| Regimental number | 12465 |
| Place of birth | Australia |
| Occupation | Labourer |
| Next of kin | Mother, Mrs A Phelan, Enfield, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia |
| Rank on embarkation | Rifleman |
| Unit name | New Zealand Expeditionary Force, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 6th Reinforcements to 2nd Battalion, F Company |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Wellington on |
| The 6th Reinforcements to 2nd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, F Company, left New Zealand on board two ships (HMNZT 52 'Mokoia' and HMNZT 53 'Navua'). It is not possible from the Nominal Roll to determine on which ship an individual embarked. | |
| Final rank | Rifleman |
| Final unit | 4th Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | Messines Ridge (New Zealand) Memorial, Belgium |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Commemorated in Ballarat (New) Cemetery, Victoria. Parents: Mrs Annie Phelan (d. 1929, bu. Ballararat (New) Cemetery), 415 Talbot Street, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, and the late John Phelan (d. 1911, aged 71; bu. Ballarat (New) Cemetery) |
| Medals |
Military Medal 'For gallantry and daring during the Raid by the 4th Battalion, 3rd New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade on the enemy trenches at Corner Fort south of Fleurbaix, on the night of 17th/18th December 1916. When the rest of his party were partially disorganized by a sudden burst of machine gun fire, he and Rifleman Keys worked their way forward and attacked the guns with bombs, killing several and silencing the gun. He made a brave attempt to get the gun out and was unsuccessful owing to the gun being protected by heavy wire.'
Source: 'London Gazette' Date: |
| Family/military connections | Brothers: 56839 Rifleman James McDonald PHELAN, 2nd Bn, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, killed in action, 26 August 1918; 65799 Rifleman Patrick Pierce PHELAN, 4th Bn, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, killed in action, 8 October 1918. |
| Other details |
War service: Western Front Medals: Military Medal, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | Nominal Roll Vol. 2: Roll 31, p. 18 |