Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lindsay's nickname was not Ray. He was generally known as Lins or Lindsay and was nicknamed "Wog" during his service years.

He married Beryl Aimee Fidge in 1945 in Adelaide and they moved to Tumby Bay together. In 1947 they moved from Tumby Bay to Stacey Street Norwood then to Harrow Road St Peters.

Ray was born at Tumby Bay on 10 Sep 1916  to Daniel O'Connor and Ellen Marion O'Connor (nee Shepperd) . He was the second youngest of 6 children in the family, 4 boys and 2 girls. The family lived in Tumby Bay whilst his father travelled around the district working as a shearer. His mother died in 1922 and some of the younger children were then cared for by John and Mary O'Connor. His father remarried in 1932 to Jane Swaffer and the couple moved to Adelaide where they ran a boarding house, however it would seem that Ray remained in the Tumby area with John and Mary.

Ray commenced school at the Warratta School, but then transferred to the Tumby Bay School in 1925, leaving at grade 7 and took employ in the local shearing sheds. He became an accomplished shearer and remained in this employ until his enlistment in the Army in 1940. At that time he recorded his occupation as shearer.

After enlistment at Wayville he was sent to 2nd Training Battalion (Bn). On completion of training he was posted to 2nd/43rd Bn.

The 2nd/43rd Bn was raised in SA in Jul 1940 as part of the 8th Division and then reallocated to 9th Division in  late 1940. It was at this time that Ray joined his unit; he, with his unit then saw service in the Middle East during 1941 and 1942, taking part in action at Tobruk and the first and second Battles of El Alamein. Ray was an original "Rat of Tobruk". He then undertook garrison duties with his unit in Syria, before returning to Australia with his unit in 1943 to fight against the Japanese in the Pacific.

On arrival back in Australia the Bn was subject to reorganisation and training during the remainder of 1943 and early 1944 to prepare for the Jungle Warfare requirements of New Guinea. The 2nd/43rd Bn was deployed to take part in operations to capture Lae (PNG) and then secure the Huon Peninsula (PNG).

At the completion of these operations the Bn returned to the Atherton Tablelands (Qld) and undertook a further period of training before being committed to its final operation in the recapture of Borneo from the Japanese in Jun 1945. After the successful recapture of Borneo, the Bn began demobilisation, finally being disbanded in Feb 1946.

Ray returned to Australia and took his discharge from the Army in SA on 22 Sep 1945. He then returned to the Tumby Area for approx 2 years, but his heart was no longer on the West Coast as he had met his wife to be, Beryl Amee Fidge, during his time awaiting discharge. So in 1947 he returned to Adelaide, gained employment in the Post Office and married Beryl.

 The couple settled in Adelaide and had 2 children, a boy and a girl. Ray continued his employ in the Post Office until his retirement in 1978

Ray died on 24 Mar 1984 and is buried in Adelaide.

Medals and Decorations

1939-45 Star                                                                                                 

African Star                                                                                                   

Pacific Star                                                                                                    

Defence Medal                                                                                              

War Medal 1939-45

Australian Service Medal 1939-45