John Edmond CUMMINS
Year of Birth: 1918
Place of Birth: North Adelaide, South Australia
Date of Enlistment: 22 December 1939, Unley, South Australia
Australian Defence Force: Australian Imperial Force
Rank: Signalman
Unit(s): 2 Beach Signal Section, Australian Corps of Signals
Service Number: SX24709
Died: 2 September 1944
Age: 25 years
Buried: Cairns War Cemetery – Plot A – Row D – Grave 13
John’s parents were Edmond Kilian and Teresa (Shevlin) Cummins. He was born 10 October 1918 and was the oldest of three boys.
On his enlistment he gave his father as next of kin, he had brown hair and hazel eyes.
In 1941 he married Catherine Mary Selina Tarrant, and they had a daughter, Catherine. John Edmond Cummins is listed in the Electoral Roll in 1941 as living at Hyde Park, Unley, occupation, clerk .
Before he transferred to the AIF in mid 1942 he served with the Northern Territory Force. One of the units he served in was the 1 Australian Beach Signal Section before being transferred in July of 1944.
While working in a gravel pit a fall of earth and gravel struck him. John died due to shock and internal injuries.
Signalman John Edmond Cummins is on the Honour Board at Prospect, South Australia and his name is located at panel 26 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial.
Online Resources
NAA: B883, (CUMMINS John Edmond) National Archives of Australia
Department of Veterans’ Affairs Nominal Rolls
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
National Library of Australia: Trove Digitised Newspapers
Queensland Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages
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