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From Ballarat & District in the Great War

Sgt William Patrick O’Brien, 29th Infantry Battalion
 
As troops were preparing to advance on the French village of Harbonnières on 8 August 1918, an Official Australian War Photographer snapped an iconic image of the 29th Battalion. At the far left of the shot was Will O’Brien – every inch the laconic Aussie, leaning on his rifle, a breezy confidence evident in the smile on his face…

William Patrick O’Brien came into the world at Gordon on 4 June 1894. He was the eldest of five children born to Cornelius “Con” O’Brien and Annie Gwenllian Williams. As his name suggests, Will had a strong Irish ancestry. Although his father was actually born at Miner’s Rest in 1862, his grandparents, Patrick O’Brien and Honora Murphy, were both from the townland of Cappanihane (centred around a landed estate of the same name) about 34-miles from the city of Limerick.
His maternal grandmother, Mary Walsh, was also of Irish extraction. Her husband, William Williams, however, was proudly Welsh. His family came from Methyr Tydfil in Glamorgan, a town that was once the iron capital of the world.

Con O’Brien was the eldest of eleven children who grew up at Millbrook, where their father was the local blacksmith. Whilst Con followed in his father’s footsteps and remained at Gordon, his siblings were eventually spread across the country. He was the third in a family line to follow the trade – his grandfather and namesake (although he was known as Connor) was a blacksmith at Cappanihane.

William Williams was one of the best-known residents at Gordon. He had arrived in Victoria when he was only 16, finding the goldfields at Ballarat greatly to his liking. His business acumen quickly became apparent when he was named as one of the first share holders in the Cosmopolitan Mining Company that worked the successful Golden Point Lead.

As an experienced engine driver, Williams worked the mines around Egerton and Gordon, but he also showed a keen interest in advancing the area. However, it was as the owner of William’s Hotel, that he was perhaps best known. The hotel had a prime position in the main street of Gordon and there was always a crackling log fire to welcome visitors during the cold months. Under his ownership, the pub had the reputation for being the strictest adherent to the letter of the law in Victoria and it was known you could never get a drink after hours. William Williams believed that a ‘disappointed customer was better than a conviction against the Licensing Act any time.’ As his eldest child, there can be little doubt that Annie Williams was raised with the same values and beliefs.
Con and Annie were married in 1892. Shortly after, Con purchased his blacksmith shop in the main street of Gordon.

With the deaths of William Williams on 26 August 1896 and then Patrick O’Brien, on 13 November 1897, there was a degree of unsettling grief in the O’Brien household. Little Willie was old enough to feel the sadness if not to fully understand the cause. Both men had earned great respect throughout the district. Shops closed on the route of Patrick O’Brien’s funeral cortege, whilst eulogies for William Williams revealed him to be a genuinely good man. ‘…We have never heard a disparaging or unkind word spoken of him – all recognised in him a friend. His death will create a loss that will be felt far and wide, for in his simple faith in humanity, and his own upright and honourable life, he had established himself as one of “nature’s gentlemen.”…’

Annie’s sister, Kate, took over the running of the hotel – it would later pass to the youngest of Annie and Con’s children.

When Will reached school age, he was enrolled at St Patrick’s, which was then housed in the parish hall attached to the church. Every day he would walk to school along what is now the Old Melbourne Road, where he was taught the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic by young teachers like Miss Smith, Miss Gellie and Miss Moffatt.

In 1906, he graduated from St Patrick’s in Gordon to St Patrick’s College in Ballarat. This was a dramatic change for young Will, going from a small school with two female teachers to a large, bustling all male environment run by the Christian Brothers. Nevertheless, Will excelled – both academically and on the playing fields.

Eventually, having decided on a career in teaching, Will was set for the examinations that would qualify him for a position with the Education Department. Concentrating on his studies must have been extraordinarily difficult. Just months before he sat the examinations, war had been declared against Germany. However, Will showed that he was able to separate the two and did very well. On 25 January 1915, it was announced that he had successfully passed and been appointed as Head Teacher to the Roseberry East State School near Hopetoun. His brief record as a teacher was assessed as ‘good and earnest.’

After a year teaching, Will realised that the pressure to enlist was too much. He travelled into Ararat on 31 March 1916 to volunteer. The medical officer recorded the usual details: Will was three months short of his 23rd birthday and was 5’ 8¾-inches tall. Although he only weighed 132-pounds, he had a chest measurement of 36½-inches. It was also noted that Will had a flat scar on the inside of his right calf, the result of a scald when he was younger and vaccination marks on his left arm. He had dark brown hair and blue-grey eyes, with a dark complexion. Will’s handwriting, when he signed his paperwork, was unusually small and neat.

After being passed fit, Will joined the 14th Depot Battalion at Ballarat on 17 April. He had the advantage of significant military training; from senior cadets during his teenage years to four years holding commissioned rank with the Citizen Military Forces, Will was ready for active service.
Everything appeared to be going smoothly and, on 31 May, Will was posted to the 19th reinforcements for the 8th Infantry Battalion. However, when this allocation departed for the Front on 28 July, Will O’Brien was not with them. Instead, he had been held back at camp and, on 9 September, he was posted to the 4th reinforcements to the 39th Infantry Battalion with the rank of corporal.

On 28 September 1916, Will was ‘medically boarded and found unfit.’ His discharge from the AIF was immediate. There was, however, no indication as to why he was unfit. Instead, he was assigned to Instructional Staff and spent the next few months training recruits at the Non-Commissioned Officers’ Schools at Port Melbourne and Geelong, and then as acting sergeant-major in the camps at Warrnambool and Broadmeadows.

Whilst this was an important role, Will still hankered to serve overseas. So, he began the formal process again at Melbourne on 16 February 1917. His medical examination was interesting on a number of points – it seems he was measured earlier in the day as he was now 5-feet 9½-inches. But months of hard work and good food had resulted in an increase in weight (to 150-pounds) and chest measurement.

Once again, Will O’Brien was a member of the AIF, this time he was assigned to the Recruits Battalion at Royal Park with the permanent rank of sergeant.

Despite the change in his position, there still seems to have been no rush to send Will overseas. He was moved to Broadmeadows, where he spent nine months working with the 1st Depot Battalion. Eventually, however, he got his wish and in December he received word that his embarkation date had been set. He had been posted to the 14th reinforcements to the 29th Infantry Battalion, with the regimental number 5085.

With the news that two of their local lads were heading overseas, the people of Gordon quickly organised a farewell at Williams Hotel, which was held on 18 December. The event took place in the hotel’s large diningroom, which was ‘tastefully decorated,’ with tables ‘laden with an abundance of edibles and liquid refreshments.’

It was a smaller gathering than usual due to its hasty nature, but just as meaningful. Both Will and 19-year-old bank clerk, Len Cockcroft, were presented with ‘handsome wristlet watch.’

Will was asked to respond. Clearly, he was deeply moved by the gift and said it ‘would ever be to him a very pleasant recollection of his friends, their affection for him, and esteem they held him in.’

Continuing, he said ‘that when he volunteered he considered it his duty to go. He had been anxious to do his bit, and he was glad that he had the opportunity...’

It became apparent that Will was overcome with emotion, seemingly as much by his own modesty as ‘the warmth of the demonstration.’ He concluded by saying how much he appreciated the kindness shown to him that evening. [To paraphrase] ‘I will look upon the gift, and the evening itself, as things to be cherished all my life.’

The pair embarked from Melbourne two days after Christmas. Although Len Cockcroft was with the 37th Battalion, the reinforcements all sailed onboard the troopship Ulysses.

While they were at sea, both Will and Len sent postcards home to let their families know they ‘were well at time of writing.’ After reaching Suez on 16 January 1918, Will sent a cable to his parents to again reassure them of his well-being.

Six days later, Will left Suez by train and travelled through to Alexandria. By this time, the destination port in Europe had been changed from Marseilles in France to Taranto in Italy. The trip across the Mediterranean took a week, leaving Alexandria on 29 January and reaching Taranto on 4 February. Will had three days in the historical city before leaving by train for Cherbourg in Normandy. They arrived in the French port on 14 February and immediately sailed for England.

Will landed at Southampton the next day and immediately left for Codford where he joined the 15th Training Battalion. From 23 February, he was with the School of Instruction held at the Jellalabad Barracks, (located at Taunton in Somerset). He spent three weeks in Taunton before returning to Codford.

Writing to his parents, Will spoke of his safe arrival in England. But in the course of the same letter, he let them know he was already on his way to France. He left Southampton on 7 April, reaching the Australian Divisional Base at Le Havre the following day.

At this point there is an element of confusion in Will’s war experience. According to his records, he left Le Havre on 12 April, marching out to join his unit. However, he was then listed as joining the 29th Battalion on 8 June – that effectively equates to a loss of two months. There is no way this is possible, but there are no obvious explanations other than it was a paperwork issue. It was most likely that Will would have joined his unit within days of leaving Le Havre.

The 29th Battalion, unlike many other units of the AIF, had a quiet time through the German Spring Offensive, being held in reserve at Corbie for an extended period. However, the war was turning. The Allies own attack in August, signalling the beginning of the Hundred Days Offensive, would change the situation completely and Will O’Brien was ready to take on his role in this historical moment.

Following a minor engagement at Morlancourt on 29 July, the 29th Battalion was at the forefront of the advance that led up to the Battle of Amiens.

The photograph that I referred to earlier, was taken on 8 August. It showed Lieutenant Rupert Downes MC addressing his Platoon from B Company of the 29th Battalion. The men were taking a brief rest near the villages of Warfusée and Lamotte before the coming advance on Harbonnières, which was the battalion's second objective of the attack. The background is obscured by the smoke of heavy shellfire. But it was clear from the expression on Will O’Brien’s face that he was in his element.

At 10:42am on 9 August, the 29th moved forward to the left edge of the village. As they pushed forward, the men came under heavy machine-gun fire from the direction of Vauvillers. Two hours later the attack was launched, with Will’s company on the left.

The advance was held up significantly by German machine-gunners, who continued their heavy fire, inflicting a high number of casualties. The supporting tanks were all immediately knocked out of action, which also hampered the advance.

By 2:15pm, following a series of short rushes with the men forced to crawl forward, the 29th had reached its objective. It was recorded that ‘great bravery was exhibited by all ranks in advancing against extremely heavy enemy MG fire and ultimately silencing all opposition.’

But it had come at a cost. As they were digging in, the enemy shelled their position. According to Private Alex Donaldson, Will was lying on his side just taking a breather, when a “whizz-bang” landed. Private Christopher McLaughlan saw Will struck by a piece of shell that 'went right through him,’ killing him instantly.

In the midst of all this chaos, Chaplain Austin Francis Eva, who was attached to 29th Battalion, was able to bury Will’s body and made a note of the grave’s location.

News of Will O’Brien’s death did not reach Gordon until early September, with the sad task of delivering the news falling to Father William O’Dwyer, the parish priest at St Patrick’s. Word quickly spread and ‘quite a gloom was cast over the township.’ His extended family was highly thought of and Will O’Brien was one of the most well-liked and respected young men of the area.
As was the custom, reminiscences were shared by those who knew him, and many remembered his ‘happy knack of making friends’ and his ‘very genial disposition.’ His parents were inundated with messages of sympathy, which helped ‘demonstrate the high esteem and respect in which the late Sergeant O'Brien was held.'

News from the Front had also given justifiable hope that the war was approaching its conclusion, and this made these deaths late in the war even more difficult to sustain.

‘…The late soldier, who enjoyed the popularity of a large circle of friends, was 24 years of age. Buoyed up with the expectancy of shortly seeing him back again, the shock to his relatives to learn of his demise was, therefore, all the more accentuated, and to them the curtain of gloom hangs unusually heavy in the sad and sudden loss of another estimable and highly respected young citizen of this district…’

It was not until letters from the Front reached Con and Annie O’Brien towards the end of October that they received a more definite idea of what had happened to their son.

The first came from Victor Peters, a school teacher from Greendale, who had befriended Will as they travelled to the Front.

‘…"Somewhere in France."
13/8/18.
Dear Mr O'Brien,—It is with the greatest regret that I have to tell you that your dear son, Willie, was killed in action on the morning of August 9th. The attack against the Boche started the previous morning, and we drove him back about 7 miles. Next morning we received orders to attack his line. He was strongly entrenched and used shell and machine gun fire against us. Will was with his platoon, in B company, on our left flank, and, by what 1 can gather, was killed by the explosion of a shell.

Will was very popular with bis men and fellow officers, and we all deeply deplore his loss. Speaking for myself I have known your son for the past 3 years, and we came away together. We were always good comrades, and I was only sorry that we were not able to get into the same company together. I don't think I ever met a young man who was so morally strong as your son, who, despite the rough life we lead, never altered his standard of living. He was chivalrous to a fault, and set a fine example to his men. In losing Will I feel as if I have lost a brother.

I obtained all of his personal effects, and under different cover am registering them to you. In his wallet there is a negative of him, taken on the trip over, and you could get a photo of him developed from this.

Will is buried near the scene of our last victory, with our other gallant lads who lost their lives. We go into the battle line again to-morrow, but if I am spared again I will do my best to get you a photo of his resting place.

Again, dear Mr and Mrs O'Brien, I wish to convoy my deepest sympathy to you all, and trust that the fact of Will giving his life for such a glorious cause will in some measure soften the blow of your great bereavement.

With deepest sympathy. I am yours sincerely,
Victor E. Peters…’

A second letter was written by Private Will Hoare, from Egerton.
‘…It is with very great regret that I pen these few lines, re the death of your son Will. I can tell you there was not a sergeant in the battalion that was better liked than poor old Will. We had to go "over the top" on the 9th, and we had some terrible hard fighting, but we got through after a bit of trouble. Will got through that alright, but while we were digging in, a shell dropped in their possie, and four boys were killed.

May God give you strength to bear your trouble. I met Will when he first came to France; I was coming back from Blighty, and we travelled on the same boat…’

In the same delivery of mail, the O’Brien’s also received a small package containing a few of Will’s personal items, including two wallets, some photographs and ‘other little things.’ Some articles, it was noted appeared to have been carried by Will when he was killed and bore the marks of shrapnel.

Despite the careful recording of the place of Will’s burial, at the end of the war his body could not be located. And, as the years passed, it appeared unlikely his parents would have that one small solace – knowing that their son had a known resting place.

Then, on 15 August 1929, remarkably, Con O’Brien was informed that his son’s body had been recovered.

‘I am now in receipt of advice that during the course of exhumation work in the vicinity of Vauvillers the Imperial War Graves Commission was successful in recovering the remains of this soldier, which have since been interred with every measure of care and reverence in Plot 24, Row “C”, Grave 2 of SERRE ROAD CEMETERY NO.2, situated near Beaumont Hamel, France, where a permanent headstone of uniform design will be erected and engraved with his full regimental description and date of death, together with any verse or epitaph previously selected in the form of a personal inscription…’

Con was informed that Australian titles and a cigarette case engraved “W. O’B.” were recovered and had aided in the formal identification process. The cigarette case was returned to his father, with the usual covering letter for such items.

‘…This memento though now somewhat impaired by long exposure will doubtless be valued on account of its former intimate association with your son, and I trust same comes safely to hand…’

The epitaph chosen for his headstone was a simple one: May he rest in peace. Amen.

During my second visit to the battlefields of the Western Front back in 2005, I was able to visit the school at Villers-Bretonneux. Imagine my surprise on discovering a larger-than-life sized image of Will O’Brien over the stairs leading up to the school’s museum. It was a detail from the photograph taken on 8 August 1918, the day before his death. I admit to feeling a rush of pride in knowing that this young school teacher was honoured in such a way, especially at a school that lives by the motto: N’oublions jamais l’Australie – Let us never forget Australia.