O'BRIEN, Richard Nicholas
| Service Number: | 146 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry |
| Born: | 1876, place not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | South Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railways Storeman/Clerk |
| Died: | Highgate Hill, Brisbane - Queensland, Australia., cause of death not yet discovered, date not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens & Crematorium, Queensland Cremated |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 146, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov 1899: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 146, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 448 notes 1st QMI embarked 1 Nov 1899 aboard Cornwall arriving Cape Town 13 Dec 1899. | |
| 23 Jan 1901: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 146, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 449 notes 1st QMI embarked 13 Dec 1900 returning to Australia aboard Orient arriving Brisbane 17 Jan 1901, disbanded 23 Jan 1901. |
Help us honour Richard Nicholas O'Brien's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
When Richard Nicholas O'Brien enlisted in 1899 in the 1st QMI and his details were published with the rank and file in The Brisbane Courier, 18 Nov 1899, he was recorded as Private R. N. O'Brien, single, Manning Street, South Brisbane. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 1st QMI, Bk 1 p. 88, it is noted he directed part of his pay to Mrs. R. O'Brien (his mother), 3 New Terrace, Manning Street, South Brisbane. He served the full tour of the 1st QMI returning to Brisbane where he was discharged on 23 Jan 1901.
His place of birth has not been established and his birth year estimated based on a report, of his retirement from Queensland Railways in 1941 on account of reaching the age limit after 47 years of service, that appeared in The Morning Bulletin, 1 Feb 1941. It appears he had been working with the railways prior to enlisting and returned to his position after his discharge. He placed an advertisement under Lost and Found in The Telegraph, 4 Aug 1902 "Lost- Boer half-sovereign Brooch. Finder please return to Mr. R. N. O'Brien, Railway Department: reward".
The Public Service Acts, 1922-1965 was in force in 1941 when he retired and it contained a requirement that all public service officers were required to retire on reaching the age of 65, unless required to continue.
Richard Nicholas O'Brien was born about 1876, a son to Richard O'Brien and Honoria (Norah) O'Brien (nee Moriarty). He married Katherine Minnie Cracknell on 3 May 1905 at St. Andrew's Church, South Brisbane. and they had 2 children.
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 452; National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks, Bk 1 p. 88).