Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Born: Near the town of Wallaroo in December of 1895

Address: 22 Percy St prospect

Height: 5 foot 2 inches (1.57m)

Weight: 125 pounds

Complexion: fair

Eye Colour: Blue

Hair colour: Brown

Occupation: Shop Assistant

Date registered: He was registered on the 31st of August 1915 age at the Adelaide recruitment centre at only the age of 19 years and 9 months.

Service number: 3593

Battalion: 10th & 27th Battalion

Family members:

Mother- Emma Sophia Sandercock

Life before the war:

Before the war began, he was a single man that lived at a small home with his mother near Arlington terrace in South Australia, and he worked as a shop assistant in a nearby store.

He didn’t have much experience with war but did serve in the Militia for around 2 years before enlisting.

His role in the war

After enlisting in August 1915, Sandercock was required to train for several months in Adelaide at the Mitcham training facilities practicing his rifle skills, first aid/survival knowledge and to work on his endurance. He embarked on the HMAT A35 Borda on the 11/1/1916 to fight against the Germans at the western front in France. But he didn't get there initially: in Egypt he was diagnosed with a hernia and, after some months in hospital, was sent back to Australia on 24/6/1916 for an operation. He arrived in Melbounre on 22/7/16.

It is unclear whether the operation was successful but Sandercock was recalled to duty on 16/11/1916. He embarked from Adelaide on 16/12/1916 on the A35 Berrima and arrived in Britain in February 1917. He eventually reached the 10th Battalion in France on 28/5/1917. He was then wounded in action at Polygon Wood on 20/9/1917 and sent to England with wounds to his right arm, left shoulder and left leg. He moved between hospitals in England over the winter and returned to his unit on 12/2/1918. Only a few weeks later he was wounded for the second time on 1/3/1918 (it is unclear how) and was away again until June. He was wounded on the third occasion on 18/9/1918 (a GSW to the left side) and rejoined his unit on 29/10/1918, just before the war's end.

Life after war:

After the war ended Oswald Keith returned back to Australia in May 1919: alive but with a few wounds from service. He continued to live with his mum and work as a shop Assistant at a nearby store. He appears to have been active in the Kadina community until the late 1920s and moved to Mudgee NSW before 1933, where he was sworn in as a JP.

 The Anzac spirit

Anzac stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army corps.

If you talk to past or present Anzac soldiers some qualities, they talk about their piers having is qualities include endurance, courage, ingenuity, good humour.

Oswald Keith Sandercock show the Anzac spirit by serving for his country and not cowering out, considering he was under the age of 21 he still was willing to fight for age which proves his strength and spirit.

Bibliography

• the AIF project 2019, accessed 12 March 2019, <https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/search>.
• the Australian war memorial 2019, accessed 13 March 2019, <https://www.awm.gov.au/people/roll-search>.
• Commonwealth war grave commission 2019, accessed 16 March 2019, <http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx>. 
• National archives of Australia 2019 accessed 16 March 2019, <http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au>.
• Trove national library of Australia 2019 accessed 13 March 2019, <https://trove.nla.gov.au/>. 
• WW1 The Western Front 2019, accessed 13 March 2019, <https://www.army.gov.au/our-history/history-in-focus/wwi-the-western-front>.
• Australian in ww1 2019, accessed 18 March 2019, <https://guides.slv.vic.gov.au/wwone_soldiers/medals>.
• WW1 field hospital 2017, Photograph, Pinterest, accessed 14 March 2019, <https://www.pinterest.com.au/johneflynt/wwi-field-hospital/>.
• Pozierres after WW1 2017, Photograph, Newspaper, accessed 14 March 2019, <https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/a6c19503e9e30439dfabb63b8663d087?width=650>.