Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

1509 Gunner James O'Brien was 42 years of age and a Widower when he enlisted on the 15 July 1915.James wife Marion nee Wells had died on the 15 October 1909,22 months efter the birth of her 8th child.Four of the children of James and his wife Marion had predeceased their mother and James was now a widower with 3 daughters and one son at the time of his enlistment,his eldest daughter Irene Riley O'Brien was18years of age when he enlisted and is noted as his next of kin. other chidren were Ada 17,Henry David 10 and Helen 7.

From his service record James was suffering from Premature Senility almost at the time of his enlistment and his health continued to deteriate upto and beyond the time of his discharge in 1918.

James was taken on strength during 1916 4th Australian Trench Mortar Brigade wounded in action in France 1.11.17 and transfered to England 7.11.17.

Gnr 1509 James O'Brien returned to Australia from England for discharge 31.1.18 suffering Premature Senility his physical war over ,his ever increasing chronic mania and ever increasing mental deteriation being treated in the Royal Park Military Mental Hospital.

James was the third born of ten children to Martin O'Brien and Janet McKellar was described at the time of his enlistment, 42 years 11 months old 5 feet 5 inches tall,9stone 12 pounds,chest 34/36,sallow complexion Blue eyes,Roman Catholic.He died 11 June 1920, 47 years of age a broken man.

Thus ended the life of my grandfather.

From How We Served

The final resting place of; - 1509 Gunner James O’Brien of Mathoura, New South Wales was employed as a butcher prior to his enlistment for War Service on the and was allocated to reinforcements for the 4th Light Horse Regiment 1st AIF. James embarked for Egypt and further training on the 29th of October and following his arrival he was transferred over to the 2nd Division Ammunition Column on the 19th of March 1916, and with this Unit he was shipped to France, arriving on the 15th of June.

On the 17th of August James was transferred to the 4th Heavy & Medium Trench Mortar Battery and was transferred to the 10th Field Artillery Brigade and remained on duty in the trenches until he was wounded in action whilst serving in Belgium on the 1st of November 1917. Having received serious shrapnel wounds to his right leg James was sent to England and by the 8th of November James had arrived in England for hospitalisation.

Whilst in England James's health only further worsened having suffered a breakdown which was recorded as being due to exposure and ‘War Strain’ and he was repatriated back to Australia on the 31st of January 1918 deemed to be suffering from premature senility. Having arrived back in Australia James was admitted firstly into the 11th Australian General Hospital (Caulfield), before being transferred to the 16th Australian General Hospital Military Mental Asylum (Mont Park) on the 11th of May, and whilst an inmate of the asylum he received his official discharge from the 1st AIF on the 14th of November 1918.

James’s death occurred whilst still being in residence at the Asylum on the 11th of June 1920, and following his passing he was laid to rest within Fawkner Cemetery, Victoria.