Jeremiah James Dwyer was born at Lochinvar, near Maitland, New South Wales on the 1st of January 1889. The eldest of 8 children to William and Margaret, Jeremiah schooled at Melville House School before beginning his career as a drover.
Jeremiah enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 16th of December 1914 as a Stockman, aged 25 years & 11 months. He embarked from Newcastle, NSW on HMAT (A57) Malakuta on the 22nd of May 1915 with the 1st Light Horse Brigade, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, 5th Reinforcements but disembarked due sickness at Albany, Western Australia in June 1915. He returned to Enoggera Camp, Brisbane, Queensland at the end of June 1915.
He embarked again, this time from Sydney, NSW on HMAT (A33) Ayrshire on the 1st of September 1915 disembarking at Cairo, Egypt on 12th of September. Whilst at sea he was re-attested with the 1st Light Horse Brigade, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, 9th Reinforcements and issued a new Service number of 1240.
Suffering with the Mumps Jeremiah was admitted to 4th Auxiliary Hospital, Abbassia on 24th of November and was discharged on the 12th of December. He was then absorbed into 2nd Light Horse and was appointed Driver on the 29th of December while at Heliopolis, Egypt. Driver Dwyer was sent to Camp Wardan at the front on 14th of January 1916. He was admitted to 3rd Australian General Hospital, Cairo with a mild illness – Pyrexia on 14th of April. Driver Dwyer was appointed Gunner on 25th of May due to his transfer Australian Artillery Depot.
He embarked from Alexandria for England with the Artillery Training Depot aboard the ‘H. S. Corsican’ on 28th of May and disembarked at Plymouth on 12th of June. Jeremiah died at around 2.50 p.m. on 28th of June 1916, while on Drill, from Acute Dilatation of the Heart.
A Court of Inquiry was held at No. 9 Camp, Bulford on 29th of June 1916 by order of the Officer Commanding No. 3 T. F. Artillery Training School for the purpose of investigating the circumstances of the death of No. 1240, Gunner J. J. Dwyer, No. 1 Battery, Australian Field Artillery. The Court having considered the evidence presented, was of the opinion that the deceased died from natural causes, and that no blame attaches to anyone, in connection with his death. Jeremiah was buried on the 1st of July 1916 in Bulford Church Cemetery, where 14 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
