Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Terrence, known as Terry, was born in Aberdare, Wales on the 12th June 1918. He was the oldest son of James Christopher and Bertha O’Connor. A younger brother, Desmond Eric was born the following year on the 10th June 1919. The family soon left the UK to make their home in Australia. The boys lived a typical young teenager’s life growing up in Adelaide. Inevitably, this included a stint in the Adelaide Hospital for the 15-year-old Terry caused by a collision between his bike and a motor bike at the intersection of Gawler Place and Wakefield street. Terry came out much worse, with a broken wrist and head injury, and probably did not enjoy the ride in a St. John Ambulance.
The following year in February ’35, James took an itinerant to court for assaulting his sons Terry, Desmond and two other young friends for injuries they received that required treatment at the Adelaide Hospital. Resting in his tent, an Italian immigrant claimed the boys went past, threw stones on the roof of his tent and called out "Dagoes." Highly annoyed, he rushed out at them, meaning to hand them over to the police, with the boys giving contrasting evidence that the defendant knocked them down and injured them. For assaulting Terry, the man was fined £1 with £3 /1/ costs but convicted without a penalty on three other charges of having assaulted his young brother, Desmond aged 15, and two others.
This did not seem to dampen Terry’s spirit of adventure as less than three years later, the 19-year-old was fined £4, with £1 costs, for having placed a bet at Cheltenham Park on November 28, with an added 10/ with 1/ costs for having given a false name and address. The presiding judge ruefully observed that "It always amazes me the number of adults who receive money from minors for betting, who say, I believe some-times truthfully, that they do not know it is an offence. How long it is going to take members of the public to find out that it is, I don't know.” By September ’40 Terry’s brother Des who had already enlisted on the 26th July ’40 was fined £2 with 5/ costs; for playing poker in the West Parklands.
Terry and Desmond were very sporty with both playing football for the West Adelaide Ramblers. Prior to enlisting Des was employed as a Wool classer’s assistant with Elders and Terry was a cook. Terry was also actively involved in the Militia as S26413, in the 48th Battalion, so it seemed almost inevitable that when he enlisted on the 13th March ’41 that he be placed in the 2/48th Battalion as SX11753. His younger brother, Des, as SX9657 had been allocated to the 2/27th Battalion.
Desmond arrived in the Middle East on the 24th November ’40 but within eight months had contracted malaria. The following year, Terry left Australia on the Ile de France in April ’41, arriving the following month. He wasted little time exploring local delights before eventually training in the Amiriya Staging camp. By January ’42 he spent two days confined to barracks as punishment for being absent without leave. It is possible he tried to ‘catch up’ with Desmond.
Terry was extremely fortunate to survive being wounded in both his neck and forehead during the fierce fighting in October later that year. At the time intense fighting was underway over the 25th and 26th October 1942 in a massive assault to ambitiously take the strategic position of Trig 29. Conditions at the time were ever-changing and the fighting continuous. Montgomery had ordered the 9th Battalion to attack northward. John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan described the conditions at that time. ‘As the flies and heat made more than a couple of hours’ rest impossible, the men lolled in their holes and prepared their weapons for battle. When they moved off at 7:30 in the fading light there was little talking. There was a bitter night ahead. By ten o’clock the battalion was in position near Trig 29, waiting for the success signal of the 2/23rd.’
‘It was only after hard fighting, with heavy casualties on both sides, that they were able to consolidate on their objective. The troops had never been more tired. The 2/48th had stirred up a real hornets’ nest; from first light until nine o’clock the enemy turned all their fury on the Trig area, with particularly heavy fire on 29 itself, hiding the position in a cloud of dust and smoke.’ A comment was later made about the heavy casualties. On that night alone, 9 of the Battalion were killed and 20 wounded in action. Of these 16 were from South Australia and the remainder from Western Australia.
The November issue of the Chronicle gave a small indication the fighting had on those serving in the 2/48th Battalion. Seventh List Killed In Action.— SX11919 Pte. S. M. Carter, Med., Solomontown; SX10325 Captain Peter ROBBINS Died Of Wounds.—SX6893 Pte. Leslie C. Cutchie, Brompton Park; SX6672 Pte. Gordon F. Munday, Cowell; SX3917 Sgt. Francis G. Ziesing, St. Peters. Wounded In Action. SX9327 Lt. Thomas H. Bowman, Ardrossan; SX7093 Cpl. Norman L. Badman, Pinnaroo; SX11069 Pte. Stanley J. Crowell, Price; SX9093 SX715O L/Cpl. Geoffrey Gardner, Bordertown; SX 12741 Pte. Jack Hoey, Kadina; SX6737, Pte. Ross. E. Hoskin, Kilkenny; SX11135 Pte, James N. Jarvis, Kent Town; SX8268 Cp! William K Mackay, Snowtown; SX7669 Pte. William Miller, Booleroo Centre; SX11753 Pte. Terrence C. O'Connor, Adelaide: SX13763 Pte. Eric. K. Reynolds, Novar Gardens;- SX5991 Pte. Stanley G. Smith: Croydon Park; SX7311 Pte. Rayner R. Stagg, TarcowieSX8539 Pte. Edward. J. Young, Morgan. Dangerously Wounded.—SX13191 Pte. William. R. Bowd.
Back home, the November ’42 issue of the News added more detail. ‘Advice has been received by Mr. and Mrs. J. C. O'Connor, of Wright street, City, that their eldest son, Private Terry O'Connor. has been wounded in action in Egypt. He enlisted in March, 1941. and served in Tobruk, Palestine and Syria. Pte. O'Connor played football for West Adelaide Ramblers. His brother. Des. who recently returned from the Middle East. is now in action in New Guinea.’ A photo accompanied the report.
Within weeks more distressing news was received by the family about their youngest son, Desmond, who was recovering from a gunshot wound to his right shoulder on the 30th of November. ‘Advice has been received by Mr. and Mrs. J. C. O'Connor, of Wright street, Adelaide, that their youngest son, Corporal Des O'Connor, was wounded in action in New Guinea on November 29. Pte. O'Connor left for overseas in October, 1940. and served in Palestine and Syria. He returned to Australia last March. He was formerly employed at Elder Smith's wool stores, Port Adelaide. His brother, Terry. recently was wounded in action in Egypt.’
For Terry, a month of treatment followed before he was able to rejoin the 2/48th Battalion. All the men had been looking forward to returning home via Melbourne in February the following year. Once home, Terry enjoyed leave back with his family before the 2/48th battalion then headed to Queensland to train in the tropical conditions at Ravenshoe on the Atherton Tableland. This was in preparation to face a very different enemy in New Guinea. Prior to heading overseas, a Group portrait was take of Terry’s Number 4 Tank Platoon Headquarters Company. It became a poignant reminder of the close friendships made but also a lasting image of fellow mates, later killed. Thes included Private (Pte) Leonard Raymond Gale (killed in action on 1 May 1945 at Tarakan, Borneo, Indonesia) and VX94616 Pte John Sutherland Stevens (killed in action on 5 May 1945 at Tarakan, Borneo, Indonesia.
Terry had a brief stint in Milne Bay, but in July ’43 took six days ‘unofficial leave’ for which he was fined £4/10/- and lost a precious 6 days’ pay. The following year health issues including an extremely high temperature (Pyrexia of Unknown Origin) and malaria flared several times. He married Gwendoline May on the 14th March ’44. By the end of that year he had received a promotion to Corporal before leaving from Townsville the following year, disembarking at Milne Bay where he was again promoted to Sergeant.
Finally, with peace declared, Terry returned from Tarakan to Queensland and thence to South Australia. Des was the first of the brothers to be discharged on the 18th September ’45 and Terry two months later on the 14th November.
As Australia enjoyed living in peace, Terry continued to remember the mates he had lost. In May ’47 he placed a tribute to SX8386, Len Gale (‘Windy’) who died just days before his 25th birthday, in the Heroes of the Empire section of the Advertiser ‘GALE.—In fond memory of my mate, "Windy." who gave his all at Tarakan, May 1, 1945. His smiling face and happy-go-lucky ways will always be with me.—Remembered always, Terry O'Connor.’
Aged 76, Terry died on the 7th December 1994. He now rests in the SA Garden of Remembrance East Area Rose Bed N6 plot 24. His younger brother, Desmond died the previous year on the 25th May 1993 and was also buried at Centennial Park, marked by a weeping Rose in Bed N34.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.