Aquilla Monk

Aquilla was born in Shady Grove, South Australia in 1851. He married Mary Jane Snooke in 1875 and moved from Shady Grove to a teaching position in Thebarton. He matriculated from Adelaide University in 1879.
Sometime after Aquilla change his surname from 'Monks' to 'Monk' and by the death of his father John, was the headmaster of Kingston State School.

They had 12 children; Mabel born 1876 Sydney 1877, Vivian 1879, Muriel 1881, Glays 1883, John 1884, Beryl 1887, Priscilla 1889, Charles Aubrey 1891, Enid 1893, Vivian Cyril 1895 and Rudolph 1898. Sydney and Priscilla did not survive childhood.
Aquilla died from Diabetes in 1914.

We have found a record of Aquilla's son Vivian Cyril who was born on 9th March 1895 in Riverton, South Australia.
Vivian served as Company Sergeant Major in WW1 in the Australian 21st Machine Gun Company and was mentioned in despatches. He was recommended for the DCM on 7th Nov 1917 and it reads as follows:

On 31.10.17 West of Zonnebecke (Belgium) this N.C.O was in a concrete pillbox when an enemy shell burst in the doorway wounding his commanding officer and himself.
His officer being evacuated, he concealed his injury and as a relief was pending in six hours he carried on and waited until relief was complete, sending a message back to that effect.
On his return to rear headquarters he collapsed through loss of blood, and on being seen by an M.O. was immediately evacuated.
By his devotion to duty and disregard of personal safety, he set a splendid example.

Vivian married Emma Louisa Barns and they had three children: Roger, Laurel and David living in Poet Broughton, South Australia. This latter information was provided by Wendy Wickham who is Laurel's daughter.

Updated on Mar 1st, 2023