions state: "Living conditions very poor. Straw sacks, lighting fair, heating bad, over crowded, vermin". There are other comments, however they are illegaible.
Donoghue states that the rationg was "very insufficient food, bad quality and facilities". This would have been the main contributing factor to the disentry Donoghue suffered from 15 May until 4 August 1941. He also suffered bad eyesight and received treatment from March 1942 until after being released. He stated that he received medical treatment "...from our own British Medical Officer and also a German Medical Officer." and reported that "...the medical treatment was very good."
While it seems that Donoghue and his fellow POWs were not mistreated, their washing and sanitary facilities were very poor which would have contributed to his ailing health. Donoghue's report states that they were permitted to play "plenty of sport", but he stated that they received recreation facilities "only from International Red Cross and from home".
One of the questions included on the POW report is "List names of any other Australians seen while you were a prisoner of war". To that, Donoghue replied "I have seen many Australians during captivity but names I could not state".
On 25 July 1945, Raymond set sail back to Australia. He arrived in Sydney on 7 August 1945 where he spent about six weeks convalescing before being discharged back in Tasmania on 7 November 1945. For his military service, Donoghue was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Defence Medal, War Medal and Australia Service Medal.
Donoghue also became one of only 23 Australians to be awarded the George Cross. The George Cross is the highest award for bravery available to cilivians. Military personnel may also receive the George Cross, but only if their act cannot be recognised by the military system. In George Cross Park in Canberra, there is a memorial which contains a plaque for each recipient, outlining the actions and events resulting in each award.
On 29 April 1960, Donoghue was the conductor of a tram which collided with a lorry, injuring the driver and damaging the brakes, during rush hour. The tram began to roll down the main road, reaching speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. Donoghue, helped by passengers, struggled to apply the brakes in the damaged cab then moved the passengers to the rear of the tram to protect them. He stayed in the cab, ringing the bell to warn traffic and attempting to apply the handbrake, until the tram struck another, killing Donoghue. 47 passengers were injured, four seriously, but, thanks to Donoghue's calm and courageous actions, none were killed. The coroners report noted his "great fortitude in the face of imminent danger . . . doing all in his power to save the lives of numerous passengers". The award of the GC was gazetted on the 11 October 1960. He is buried in Cornelian Bay cemetery.
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
(10 December 1920 – 29 April 1960) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
driver posthumously awarded the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
for the gallantry he displayed in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
.
His date of birth is recorded as December 1920, however several of his service history documents have this recorded as December 1919. While the reason is not yet determined, it may be possible that to enlist, Donoghue needed to be 21 years of age, so may have lied about his age in order to enlist. This was a common practice during WWII.
On 5 January 1940, Donoghue was living in Battery Point, Hobart, when he signed up to deploy overseas. He was initially posted to 6 Garrison Battalion in Hobart but on 14 March 1940 he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) and became TX1087 Private Raymond Tasman Donoghue, posted to 2/12 Australian Infantry Battalion. He was sent on pre-embarkation leave almost immediately, and on 4 May 1940, he sailed to Scotland.
After spending six months in Scotland, Donoghue deployed to the middle east with 2/32 Aust Inf Bn. He spent a few short weeks undergoing further training before deploying to Greece on 25 March 1941. Details are vague, but it seems Raymond Donoghue was captured by the Germans on 28 April 1941 and reported Missing In Action (MIA) on 8 June 1941. In August of the same year he was reported as a POW, being held in Stalag 18A, where he remained until 10 June 1945, being employed as a "pick and shovel labourer" until he was recovered and taken to the UK.
Two days after being released, Raymond completed a report of his treatment as a POW. He stated that he was captured along with a colleague, TX631 PTE Leonard Leo Charles Bevis, who also enlisted at Battery Point. His comments on the living conditions state: "Living conditions very poor. Straw sacks, lighting fair, heating bad, over crowded, vermin". There are other comments, however they are illegaible.
Donoghue states that the rationg was "very insufficient food, bad quality and facilities". This would have been the main contributing factor to the disentry Donoghue suffered from 15 May until 4 August 1941. He also suffered bad eyesight and received treatment from March 1942 until after being released. He stated that he received medical treatment "...from our own British Medical Officer and also a German Medical Officer." and reported that "...the medical treatment was very good."
While it seems that Donoghue and his fellow POWs were not mistreated, their washing and sanitary facilities were very poor which would have contributed to his ailing health. Donoghue's report states that they were permitted to play "plenty of sport", but he stated that they received recreation facilities "only from International Red Cross and from home".
One of the questions included on the POW report is "List names of any other Australians seen while you were a prisoner of war". To that, Donoghue replied "I have seen many Australians during captivity but names I could not state".
On 25 July 1945, Raymond set sail back to Australia. He arrived in Sydney on 7 August 1945 where he spent about six weeks convalescing before being discharged back in Tasmania on 7 November 1945. For his military service, Donoghue was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Defence Medal, War Medal and Australia Service Medal.
Donoghue also became one of only 23 Australians to be awarded the George Cross. The George Cross is the highest award for bravery available to cilivians. Military personnel may also receive the George Cross, but only if their act cannot be recognised by the military system. In George Cross Park in Canberra, there is a memorial which contains a plaque for each recipient, outlining the actions and events resulting in each award.
On 29 April 1960, Donoghue was the conductor of a tram which collided with a lorry, injuring the driver and damaging the brakes, during rush hour. The tram began to roll down the main road, reaching speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. Donoghue, helped by passengers, struggled to apply the brakes in the damaged cab then moved the passengers to the rear of the tram to protect them. He stayed in the cab, ringing the bell to warn traffic and attempting to apply the handbrake, until the tram struck another, killing Donoghue. 47 passengers were injured, four seriously, but, thanks to Donoghue's calm and courageous actions, none were killed. The coroners report noted his "great fortitude in the face of imminent danger . . . doing all in his power to save the lives of numerous passengers". The award of the GC was gazetted on the 11 October 1960. He is buried in Cornelian Bay cemetery.