OMOND, Robert Percival
| Service Number: | SX253 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 October 1939 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Port Augusta, South Australia, 11 August 1917 |
| Home Town: | Mile End, City of West Torrens, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Adelaide High School |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | 27 January 1987, aged 69 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia Derick Garden of Remenberance, Tree Bed 57, Position 16 |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 20 Oct 1939: | Involvement Corporal, SX253 | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1939: | Enlisted Keswick, SA | |
| 20 Oct 1939: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Corporal, SX253 | |
| 16 May 1944: | Discharged | |
| 16 May 1944: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Corporal, SX253 |
Help us honour Robert Percival Omond's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by tony griffin
Robert Percival Omond was the son of Edwin Charles and Kathleen (nee Brady) Omond. Born at Port Augusta on 11 August 1917, the 22 year old miner enlisted on the 20th October 1939.
Assigned to 2/3 Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers, Robert undertook training at Ingleburn, New South Wales before embarking aboard HMT Queen Mary from Sydney on 5 May 1940. The unit disembarked at Gourock, Scotland on 17 June before being recalled to the Middle East. Robert embarked from Glascow on 14 November 1940 as a Group 1 Bricklayer and
disembarked in the Middle East on 30 December. During the time serving in Syria he was promoted to Corporal.
2/3 Field Company returned to Australia, embarking from Suez on 24 January 1943 and disembarking in Sydney on 27 February. Robert undertook a submachine gun course in Victoria before rejoining 2/3 Field Company in north Queensland. Now a Lance Sergeant, Robert and 2/3 Field Company embarked from Cairns on 26 July 1943 and landed at Milne Bay in New Guinea four days later. On 24 September, after 2 months in New Guinea, Robert was hit by enemy aircraft fire. With his right leg shattered with compound fractures of both tibia and fibia Robert was evacuated to 2/5 Australian General Hospital in New Guinea and then to 2/2 AGH at Rocky Creek in the Atherton Tablelands. Transferred to 116 AGH and the 112 AGH, both in Charters Towers, Robert then began a long journey by ambulance train via 103 AGH at Ingleburn, 115 AGH in Melbourne and finally to 105 AGH at Daw Park in Adelaide.
Unfortunately Robert’s injuries were too serious and his right leg was amputated, After a period at Kalpara Convalescent Depot in Glenelg Robert was discharged on 16 May 1944. During
his convalescence he became engaged to Nancye Morgan of Unley and they married on 29 September 1944.
On 15 March 1945 it was gazetted that Robert had been mentioned in despatches by his superior officer. He died at the age of 69, on 25 January 1987, and is buried in the Centennial Park Cemetery, Derick Garden of Remembrance, Tree Bed 57, Position 16.
Click images to start slideshow.