O'MARA, Mathias John
| Service Number: | WX507 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 November 1939 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/32nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | North Fremantle, Western Australia, 27 November 1910 |
| Home Town: | Perth, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Station Overseer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Egypt, 22 July 1942, aged 31 years |
| Cemetery: |
El Alamein War Cemetery XVI. B. 14. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement WX507 | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Nov 1939: | Enlisted WX507, 2nd/32nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 17 May 1940: | Embarked Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Lieutenant, WX507, 2nd/32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT XB031 to Gourock, Scotland | |
| 14 Jun 1941: | Embarked Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Sergeant, WX507, 2nd/32nd Infantry Battalion, ex UK to Middle East (Palestine) | |
| 6 Sep 1943: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches, London Gazette No 36065 dated 24 June 1943 for 'Gallant and Distinguished Services in ME' Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 20 April 1944 p853 at position 2 |
Help us honour Mathias John O'Mara's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Chris Buckley
Mat was the third of five children of John (Jack) Joseph O'Mara (b1875 in Melbourne, Victoria) and Lucy (Bub) Beatrice Mary Towton (b1883 in Perth, WA). Jack was a Horse Trainer in Perth WA in 1898, and served in the Boer War (Farrier Sergeant; Service No:2830). He and Bub married in Perth in 1904 - Bub was the daughter of well known Horse Racing identity George Towton, who had stables (Breeder, Jockey, Racer and Trainer) at Belmont in Perth, WA. Jack and Bub settled in Belmont where they raised their family. Two of Jack's brothers served in WWI - Bill (Private; Service No:1264) who was a Jockey/Horse Breaker and Matt (Private, Driver; Service No:6344), a Jockey who was KiA in 1917.
Mat worked as an Apprentice Jockey, riding the WA country circuit - in March 1928 he was injured when he was thrown from his horse - Golden Mile - at the WA Turf Club. In the 1930s Mat worked as a Station Overseer at Pippingarra in the Port Hedland Region, and in November 1939 he enlisted in the Australian Army. Mat served (Private - Captain) with 71st Battalion and 2nd/32nd Infantry Battalions. In 1941 he completed a Sniper's Course and an Engineering Course, and in May 1941 embarked from the UK for Palestine where he was KiA in July 1942.
In July 1940 Mat married Harriet (Hettie) Suzanne Pope (b1920 in Lambeth, London) in Leicestershire, UK - following Mat's death, Hettie remarried in London in 1945.
Three of Mat's siblings - John, Ethel and Bill - also served in WWII.
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