Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Oliver was the son of James Manuel (Emmanuel) GLASSENBURY & Mary Ann CLARK and was born in 1882 in Wirrabara, SA. (his birth was never recorded)

His parents were married on the 2nd of July 1864 at the residence of E Hodge in Pt Elliot, SA.

His father was the son of William GLASSENBURY & Esther MANSFIELD and was born in 1841 in Adelaide, SA.
His mother was the daughter of George CLARK & Grace WAYBORN and was born in 1846 in Adelaide, SA.

Oliver was the eighth child born into the family of 9 children.

Oliver’s father was a labourer and by 1885 the family had moved to North Quorn.

Then by the late 1890’s the family had moved to Clare.

After leaving school Oliver gained employment as a labourer and Well Sinker.

Oliver married Florence Maud Marion MAYNARD on the 12th of August 1903 in Clare, SA. Florence was 6 months pregnant when they married.
Florence was the daughter of James MAYNARD & Elizabeth Jane JOHNSTONE and was born on the 31st of May 1881 in Clare, SA.

They welcomed their first child; Gladys Hazel, on the 17th of November 1903, followed by Adeline May on the 20th of September 1905.

Edgar Lloyd when then born into the family on the 5th of May 1908, followed by Laurel Doreen on the 13th of October 1910.
Raymond Keith was then born on the 12th of October 1912.

Oliver struggled with poor health in 1911 and then a broken arm the following year and was declared insolvent by the beginning of 1913.

At the age of 32, Oliver enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 4th of January 1915 in Oaklands and was allotted the service number 5934 and posted to the Base Light Horse. He was then transferred to the 4th Light Horse Brigade Train, 14th Australian Army Service Corps, “A” Division (AASC) at Mitcham Camp on the 1st of April 1915.

Oliver embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A19 Afric on the 26th of May 1915 at while he was at sea Florence gave birth to Francis Oliver, on the 13th of June 1915.

Oliver trained in Egypt and whilst he was there his cousin, Walter Ernest GLASSENBURY (3926) enlisted into the 27th Battalion, 19th Reinforcement on the 12th of September 1915.

Oliver suffered from Rheumatism and embarked from Suez on the 19th of January 1916 on board HT Karoola, disembarking in Melbourne on the 21st of February and entrained to Adelaide the following day.
He was then admitted into the 7th Australian General Hospital in Keswick on the 22nd of February.

His other cousin, Frederick George GLASSENBURY (1670) enlisted into the 48th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcements on the 13th of March 1916.

Oliver was discharged from the AIF, medically unfit, on the 6th of July 1916 and returned home to his family in Clare and met his little son, Francis Oliver, for the first time.

Oliver gained employment at Kybunga and was away from home when tragedy struck his family on the 17th of July 1917.
Florence was home with the children and was sick in bed and she asked Edgar & Laurel to go and get her some medicine from the doctor.
The 2 children made it to the doctors and were seen in the main street, but never returned home.
Florence raised the alarm and a huge search party was formed and with lanterns, they searched the town, but were unable to find the children.

The weather had been especially wet and the children would have tried to cross the plank bridge over the Hutt River at the rear of the Stanley Hotel while the river was in flood.
Laurel’s body was found the following day and then 2 days later Edgar’s was found, they had both drowned.

They buried their 2 children in the Clare Cemetery; Plot BB47.

On the 28th of March 1919 his cousin Frederick George GLASSENBURY (1670) was KIA in France.

On Saturday evening the 28th of May 1921, Oliver fell out of a spring dray, which was being driven by Mr. W. H. Beames, Sen.
He received serious injuries and was taken back to his home.
Unfortunately Oliver succumbed to his injuries and died at his residence on the 4th of June 1921.

Oliver was buried in the Clare Cemetery; Plot BB48, next to his 2 young children.

The following year Florence married Edward James O’TOOLE on the 13th of July 1922 in Clare. Edward was also a widow and had previously married Mary Veronica HENNESSEY on the 7th of February 1910 in Gawler, but she died in Broken Hill in 1918.

Florence died in the Adelaide Hospital on the 30th of March 1948 and was buried in the Clare Cemetery; Plot BB48 with Oliver.

Military

At the age of 32, Oliver enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 4th of January 1915 in Oaklands and was allotted the service number 5934 and posted to the Base Light Horse.
He listed his wife, of Clare, as his next of kin.

He was then transferred to the 4th Light Horse Brigade Train, 14th Australian Army Service Corps, “A” Division (AASC) at Mitcham Camp on the 1st of April 1915.

Oliver embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A19 Afric on the 26th of May 1915, disembarked in Suez on the 23rd of June 1915 and marched into Aerodrome Camp in Heliopolis.

He spent the next 5 months here training and then on the 21st of November Oliver was admitted into the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Heliopolis suffering from Lumbago.

He was also diagnosed with chronic Rheumatism in his back, knees and shoulders and was walking with a limp.
Oliver also suffered from dyspnoea on exertion and Bronchitis.
His condition slowly deteriorated and he was then unable to walk without a stick so it was recommended he to return to Australia for 6 months change and was allotted a new service number of 8868.

Oliver embarked from Suez on the 19th of January 1916 on board HT Karoola, disembarking in Melbourne on the 21st of February and entrained to Adelaide the following day.
He was then admitted into the 7th Australian General Hospital in Keswick on the 22nd of February.

Oliver was discharged from the AIF, medically unfit, on the 6th of July 1916 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War and Victory Medals.

He was granted a war pension of £3/2/ per fortnight for himself, £1/11/ per fortnight for Florence, 20/- for Gladys, 15/- for Adelaide, and 10/- for Edgar, Laurel, Raymond, Francis.
This pension decreased on the 1st of March 1917 and was then cancelled on the 2nd of October 1917.