Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

It is not clear exactly where he was born-it could have been in Waterford, Ireland or Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, Ireland-a Henry O’Shea is honoured on the Kilkenny, MacDonagh Station-Kilkenny World War I Memorial. At attestation his name was shown as Henry Walter and Walter Henry on the same form, and he stated his birthplace as South Kilkenny near the town of Waterford.

Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Transport A38 Ulysses on 22 December 1914-he was then aged 30.
Address-Greta via West Maitland, New South Wales
Next of kin-Mrs M O'Shea, 64 Reservoir Road, Edingston, [sic] Birmingham, England-probably Edgbaston-[Erdington or Edgbaston]
Enlistment date-29 September 1914
Rank on enlistment-Private 13th Battalion, H Company

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front.

Returned to Australia 4 July 1919.

Spouse-Irene Susannah  O'Shea [Nee Nelson] 1897–1970 (m. 1928)

My grandfather, Walter Henry O'Shea, was born in Killinaspick, in the parish of Mooncoin, in southern Co Kilkenny.  He was the second son of Patrick and Anastasia O'Shea.  In the early years of the 20th century, Walter left without warning and took the coal boat from Morris' Wharf, Piltown bound for Wexford and then to Wales.  It was well-known that Walter did not see a future for himself in farming, so he tried coal mining in the Welsh pits.  In the pits he met the Rees brothers and they became life-long friend.  In 1908 Walter decided that Australia held a brighter future and with his mate, Jimmy Connell, he booked passage to Sydney arriving in February 1909.  He made his way up to the coal mines of the Hunter Valley and settled in the little village of Greta.  When war was declared in early August 1914 Walter enlisted before the end of the month.  He joined the 13th Infantry Battalion of the Australian Imperial Forces and after initial training he and his comrades embarked for the Middle East.  The AIF and New Zealand forces were deployed to Gallipoli.  Walter landed at what became known as Anzac Cove, late in the day on 25 April 1915 - he is one of the original ANZACS.  Despite being wounded twice in his left leg, Walter fought on Gallipoli until the final evaucation in Decembere 1915.  Returning to Egypt, the men rested and trained.  A few months later, in March 1916 Walter embarked again, this time for France.  He arrived on the Western Front just as the Battle of the Somme began.  He fought in the battles for Pozieres, Mouquet Farm and was awarded the Military Medal for volunteering to run message under heavy fire.  The last two years of the war saw Walter in action in many places including the disaterous first battle of Bullecourt, and later in the battle of Messines, the third battle of Ypres where he suffered in a gas attack leaving him with chronic lung troubles for the rest of his life.  Walter joined in last great battles of 1918 where Australians fought, including Hamel Wood and Villiers Bretonneux.  At war's end he was given leave to travel to Ireland to see his family - his first, and only visit.  In June 1919 he embarked for the return journey to Australia.  The people of Greta welcomed him and the other returning veterans.  His name was recorded on the War Memorial that stands in the town centre.  Walter returned to the mines, married my grandmother, Irene Nelson, in 1928 and moved to Newcastle with frequent visits to the Nelsons in Gunnedah.  My father, Walter's only son, Patrick, was born in Gunnedah in December 1930.  Walter marched every Anzac Day, stayed in touch with his war comrades - the only people he spoke about the war to - and battled ever-increasing bad health.  My grandmother waged a relentless battle with Veterans' Affairs to get Walter a full pension.  It did come, but only towards the end of his life.  Chronic lung conditions coupled with a weakening heart finally took its toll.  Walter died in the Concord Repatriation Hospital on 28 June 1960.  My father spent much of his retirement years collecting and recording Walter's war history.  The completion of that task has now fallen to me.  I do so with a sense of honour and pride that I am the grandson of an Irish Anzac.  Lest we forget.