In a rare opportunity – the Archdiocese of Perth has this week been granted permission to re-publish parts of the story of War Chaplain and Hero Fr John Fahey.
Written by local historian Ruth Marchant-James, the story tells of the extraordinary role of the young Irishman who migrated to Australia before heading to the trenches.
MAJOR JOHN FAHEY DSO – War Chaplain and Hero
Born on 3 October 1883 at Rossmore, in Ireland’s scenic county of Tipperary, he was one of nine children born to farmer Michael Fahey and his wife Catherine, nee Ryan.
Sharing a secure, contented childhood on the family dairy farm ‘Glenough’ with his three brothers Phillip, Patrick and Michael, and his five sisters Mary, Julia, Norah, Annie and Brigid, John was brought up under the influence of devout Catholic parents.
Completing his primary education at the local National School, John was enrolled for secondary school studies at the Cistercian College at Mount Melleray in County Waterford. It was during this stage of his life that he no doubt developed his lifelong love of Latin and Greek and discovered his vocational calling to a religious career.
Commencing serious studies for the priesthood, he entered the Brignole-Sale Seminary at Genoa in Italy, a college where students were prepared for missionary work in foreign countries. The young Irishman was ordained a priest in 1907 at the age of 24, and left shortly afterwards to serve on the Australian mission.
After his arrival in Perth in December 1907, he briefly took up an administrative position at St Mary’s Cathedral, before commencing his appointment first to York for a year and then to the south-west towns of Pinjarra and Yarloop.
In 1914, Fr Fahey answered the call the arms, along with thousands of men, following the declaration of World War One on 4 August 1914, joining the Australian Imperial Forces on 8 September 1914.
He was assigned as Chaplain 4th Class, with the rank of captain, to the 11th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, First Australian Division, which was raised in Western Australia and therefore mostly made up of West Australian citizens.