Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Early Life

Patrick Andreas Ohlstrom was born on the 16th of December 1890 to Pohl Ohlstrom and Margaret (née Purtle) at Warooka on Southern Yorke Peninsula. He was the youngest of 10 children and the only son. Patrick’s father Pohl was a farmer and labourer while at Warooka and a fisherman and mason when at Edithburgh. His mother Margaret was a midwife. Patrick’s birth name was registered as Patrick Andreas Paul Ohlstrom; however, his third name does not appear to have been used from that point onward and he was known as Pat.

Schooling

Patrick commenced primary school at Warooka on the 6th of April 1896, aged 5 years and 4 months, but a mere 20 days later moved to the Edithburgh Primary School, where he was a Junior in 1896-98, then 1899 Grade I, 1900 Grade II, 1901 Grade III, 1902 Grade IV, 1903 Grade IV and 1904 Grade V. It is unclear why Pat spent two years in Grade IV, however more than one student at Edithburgh in the early 1900’s spent two years in Grade IV. He left the school in December 1904, aged 14 years.

The first mention of Pat in the newspapers was for giving a recitation at his school concert in 1900, aged 10 years. Other early mentions of Pat Ohlstrom relate to sporting achievements as Pat competed in Sports Days and Aquatic Competitions. He won the Neatest Dive, under 15 years, in the Christmas Day Sports at Edithburgh in 1903, the boys swimming race at the Stansbury Aquatic Sports in 1904 and coming second in several boys’ flat races at Yorketown and Edithburgh. Pat played cricket for Edithburgh from the 1903/04 to 1907/08.

From 1908, Pat attended Howard’s Commercial and Correspondence College. He played Cricket for the College team in the Adelaide and Suburban Association in the 1908/09 season and in a match against Christian Brother’s College in February 1909. He played football for Athelstone in 1908 and represented the “Present” scholars in the College’s annual Past v Present football match in September 1909.

The Pre-War Years

The story of Pat’s life after leaving Commercial College and before the commencement of WWI can mainly be trace through post War newspaper reports and through the sporting pages.

Cricket

Pat played the 1908/09 season for Glynde and the 1909/10 season for Warwick (at Walkerville) in the Metropolitan Association – Section B. In 1910/11 and 1911/12, Pat played for Anchor and won the Bowling honours in the 1911/12 season. Pat again played for Anchor in the 1914/15 season and in at least one game in the 15/16 season. His friends from the Anchor Club gave him a farewell party when he joined up for military service.

A newspaper article published in 1924, states that Pat played a season for Athelstone and a season for Glynde before playing in the Metropolitan Association and that in the 1911/12 season he played a game in Wellington, New Zealand. However, in relation to that article, the profiler has only been able to locate evidence for Pat playing Football for Athelstone and Cricket for Glynde.

Baseball

Pat played baseball for the Freemason Ramblers in the 1915 season (winter), the team were minor premiers however they failed both attempts to win the grand final (under the rules in place at the time if the minor premiers lost the grand final they could challenge the winning team to a re-match to decide the premiership).

Employment

Pat worked as a special clerk for Josiah Symons, solicitor, however it is unclear when he commenced in this role.

Pat’s early interest in the law can be seen from a letter he wrote in 1915 regarding exploitation of workers during difficult economic times.

World War I

Patrick Andreas Ohlstrom enlisted on the 23rd of June 1915. He was then a 24½ years old clerk, 5’3”, weighing 119 lbs, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. His mother Margaret Ann Ohlstrom of Edithburgh was named as his next-of-kin (his father Pohl had passed away aged 78 in 1915).

Pat’s war experiences are described in the Virtual War Memorial Australia Biography (see document) and in his own War Diary which is now held by the Australian War Memorial.

Pat’s war experiences also appear in the book, Second to None: A memorial History of the 32nd Battalion A.I.F 1915-1919: R.R. Freeman, Peacock Publications, 2006. (see document)

Pat’s mother received news of his second gassing in June 1918.

Pat arrived back in Australia on the 28th of February 1919 and was given a welcome home by the people of Edithburgh in April 1919.

Post WWI

On his return from the War, Pat was articled to Mr. C .A. Edmunds, solicitor. He recommenced his baseball career in the winter of 1919, rejoining his old team, the Freemason Ramblers and played for them in the 1919 to 1921 seasons. In 1921 he played in an exhibition match which was the pre-game to a SA versus Victoria match. He played cricket for Bankville in the Adelaide and Suburban Association competition in the 1919/20.

Pat commenced studying again, passing the Senior Public Examinations in Modern History in December 1919 and English Literature in the Special February Seniors (1920).

Pat was one of the officers in charge of the infantry at the 1920 ANZAC Day commemorations and in June 1920, he was part of the guard of honour when Lieut. Stanley Wood, late of the 27th Battalion married.

Marriage

Pat became engaged to Leonore Haynes, the youngest daughter of Mrs. A. Haynes, of North Adelaide in September 1921, the couple married on the 3rd of December 1921. Pat was 30 and Leonore 24 years of age.

Adelaide University

P.A. (“Paddy”) Ohlstrom commenced studying Law at Adelaide University in 1920. He was Secretary of the Procession Committee in 1922. It is unclear when he picked up the nickname “Paddy” however he was certainly known by that name from 1923 and will be referred as Paddy in the remainder of this profile. He was an active member of the Law Student’s Society.

University Sport

Cricket
Paddy commenced playing cricket for the Adelaide University in the B Grade in the 1920/21 season and he captained the B Grade in the 1921/22 season. He was named as 12th man for the Intervarsity Match in December 1922. He then played A Grade in 1922/23-1924/25 seasons and was vice-captain of the side. Paddy was vice-captain of the of the 1923 Intervarsity side and was awarded a Blue for Cricket in 1924.

The following newspaper articles were published in October and November 1923. Paddy was made a member of the State practice squad. (see document).

State Cricket
While playing for Adelaide University, Paddy was selected to play for South Australia, however, was only awarded one first class game. Paddy played against NSW on Adelaide Oval in December 1923. Bowling right arm off breaks he took 1/25 and batting left-handed, he scored 4 runs over two innings, one not out and a high score of 3 with an average of 4. In the 1923/24 season, Paddy topped the A Grade District bowling taking 47 wickets in total.

The following cricket season in 1924/25, Paddy produced another outstanding bowling performance taking 45 wickets at an average of 20.4. Adelaide University won the Final against Kensington but lost to minor premiers Sturt in a “Challenge Final”. They would defeat Sturt the following year to take out the Club’s first SACA premiership, however Paddy had graduated and was ironically playing at Kensington in the 1925/26 season.

Adelaide University Sports Association
Paddy was a member of the Adelaide University Sports Association General Committee 1923/24.

Baseball
In 1922 Pat was instrumental in the creation of the Adelaide University Baseball team and was its first Captain and Coach (1922-25). In May 1922, he became the Secretary of the SA Baseball League.

Paddy led the AUBC to their first Inter-Varsity match in August 1923. He also captained the 1924, 1925 Intervarsity teams. Paddy was awarded a Blue for Baseball in 1923 making him a Double Blue when awarded a Blue for cricket in 1924.

In 1931 Paddy returned to be coach of the Adelaide University Baseball Club. 

Career

Paddy was admitted to the Bar in April 1924 and joined the firm of B. J. Cox & Son. In 1932 he became a partner in Edmunds, Jessop, Ward and Ohlstrom and afterwards, Jessop, Ward, Ohlstrom and Mollison.

Post-University Sport

Cricket
After leaving University Paddy played A Grade District Cricket for Kensington for the 1925/26 to 1930/31 seasons, winning an A Grade Premiership in the 1927/28 season.

Paddy also played in the Lawyers versus Law Students matches in 1928-1933 period. In December 1936 Paddy was chosen to represent South Australia in an A.I.F team to play against Victoria.
The following article on Paddy was published in the ‘News’ in February 1926 and provides more details of some of Paddy’s cricket exploits while in England during WWI.

Baseball
In 1926 Paddy was instrumental in the formation of the Kensington Baseball Club (now the Kensington Cardinals). He played for and was Club Captain of Kensington from 1926 to 1935. During that time, he played and captained the State baseball side in 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934 & 1935. Paddy was a State Selector from 1927-1937. He played baseball for Australia in 1929.

He was on the Kensington Baseball Club’s General and Selection Committees from 1926 to 1936, Social Secretary 1937 to 1939, Vice Patron 1936 to 1939 and was awarded Life Membership in 1937.

1930 Paddy represented SA Baseball on the committee to determine South Australia’s sporting colours.

Paddy was South Australian Baseball League President 1930 to 1937 and was awarded Life Membership in 1938. Paddy was a member of the Australian Baseball Council in 1931.

In 1936 Paddy retired from playing Baseball.

In 1954, P.A.Ohlstrom was selected in the Official "All Time" South Australian team and was named Captain. The Ohlstrom Memorial Shield is presented annually to the Best Senior Club in South Australian Baseball.

Golf
In June 1927, Paddy played golf at the Municipal Golf Links (North Adelaide) and by 1929 he was a member at the Mount Osmond Golf Club.

Lawn Bowls
In 1928, Paddy tried his hand at Lawn Bowls in a match between the Kensington Cricket Club and the Marryatville Bowling Club.

Other Interests
In 1926 Paddy was the secretary of the 32nd Battalion (A.I.F.) Club. Paddy was a member of the Liberal Federation, Burnside Men’s branch from at least 1929. He was present at the opening of the Amateur Sports Club at the Liberal Club Building in January 1932.

In November 1933, Paddy appeared as Brutus in a play to aid the Ernest Jones Fund.

Paddy’s wife Leonore was a stalwart of the C.W.A. and in 1933 she represented the SA Branch at the Rural Women’s and Homemakers’ Organisations’ conference in Stockholm.

In 1935 Paddy was elected to the Burnside Council a position he held at his untimely death in June 1940.

In March 1939 Paddy attended the Warooka Jubilee celebrations (Back to Warooka) with his mother, who at 94 years of age was the oldest former resident present. Paddy acted as Toastmaster at the reunion and “with the aid of an awe-inspiring bell kept the speakers and the gathering in a good mood’.

In 1939 Paddy related a story from his WWI experiences playing tennis at Glamis Castle. (see document).

Death

Paddy and Leonore were living at 38 Pridmore Avenue, Woodley (now Glen Osmond) in 1939. Tragically Paddy passed away on the 10th of June 1940, aged 49, after a short illness and is buried West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide.

Margaret Agnes (Grannie) Ohlstrom, Paddy’s mother, passed away on the 8th of March 1941, aged 96 years.

Legacy

During WWII, Leonore worked as a Welfare Officer at the munition’s factory at Salisbury.

In 1956, Mrs Leonore Ohlstrom gave £300 to the Adelaide University to establish annual prizes in German in memory of her late husband, Patrick Andreas Ohlstrom, the prizes are known at the Weimar - Ohlstrom Prizes.

Author EE (Beth) Filmer

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (in the period 2015-2019) please see the document attached.