O'SULLIVAN, Eugene Augustus
| Service Number: | 7110 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Morphett Vale, South Australia, 14 May 1882 |
| Home Town: | Morphett Vale, Onkaparinga, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Passchendale, Belgium, 6 October 1917, aged 35 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient), Morphett Vale Eternal Flame Memorial Garden and Walkway, Morphett Vale War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Dec 1916: | Involvement Private, 7110, 10th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Berrima embarkation_ship_number: A35 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Dec 1916: | Embarked Private, 7110, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Berrima, Adelaide |
Help us honour Eugene Augustus O'Sullivan's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by tony griffin
PRIVATE EUGENE AUGUSTUS O’SULLIVAN
SERVICE No: 7110
Eugene was the son of Thomas and Julia Ann (nee McEllister) O’Sullivan of Morphett Vale. He was born at Morphett Vale on the 14th May, 1882. A 33 year old farmer, Eugene enlisted at Exhibition Camp on the 16th November, 1915 and was appointed to 1st Reinforcements 43 Infantry Battalion at the Morphettville Camp.
Eugene’s Regimental Conduct Sheet over the next 6 months exposes a troubled man—was he unable to handle military service, did he have second thoughts about volunteering or was there some other reason?
On 18 December he went absent without leave for the day and forfeited his pay. On 29 December he went absent without leave from 3pm to 6.30 am and was fined 10/- as well as forfeiting 2 days pay and again on 3 January he went absent without leave for a day and was again fined 10/- and forfeited a days pay. It became more serious when he was absent without leave for a week from 9 January to 16 January and was fine 20/- and forfeited 7 days pay. 5 days later he again went AWOL for 2 weeks and was sentenced to 14 days detention at Fort Glanville and forfeited 16 days pay. This was no deterrent and within a week of returning to Morphettville he again went AWOL for 3 weeks from 24 February until 14 March. Eugene was sentenced to 21 days detention at Fort Glanville and forfeited 3 weeks pay. Again he snubbed his nose at authority and went AWOL for another 2 weeks from 14—28 March. Punishment was now more severe and he was detained at Fort Glanville for 26 days and forfeited his pay for that time.
Upon his release Eugene returned to 1st Reinforcements at Mitcham Camp where, on 6 June the order to embark on 9 June was received on 6 June. On June 9 43 Battalion embarked from Outer Harbour but without Eugene who had again gone absent without leave—this time for 141 days from 9 June until 27 September. He was remanded for 90 days detention and forfeited 141 days pay. It appears that Eugene did not serve the full term of his punishment as he was transferred to 23rd Reinforcements 27 Battalion on 1 December and embarked from Outer Harbour aboard HMAT A35 Berrima on 16 December 1916. It had been over 12 months since he first enlisted and in that time had been absent without leave for 210 days.
Eugene disembarked at Devonport in England on the 16th February 1917 and marched into #rd Training Battalion. After only 2 months in England he was admitted to Military Hospital Parkhouse at Durrington on the 12 April with mumps. On 30 April Eugene rejoined the 3rd Training Battalion at Durrington before embarking from Southhampton for France on the 14th June 1917.
In France he was taken on strength with 10 Battalion AIF on the 6th June 1917. It was reported in an article in the Southern Cross newspaper of 7 December 1917 that on his arrival in France he was met by his nephew (son of Eugene’s bother Ignatius) 8940 Private Leslie James O’Sullivan and that he had volunteered as a bomber.
At this time 10 Battalion was camped at Ribemont undergoing a lengthy period of rest and daily training.
June 12: 10 Battalion marched to Henencourt where divisional sports were held on the 13th.
June 14: A route march to back to Ribemont (about 70 kilometres) where training continued.
June 27: A route march to Camp 17 at Mailly Maillet where training in trench warfare and attacking was conducted.
July 7: Route march back to Ribemont
July 12: 10 Battalion was inspected by the King.
July 13: Route march to Bray
July 25/26: Route march to Albert where 10 Battalion entrained to Steinbecke. From Steinbecke the battalion marched to Staple.
July 30: Route match and bus to Beninghem where the battalion sighted and constructed trenches. Training also continued.
August 6:
Route march and bus back to Staple and more training.
August 9: Route march to Bleu (Vieux Berquin) for further training.
September 13: 10 Battalion began daily route marches as it moved forward and prepared for action.
September 19: At 11.30 am the battalion moved out for action and after the battle of the Menin Road returned to Steivoorde to reorganise before returning to Chateau Segard.
September 30: At midnight the battalion moved from Chateau Segard to the line.
October 1: 10 Battalion went into action, occupying the support line.
October 5: 10 Battalion moved to the red line.
4 months after landing in France, Private Eugene Augustus O’Sullivan was killed in action at Passchendale, Belgium on the 6th October 1917.
“I didn’t know him well. He came from Morphett Vale, South of Adelaide and was a farmer. On the 6th Octr we were at Passchendaele holding the line. A shell came over hitting the parapet of the trench and killing O’Sullivan right out. I was standing by in the samer trench. I don’t know anything about the burial” Pte. G. E. Hall No.6767, AIF 10Div, Australian Camp, Rouelles.
Eugene has no known grave and accordingly his name is recorded on the walls of the Menin Gate.