O'CONNOR, Arthur Henry
| Service Number: | NX7991 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 May 1941, Paddington, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/19th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Lismore, New South Wales, 4 October 1919 |
| Home Town: | Lismore, Lismore Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died of Illness (POW of Japan), Borneo, 26 February 1945, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" No known grave - Memorial Panel 12, Labuan Memorial, Labuan, Malaysia |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Labuan Memorial, Labuan Federal Territory, Malaysia, Lismore St. Andrew's Anglican Church Sandakan Memorial Plaque, Old Bonalbo WW2 Roll of Honour |
World War 2 Service
| 7 May 1941: | Enlisted Private, NX7991, Paddington, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 May 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, NX7991, 2nd/19th Infantry Battalion | |
| 7 Dec 1941: | Involvement Private, NX7991, 2nd/19th Infantry Battalion, Malaya/Singapore | |
| 16 Feb 1942: | Imprisoned Malaya/Singapore | |
| 26 Feb 1945: | Involvement Private, NX7991, 2nd/19th Infantry Battalion, Prisoners of War |
Arthur's brothers & sisters
Oldest to Youngest;
Cpl. Douglas Andrew O'Connor who had four children, Jennifer, Grace, Maree & Annette
Pte. Reuben Micheal O'Connor - No children
Private Lionel Robert O'Connor - No children
Private Arthur Henry O'Connor - No children
Pearl O'Connor - No children
Carmel O'Connor - No children
Arthur's mother: Muriel Violet O'Connor (nee Norris) passed away.
Arthur's father: Reuben Berth O'Connor re-married Florence Beatrice O'Connor (nee Norris) Muriel & Florence were sisters.
They had four children;
Oldest to Youngest
Gloria May O'Connor who had three children, Peter, Michael & Belinda
Margaret Rosaleen O'Connor - No children
Noel Barry O'Connor who had two children, John & Deborah
Colin O'Connor - No children
Submitted 26 February 2017 by Deborah O'Connor
Pte. Arthur Henry O'Connor - POW
Arthur was a POW at Changi, and later transferred from Singapore on the 28th March 1943 on board S.S Deklerk arriving at Sandakan POW camp Borneo on the 15th April 1943.
Service Number: NX7991
Enlisted: 7.5.1941
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: A.I.F. 2/19 Australian Infantry Battalion.
Born: 4.10.1919
Home Town: Lismore
Schooling: Lismore
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Illness, Borneo, 26th February 1945
He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 12
Arthur is the son of Reuben Berth O'Connor and Muriel Violet O'Connor of Lismore NSW Australia.
Arthur’s niece, Deborah Joy O'Connor visited Labuan War Cemetery & Memorial on 7th March 2017 to pay her respects.
Submitted 26 February 2017 by Deborah O'Connor
Biography contributed by Deborah O'Connor
"...NX7991 Private Arthur Henry O'Connor, 2/19th Battalion, Australian Infantry. He was one of over 2000 Allied prisoners of war (POW) held in the Sandakan POW camp in north Borneo, having been transferred there from Singapore as a part of E Force. The 500 Australian and 500 British POW's who made up E Force, left Changi on 28 March 1943, on board the S.S. DeKlerk arriving at Berhala Island (adjacent to Sandakan Harbour) on 15 April 1943. The POW's were held there until 5 June, when they were taken by barge to Sandakan. The next day they were transferred to the 8 Mile Camp, which was about half a mile from the B Force compound. Private O'Connor, aged 25, died as a prisoner of the Japanese on 26 February 1945. He was the son of Reuben Berth O'Connor and Violet Muriel O'Connor, of Lismore, NSW. He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 12..." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)
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