Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Corporal Michael Sidney O'Flaherty (Service No:S14747) enlisted in the ACMF on 12 August 1940 as a Sapper with 3 Field Coy RAE - appointed Clerk. Promoted to Corporal on 5 May 1942, he served with 5 Field Squadron RAE, and at Discharge on 18 March 1944 was attached to HQ 1 RAE Training Centre ('being required for employment in essential occupation').

Mick was born in 1916 at Carey Gully in the Adelaide Hills, fifth of seven children of Sidney (Sid) Wainman O'Flaherty (b1886 in Broken Hill, New South Wales) and Ada (Hilda) Amelia Barnard (b1885 in Moonta, South Australia). Sid was a Miner in 1908 when he and Hilda married in Broken Hill, and in 1909 moved to Strathalbyn in South Australia. Sid worked as a Carpenter and Building Contractor, and was involved in the Union movement - Secretary of the Shop Assistants' Association in Strathalbyn, organiser of the United Labourers' Union and Secretary and Manager of the Renmark Co Operative Society. In WWI Sid strongly opposed conscription and joined the Anti Conscription League. In 1918 he entered politics, elected to the South Australian Parliament as the Labor member for Murray. He remained involved in the Union movement, and in 1943 was elected to the Senate, serving as Senator until 1962 (and was Opposition Whip from 1957). Sid and Hilda raised their family in South Australia - in Strathalbyn, Renmark, Carey Gulley, Balhannah and Adelaide.

Mick worked as an Accountant's Clerk before enlisting in the Army, and in Melbourne in 1944 married May (Maisie) Bond Laurie (b1924 in Roxburgshire, Scotland) - Maisie was in the WAAAF (Aircraftwoman; Service No:104956), and had immigrated in 1926, arriving in Melbourne with her parents and siblings on board the Ballarat. Following Discharge, Mick and Maisie settled in Adelaide, where they raised their family and Mick worked as an Accountant/Tax Agent. Maisie died in 2004 and Mick in 2009.