Oswald Hector LIGHTBODY MM

LIGHTBODY , Oswald Hector

Service Numbers: 2514, R2514, V383725
Enlisted: 20 August 1914
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: Volunteer Defence Corps (VIC)
Born: Portland, Victoria, Australia, 23 June 1887
Home Town: Allansford, Warrnambool, Victoria
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Head Teacher
Died: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 20 February 1971, aged 83 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Cape Bridgewater Cemetery, Victoria
Memorials: Bruarong State School Honour Roll, Yackandandah Memorial Gates
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World War 1 Service

20 Aug 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Driver, 2514, Divisional Ammunition Column
18 Oct 1914: Involvement Driver, 2514, Divisional Ammunition Column, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: ''
18 Oct 1914: Embarked Driver, 2514, Divisional Ammunition Column, HMAT Argyllshire, Sydney
5 Aug 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Driver, 2514, Divisional Ammunition Column, embarked Suez for Melbourne per HT Kanowna
22 Dec 1915: Embarked Driver, 2514, Hospital Transport Corps, HMAT Kanowna, Sydney
22 Dec 1915: Involvement Driver, 2514, Hospital Transport Corps, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '24' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Kanowna embarkation_ship_number: No 2 Hospital Ship public_note: ''
5 Jun 1916: Involvement Driver, R2514, 11th Field Artillery Brigade , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: ''
5 Jun 1916: Embarked Driver, R2514, 11th Field Artillery Brigade , HMAT Borda, Sydney
12 Jul 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Driver, 2514, Divisional Ammunition Column, embarked Alexandria for France per TS Borda
16 Nov 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Gunner, 2514, 1st Divisional Ammunition Column, Belgium - gassed
15 Dec 1917: Honoured Military Medal, Commonwealth Gazette No. 95 Date: 27 June 1918
2 May 1919: Embarked AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2514, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade , embarked England for Melbourne per HT Port Napier
1 Sep 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2514, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade

World War 2 Service

29 Aug 1942: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, V383725
20 Sep 1945: Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, V383725, Volunteer Defence Corps (VIC)

Help us honour Oswald Hector Lightbody 's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Kathleen Bambridge

Military medal awarded to 2514 Sgt OH Lightbody 2nd FA Brigade awaiting collection from Victoria barracks Sydney 1919.

Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

Private Oswald Hector Lightbody MM (Service No:V382735) served in the ACMF with 8th Battalion VDC from 28 August 1942 to 20 September 1945. He had served in WWI (Sergeant; Service No:2514).

Oswald was born at Cape Bridgewater via Portland, Victoria in 1887, second of six children of William John Lightbody (b1853 in Warnambool, Victoria) and Ann (Annie) Cameron Campbell (b1863 at Staffordshire Reef, Victoria). William (a Farmer) and Annie married in 1884 in Mt Richmond, Victoria and settled at Cape Bridgewater via Portland where they raised their family and William was a Farmer.

Oswald was a Teacher at Glen Creek, Yackandandah in 1912 when he married Maggie Eda Maud Connor (b1888 in Corryong, Victoria) - Maggie was a Teacher at Dedarang via Yackandandah. Following Maggie's death in 1913, Oswald served in the AIF and following his Discharge, returned to teaching at Kiewa via Yackandandah in 1919. In 1922 in St Arnaud's Victoria, Oswald remarried to Kathleen (Kath) Isobel Kearnan (b1897 in St Arnaud, Victoria) - Kath was working in St Arnaud as a Clerk. Oswald and Kath lived in Branxholme before posting to Warnambool in 1937, and then to Allansford via Warnambool in 1940, where Oswald was Head Teacher when he enlisted in the ACMF. In 1954 Oswald and Kath retired to Portland. Oswald died in 1971 and Kath in 1983.

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Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

Sergeant Oswald Hector Lightbody MM (Service No:2514) enlisted in the AIF on 20 August 1914 as a Driver attached to Divisional Ammunition Column. Driver Lightbody served in Egypt and on the Western Front with Hospital Transport Corps, Divisional Ammunition Column, and 2nd Field Artillery Brigade as a Bombardier, Gunner, Corporal and Sergeant. He was WiA in 1917 and 1918 in Belgium and France and was awarded the Military Medal (Commonwealth Gazette No: 95; 27 June 1918). The Recommendation, made on 1 November 1917, states that  Bombadier Lightbody, attached to 4th Field Artillery Battery (East of Ypres) displayed 'Great personal courage and splendid example in carrying out rescue work under heavy fire'. The Commonwealth Gazette (No 95) stated ' On the night of 31st October/1st November during a very heavy gas and H.E. bombardment of ANZAC Ridge NE of Westhoek a Dugout at the Battery position was hit by a gas shell. These NCOs at once - regardless of the falling shells dug out three men who had been buried, two of whom were dead. The third they put on a stretcher and carried him through the heavy barrage to an Aid Post but on arrival he was found to be dead. These NCOs showed great courage and set a splendid example in their heroic attempt to save these men's lives - regardless of their own safety'. Sergeant Lightbody embarked from England for Melbourne on board HT Port Napier on 2 May 1919 and was attached to 2nd Field Artillery Brigade at Discharge on 1 September 1919.

Born at Cape Bridgewater nr Portland in Victoria, Oswald was second of six children of William John Lightbody (b1853 in Warnambool, Victoria) and Ann (Annie) Cameron Campbell (b1863 at Staffordshire Reef, Victoria). William (a Farmer) and Annie married in Mt Richmond in 1884 and settled at Cape Bridgewater via Portland where they raised their family and William was a Farmer.

Oswald trained as a Teacher and worked in Colac before posting to Glen Creek, Yackandandah, where in 1912 he married Maggie Eda Maud Connor (b1888 at Corryong, Victoria) - Maggie was a Teacher at Dedarang via Yackandandah. Maggie died in 1913, and following his service in WWI, Oswald returned to teaching at Kiewa via Yarrackandandah. In 1922 in St Arnaud, he remarried to Kathleen (Kath) Isobel Kearnan (b1897 in St Arnaud, Victoria) - Kath was working in St Arnaud as a Clerk. Oswald and Kath lived at Branxholme before moving to Warnambool in 1937. By 1940 Oswald was Head Teacher at Allansford, and served in the ACMF as a Private (Service No:V383725) with 8th Battalion VDC. Oswald retired in the mid 1950s and he and Kath settled in Portland. Oswald died in 1971 and Kath in 1983.   

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