Those Who Served
Pte. John O'Boyle . British Army 12th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment from Middlesbrough, Yorks (d.11th Apr 1918) John O'Boyle was killed during the Battle of Lys. |
James O'Brien DCM, Belgian MM.. British Army 1/7th Btn. London Regiment from New Zealand |
John Joseph O'Brien . British Army Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment from Ardwick, Manchester My father, John Joseph O'Brien, joined the British Army in 1914 in Manchester. He was in France, Malta, Gibraltar, North Africa, Mesapotamia and India. He was wounded in the War with shrapnel in his neck, head and back. He was found in the trenches and survived. He was also in a camp in Bacuba, Iraq, where he met my mother who was an Assyrian refugee. I had a sister who was born in Bagdad and was at the coronation of King Fezel. The British Government wanted my father to stay to help build the new rail road to India but he wanted to go back to England. He went back to England in 1918/19 then went to America in 1922 where he settled until his death in 1976. |
Pte. Thomas William O'Brien . British Army 1/7th Btn. London Regiment from Chelsea, London. (d.7th Jun 1917) |
William O'Brien . British Army Dublin Fusiliers from Glasgow William O'Brien was on the SS River Clyde in the 1915 Gallipoli Campaign. Of the 1100 Royal Dublin Fusiliers only 11 survived the Gallipoli Landings, William was one of the lucky few. |
Pte. Christoper O'Connor . British Army 9th Btn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers from Castledermont (d.5th Sept 1917) Christopher O'Connor was killed in action on the the 5th of September 1917, he also served in the African campaign. |
Cpl. Sidney Arthur O'Dell . British Army 26th Btn. Royal Fusiliers from Walthamstow, London My grandfather, Sidney A. O'Dell of Walthamstow, London, served in the Army Pay Corps during the first years of WW1. After war broke out in 1914 he tried to enlist into Kitchener's Army but was rejected on account of his flat feet, and the fact that he was a married man with a child. Instead he served in the Army Pay Corps for around two years. Later in the war when they relaxed their standards he enlisted in the Royal Fusiliers 26th Battalion in early 1917 and went to France in July 1917 to take part in Passchendale. Later that year his Regiment was sent to North Italy to bolster the Italians against the Austrians, returning to France in February 1918. He was severely wounded in the leg in March 1918 resisting the German offensive and repatriated to England to recover but did not serve in France again.
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Sjt. F. O'Donnell . Army 2/8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry |
Pte. John O'Hara . British Army 2nd Btn. East Lancashire Regiment from Oswaldtwistle (d.25th Feb 1918) I joined the army myself in 1985 and did a full career leaving summer last year. In my last year of service I decided to research my family tree. I had not been told of any ancestors or relations other than myself who had served in the army. I read about the Battle of the Somme and saw in the orbit how many Infantry Battalions from the North West served in that Battle, a massive amount of soldiers and wondered why male members from my family had escaled serving in the war. Research of my family tree revealed that I did indeed have a relative: My great grandfather John O'Hara who had not only served in the army like but shared the same birthday. He died in WW1 in Belgium. I find it amazing that nobody in my family had told me about this especially since I had made the Army my career as well. But, I put it down largely to the attitude of the time of 'shutting up and putting up' with it and the desire to just get on with life after such tragic events.
All the time I used to travel home on leave from Germany through Belgium and I never knew I had a relative buried there.
This weekend I have been over to Belgium to visit my Great Grandfather's grave in the War cemetery at Poelcapelle. We took over a wreath formed in the shape of a cross with Lancashire red roses, bought from a florist in Oswaldtwistle where he used to live and where his name is engraved on the cenotaph.
It was a proud moment to place the wreath on his grave and be the only one from my family who has paid him the respect he deserves. I am immensely proud of his sacrifice and to be associated with him. |
Pte. John James O'Hare . British Army 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers (d.21st Feb 1915) |
Sjt. David Augustus O'Keefe DCM.. Australian Imperial Force 10th Australian Field Ambulance from St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia |
Sgt. Francis O'Leary . British Army 1/6th Btn. London Regiment (d.15th Sept 1916) |
2nd Lt. William Joseph "Tomsie" O'Malley . British Army 47th Divisional Trench Mortar Battery Royal Artillery (d.9th Apr 1917) Tomsie O'Malley was my Great Uncle, his father, William O'Malley, was a Home Rule MP for Connemara in Ireland and he tried to block his only sons enlistment. Tomsie is buried at Bedford House Cemetary, which I visit will this weekend, to pay my respects, I am the last of the line. |
Pte. Henry Thomas O'Neill . Australian Imperial Forces 33rd Btn. from Salisbury Plains, New South Wales (d.7th Jun 1917) |
Pte. James O'Neill . British Army 2nd Labour Coy. Army Service Corps from Glasgow (d.29th Oct 1914) |
Lt O'Riley . Canadian Army 1st Canadian Tunnelling Coy. |
Capt. A. M. O'Sullivan . British Army 1st Btn. Royal Irish Rifles |
Sgt. A. Oates . Canadian Army 1st Canadian Tunnelling Coy. from Welland, Ontario (d.21st Apr 1918) Alfred Oates was born 15th Feb 1886, son of Alfred and Ellen Oats (Nee Crookes) of 116 Myers Grove Lane, Stannington, Sheffield, who were married in 1867. Alfred was the husband of Mary J. Oates, Dain Avenue Welland, Ontario Canada. In the 1901 Census, fifteen year old Alfred is a file cutter, his father aged 54 is a Cutler & Spiral Cutler. His mother Ellen is aged 56.
Alfred enlisted on the 9th Aug 1915 at Welland. He gave his trade as a miner. He was a member of the 44th militia regiment. He was 5ft 7ins with Brown hair. He gave his religion as Church of England. He died of wounds 21st of April 1918 in Hospital at Etaples, Pas de Calais, France. I am researching people who fell in WW1 and are either listed on our war memorial or are remembered in the churchyard's of the area, Stannington, parish of Bradfield, Sheffield |
Cpl. Albert Oates . British Army 7th Btn, D Company Northamptonshire Regiment from Northampton (d.19th March 1916) The Northampton Independent (Date unknown but probably 1916)
"With the 7th Northamptonshire Regiment In "No Man's Land."
Dead Corporal's Thrilling Story.
The thrilling story we publish below was written by Corporal Albert Oates, a machine gunner of the 7th Northamptons, whose pen, alas will tell no more of the glorious episodes of the war. He died in Etaples Hospital from pneumonia, a few days after the story was written, and his death will be deeply regretted by a large circle of friends. Twenty eight years of age, and the son of Mrs W. Oates of 22 Garrick road, Northampton, he joined "D" Co., 7th Northamptons, in September 1914. he was a well-known footballer, and played for St. Michael's, the Nomads, and Rushden Fosse. The deepest sympathy will be felt with the bereaved mother and other relatives in their great loss.
In his story he tells of how his gun repulsed a German attack, in the following words: "Our gun," he wrote, "was sent to hold the position against a counter-attack, whilst our working party consolidated our side of the crater. To get to the crater we had to crawl through a hole in the bottom our trench and drag the gun and ammunition up a shallow sap almost two feet deep, by which times a German machine gun was traversing fire on it.
"However, the two of us with the gun and Max Ruston, who is our machine gun sergeant, reached the crater safely to find that the working party were just digging a T-shaped trench to consolidate the position. We had no cover, so just placed the gun on the edge of the crater and lay down behind it ready. In the meantime the bombing Corporal fired a powder light which showed us a deep trench running right into the crater from the German trenches. I trained my gun on this and waited. In a few minutes a terrific explosion a few yards from the gun announced the fact that the Germans were about to make a counter-attack with bombs.
"I waited a few minutes, and then pumped my gun at them. I did not heard myself, but the men on my left said it caught the Germans properly, and they screamed with fright; no doubt they never expected we should get a machine gun up so quickly. Well, the attack lasted about a quarter of an hour -bombs bursting all round us, but they could not quite reach the gun within about five yards, which was lucky for us. They soon retired, and we had the honour of repulsing the attack. These spasmodic attacks were attempted several times during the night, but were repulsed each time."
Sergt. Max Ruston, whom he mentions, is one of the six sons of the late Rev. Thomas Ruston serving with the forces.
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Joseph Oates . 3rd Balloon Squadron
My husbands grandfather Joseph Oates marriage certificate has him based as follows:
3rd Balloon Squadron Abbey Wood, London.1918
I have tried hard to find any mention of this squadron or anything to do with balloon squad at Abbey Wood. My husband seems to think his grandfather was initially in the Cavalry
Can any one point me in the right direction?
Thank You
Jennifer Oates |
T. Odlam . Australian Imperial Force. 3rd Salvage Coy. |
Robert George Ogg . British Army Highland Guards from Glasgow
My Pop serviced in Gallipolli and was injured and sent to Ulster for rehab.
He served in the Highland guards in Stirling Castle.
He and family migrated to West Australia in 1921.
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Rfm. Francis Henry Oliver . British Army 1/17th Btn. London Regiment from London Frank Oliver was my Grandfather, he was a lewis gunner with the 17th Londons during the Great War. When my Father was a small child he asked him how many Germans he shot, to which Frank replied "I don't know. I couldn't see any. They were too far away. We were just ordered to shoot".
My sister recalls he often complained of an aching leg due to a shrapnel wound. He would then tell her how he was wounded. He was in the trenches in France and said that his best friend saved his life. Apparently his friend was standing in front of him when a bomb fell. His friend took the full force of the bomb and was blown to pieces, while he was just left with shrapnel in his leg. |
Pte. Mathias Oliver . British Army 6th Btn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers from Manchester My great grandad, Mathias Oliver served with the Welsh Fusiliers during WW1. He was a miner before the war and joined up at the age of 25 we think. He was a private in the Fusiliers and ended up going to fight the Turks in Palastine. He was gased and captured by the Turks and we think he spent 2 yrs in a POW camp. He was released after the war but died 1 or 2 yrs later from gas poising leaving 3 children and a wife. On his death bed he asked his best mate to look after his family.That he did as a lot of folk did in those days. He has a plaque in Manchester (screen wall 1839) Philips Park Cemetery. I would love to find out more about him and the battles the brave men fought on the campaign. I'm sure there's more to his story but it's quite hard to find out being it was so long ago. If anyone has any info on his Regiment and photos I would love to hear more, thanks. |
Pte. Robert Oliver . British Army 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers (d.8th May 1915) |
William Edmund Oliveria . Royal Air Force from South Africa |
Sjt. Gordon Percy Olley MM.. Royal Flying Corps 1 Sqd. from Norfolk |
Private Henry Ord . British Army 15th Battalion Durham Light Infantry from Aycliffe House, Thornley, Durham (d.17 April 1918) Henry Ord was my great great Grandmother's brother.
He was a Private in Durham Light Infantry, 15th Battalion - Regiment Number 22390. I also found he died of wounds (Western European Theatre) in France and Flanders 17 April 1918. He is buried at Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Poperinge West-Vlannderen, Belgium. Grave/Memorial Ref X.A.21. |
Sgt. Josiah "Si" Ord MM.. British Army 12th Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers from North Seaton, Northumberland My Grandfather, Josiah Ord, was a miner living in North Seaton, Ashington, Northumberland and working at the local colliery. He joined The Northumberland Fusiliers in the early years of the First World War and served through to the end having been appointed Sergeant after winning The Military Medal during the Battle of the Somme. He was wounded and lost a large portion of his right bicep during the action resulting in The Military Medal award. I have not been able to find any other details other than the award was gazetted on 28th of August 1916. |
Richard Foster Ord . Army 18th Btn. Durham Light Infantry |
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