O'CONNELL, Albert
| Service Numbers: | 1546A, 1546 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 24th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Inglewood, Victoria, Australia, 1892 |
| Home Town: | Wedderburn, Loddon, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died from wounds received in action – gunshot wounds to right shoulder (Wounded 4 times), 3rd Western General Hospital (Ninian Park Section), Cardiff, Wales, 1 November 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Cardiff (Cathays) Cemetery, Wales, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Inglewood War Memorial, Wedderburn War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Jun 1915: | Involvement Private, 1546A, 24th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Jun 1915: | Embarked Private, 1546A, 24th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Melbourne | |
| 1 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 1546, 24th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1546 awm_unit: 24 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-11-01 |
Help us honour Albert O'Connell's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Albert O’Connell was born at Inglewood, Victoria in 1892 to parents John & Mary Ellen O’Connell (nee Fitzpatrick).
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 10th April, 1915 as a 22 year old, single, Labourer from Wedderburn, Victoria. Albert’s older brother – John O’Connell, Labourer, aged 23 years enlisted the same day. He was given a service number of 1547A.
Private Albert O’Connell, Service number 1546A, & his brother Private John O’Connell both embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Ceramic (A40) on 25th June, 1915 with the 6th Infantry Brigade, 24th Infantry Battalion, 1st Reinforcements.
On 26th August, 1915 Private Albert O’Connell was taken on strength of 24th Battalion.
He proceeded to join M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) at Gallipoli on 30th August, 1915.
Private Albert O’Connell was sent to 6th Field Ambulance at Anzac on 29th September, 1915 with Dysentery. He was transferred on 2nd October, 1915 to 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station with Pyrexia (fever).
On 20th October, 1915 Private Albert O’Connell was admitted to Brook War Hospital, Woolwich, England with Dysentery.
He was taken on strength at Abbey Wood on 25th March, 1916. He was reported as Temporarily Unfit at Abbey Wood on 15th April, 1916.
On 5th May, 1916 Private Albert O’Connell was taken on strength at No. 2 Command Depot, Weymouth from Abbey Wood. He was transferred from Monte Video, Weymouth on 28th June, 1916 to Perham Downs, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training & Convalescing was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire & Dorset.
Private Albert O’Connell was taken on strength of 6th Training Battalion on 29th June, 1916 from No. 2 Command Depot.
On 3rd July, 1916 Private Albert O’Connell was admitted to Fargo Military Hospital, Wiltshire with conjunctivitis.
Private Albert O’Connell proceeded overseas to France from 6th Training Battalion on 5th September, 1916. He was taken on strength of 24th Battalion in Belgium on 19th September, 1916.
He reported sick on 6th December, 1916 & was admitted to 5th Australian Field Ambulance while posted in France. He was transferred & admitted to 38th Casualty Clearing Station the same day with bronchitis. Private O’Connell was transferred to Ambulance Train on 8th December, 1916 & was admitted to 10th General Hospital at Rouen, France on 9th December, 1916 with Enteritis. Private O’Connell was transferred & admitted to 2nd Convalescent Depot at Rouen on 15th December, 1916 from 10th General Hospital. Private O’Connell was discharged from 2nd Convalescent Depot to Base Details on 21st December, 1916.
On 22nd December, 1916 Private Albert O’Connell was transferred from A.I.B.D (Australian Infantry Base Depot) at Rouen to 2 A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Etaples, France & marched in on 23rd December, 1916. Private O’Connell rejoined his Battalion in France on 18th January, 1917.
Private Albert O’Connell was wounded in action in France on 3rd May, 1917. He was admitted to 5th Australian Field Ambulance then transferred to 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station on 3rd May, 1917 with gunshot wounds to right thigh. Private O’Connell was transferred to Ambulance Train on 3rd May, 1917 & admitted on 4th May, 1917 to 5th General Hospital at Rouen, France with gunshot wounds to right thigh. He embarked for England at Havre on 13th May, 1917 on Hospital Ship Panama.
He was admitted to Grove Military Hospital at Richmond, England on 14th May, 1917 with gunshot wounds to thigh. He was transferred to 1st Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield on 25th May, 1917.
On 13th June, 1917 Private O’Connell was discharged from 1st Auxiliary Hospital for furlo & was then to report to Training Depot at Perham Downs, Wiltshire on 27th June, 1917.
Private Albert O’Connell was marched in to No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs on 27th June, 1917 from furlo & medically classified as B1A. (B1A1 – fit for light duty only – 4 weeks or observation)
He was admitted to 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford, Wiltshire on 9th July, 1917 with V.D. He was discharged to C.T.C. (Convalescent Training Camp) at Bulford on 28th July, 1917. Private O’Connell was marched in to No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs from Bulford Hospital on 4th August, 1917.
On 7th August, 1917 Private O’Connell was marched in to Overseas Training Brigade from No. 1 Command Depot. He proceeded overseas to France from Overseas Training Brigade via Southampton on 5th September, 1917 & was marched in to 2 A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Havre, France from England on 6th September, 1917. Private O’Connell rejoined 24th Battalion in the Field on 18th September, 1917.
Private Albert O’Connell was wounded in action (2nd occasion) on 4th October, 1917. He was admitted to 64th Field Ambulance on 4th October, 1917 with gunshot wounds to elbow. He was transferred to 11th Casualty Clearing Station on 5th October, 1917 & transferred the same day to Ambulance Train. Private O’Connell was admitted to 3rd Australian General Hospital at Abbeville on 5th October, 1917 with gunshot wounds to elbow. He was discharged to duty on 18th October, 1917. Private O’Connell was marched in to 2 A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Havre, France on 19th October, 1917 from Abbeville. He rejoined his Battalion in the Field on 29th October, 1917.
On 22nd March, 1918 Private Albert O’Connell was wounded in action – Gassed (3rd occasion). He was admitted to 5th Australian Field Ambulance on 22nd March, 1918 with Gas wounds then transferred the same day to 2nd Casualty Clearing Station with Gas shell. Private O’Connell was transferred to Ambulance Train on 26th March, 1918 & admitted the same day to 7th General Hospital at St. Omer with Gas Wounds. He was transferred on 31st March, 1918 to 7th Convalescent Depot at Boulogne then transferred to 10th Convalescent Depot at Ecault on 3rd April, 1918. Private O’Connell was discharged on 11th April, 1918 to Base Depot from Convalescent Depot at Ecault. He was marched in to A.I.B.D. (Australian Infantry Base Depot) at Havre on 13th April, 1918. He proceeded to join his Unit from A.I.B.D. on 30th April,, 1918 & rejoined the 24th Battalion in the Field on 4th May, 1918.
Private Albert O’Connell was wounded in action (4th occasion) on 1st September, 1918. He was admitted to 12th General Hospital at Rouen on 2nd September, 1918 & embarked for England the same day.
He was admitted to 3rd Western General Hospital, Cardiff, Wales on 6th September, 1918 with gunshot wounds to right shoulder, right leg, right side & foot. The Hospital Admissions form records “Wounds all gaping & very foul. Under Anaesthetic Drainage of pus in shoulder joint. Died __ Septic pneumonia.”
Private Albert O’Connell died at 10.35 am on 1st November, 1918 at 3rd Western General Hospital (Ninian Park Section), Cardiff, Wales from wounds received in action – gunshot wounds to right shoulder.
He was buried in Cathays Cemetery, Cardiff, Wales.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/cardiff.html
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