General News
2 May, 2026
WW1 soldier gets final recognition 97 years later
FOR nearly a century, the grave of World War I soldier Private John Hourihan lay unmarked in the Tully cemetery, his service, sacrifice and story all but lost to time.
This changed last month when Tully RSL members gathered to unveil a new headstone, finally giving the returned soldier the recognition he earned on the battlefields of Europe.
Amateur historian, Geraldine Renneberg, who first uncovered his forgotten resting place, attended and laid a wreath in his honour.
Private Hourihan’s journey began far from the mud of Belgium. Born on 26 November 1889 near Maryborough to Irish parents, he first enlisted in 1914, a month before his 25th birthday.
After training in England, he joined the 26th Battalion in March 1917 and was sent to the Western Front just months later.
In September, the battalion fought in the gruelling five-day Battle of Menin Road near Ypres.
On 28 October 1917, while still in Belgium, Hourihan was buried by the explosion of a shell that landed close by. As he recovered in hospital, another shell detonated nearby, leaving him severely shaken.
By January 1918, he was formally diagnosed with shell shock and evacuated to England. He returned home after the war and was discharged in May 1919. He received three medals for his service, the 1914/18 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Back in Australia, Hourihan took up banana farming at Bauple, near Maryborough where he reconnected with fellow veteran James Plumb. In 1922 he moved north to Feluga, again crossing paths with his old friend. He first worked in sugarcane and became the first grower to supply cane from Feluga to the South Johnstone Mill, before returning to farming later in life.
Hourihan died in his sleep on 24 April 1929 aged 37 and was buried on ANZAC Day, a fitting farewell for a man who had served his country with courage. His funeral was one of the largest ever seen in Tully.
Private Hourihan was remembered as a man deeply committed to his community, someone who always put the district first and played an active role in local events. His death was felt keenly in Feluga, where he had become a respected and valued figure.
“We’re extremely grateful to Geraldine for her sharp eyes in identifying this issue,” Tully RSL sub-branch secretary Karl Adams said.
“The RSL is not only committed to organising important commemorative events like ANZAC Day and supporting our veterans, but also to honouring our fallen comrades wherever they rest. This includes making sure their burial sites are properly cared for,” he said.
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