Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

My grandfather Dominick O'Donnell from Goornong, Victoria enlisted in the AIF to fight in WW1 November 1915, embarking for England as part of the 7th Battalion April of 1916.
He proceeded to France from England February 1917 as part of the Anzac Provost Corps (2nd Australian Division)
In june of 1918 he was transferred to the 49th Bn of the 13th FAB (Field Artillery Brigade) as a mustered gunner (GNR) and later driver (DVR) July 1918.
He was part of the 49th Bn 13th FAB when an offensive was carried out under orders of Monash, to capture Hamel. The artillery provided fire cover for the infantry, who were also supported by tanks. The offensive was very successful.

Dominick spent about 2 years fighting in France and at some point was gassed. When he returned to Australia in 1919 he had chronic respiratory problems as a result.
After returning from war service Dominick travelled to New Zealand to visit relatives and there met and married a New Zealander, Louisa Dalby. They returned to Australia. He was allocated a Returned Serviceman block of land in Calivil, Victoria and apparently tried to grow oranges there. Louisa and Dominick had 4 children Margot, Herbert ,Louisa (died at birth) and Edwin (my father).
Dominick,sadly, died at age 41 (1933) from the respiratory complications of having been gassed. He left behind a widow with three young children, my father being only 11 months of age at the time.
Because it had been depression times in Australia, Louisa and Dominick had struggled to make a living off the soldier block at Calivil. When Dominick died, Louisa just had to walk off the land, which we believe reverted to crown some time later. In the 1950s the land was sold from the crown to a local farmer, who's descendants still farm the land to this day. Louisa returned with the three young children to family in New Zealand.

Even though Louisa received an Australian war widows pension in New Zealand and had family support, the family was poor and my father says they often did not have enough food.. My father learned to grow vegetables at age 8 so that the family could have fresh vegetable and fruit.
My father has always felt extreme sadness that he never knew his father.
He finally managed a trip to Bendigo last year (2013) to visit Dominick's grave for the first time, a very emotional time for him.(He is 82 now). The family was saddened to find Dominick buried in a meagre common grave with no war service commemoration.
However when we contacted the War Graves Commission and Department of Veterans Affairs this was soon changed. The family has received approval for Dominick to receive a proper War Grave Commemoration at his burial site and this is underway (very appropriate with the centenary of WW1 happenings). The grave will then be maintained for ever by the Australian War Graves Commission.

My father plans another trip back to his father's
grave once the work has been completed. He will then be able to rest assured that his father's war service and premature death have been properly commemorated.

We are very grateful to the DVA and Australian Office of War Graves for making this possible, almost hundred years after Dominick served Australia in WW1.