O'HEHIR, John Joseph
| Service Number: | 3161 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 July 1915, Melbourne, Vic. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 5th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bungaree, Vic., 1893 |
| Home Town: | Footscray, Maribyrnong, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Bolinda State School |
| Occupation: | Driver |
| Died: | 27 February 1975, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Fawkner Memorial Park Cemetery, Victoria New Lawn Area East, Section D, Row H, Grave 29 |
| Memorials: | Bolinda State School Honour Roll, Victorian Garden of Remembrance |
World War 1 Service
| 15 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3161, 5th Infantry Battalion, Melbourne, Vic. | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Sep 1915: | Involvement Private, 3161, 5th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Osterley embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 29 Sep 1915: | Embarked Private, 3161, 5th Infantry Battalion, RMS Osterley, Melbourne |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Peter Sneddon
Jack O’Hehir is most likely John O’Hehir, Jack being a common diminutive for John. John, James, Henry and Albert O’Hehir all attended Bolinda School sometime between 1899 and 1913. There were three soldiers who enlisted in the Great War named John O’Hehir with only John Joseph O’Hehir being associated with the state of Victoria. Jack O’Hehir is most likely John Joseph O’Hehir.
John Joseph (Jack) was a 21 year old driver when he enlisted in the armed forces in July 1915. He departed Australia in September 1915 and was first sent to fight in Alexandria before being shipped to France. In July 1916, he was severely wounded when he received a gunshot wound to the neck while fighting in Rouen but survived. After a stay in hospital he was again sent out to fight in France. In January 1917, he was found AWOL from 9am until he was apprehended at 5.30 that afternoon. He was awarded 120 hours detention and lost eight days pay.
He returned to Australia aboard the “Margha”, arriving in March 1919.
When he returned to Australia, he moved to Footscray and took a job as a butcher’s labourer. Although the records are sketchy, Jack appears to have married Sylvia Mary ca. 1920 or 1921. By 1921 they were living together in Northcote. They continued to live together into the 1940s at which point they may have divorced. There is a record for Sylvia Mary O’Hehir marrying Leslie Charles Pickering in 1948, and another for John Joseph O’Hehir marrying Winifred Joyce Amy that same year. Jack had been working as a labourer during his time with Sylvia, but started working primarily as a civil servant following his marriage to Winifred. They mostly lived in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne including Northcote, Coburg and Preston.