COLLESS, Oswald Withno
| Service Number: | WX1952 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 April 1940, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/16th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, 15 March 1910 |
| Home Town: | Kalgoorlie, Kalgoorlie/Boulder, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Boilermaker |
| Died: | Natural causes, Nedlands, Western Australia, 27 July 1949, aged 39 years |
| Cemetery: |
Karrakatta Cemetery & Crematorium, Western Australia |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 7 Apr 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, WX1952 | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Apr 1940: | Enlisted Private, WX1952, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia | |
| 8 Apr 1940: | Involvement Private, WX1952, 2nd/11th Infantry Battalion | |
| 10 May 1940: | Embarked Private, WX1952, 2nd/11th Infantry Battalion, HMATX4, Fremantle | |
| 3 Apr 1941: | Transferred Private, 2nd/16th Infantry Battalion | |
| 9 Jun 1941: | Honoured Military Medal, Syria - Operation Exporter, 'Outstanding courage and devotion' | |
| 9 Jun 1941: | Wounded Private, WX1952, 2nd/16th Infantry Battalion, Syria - Operation Exporter, GSW (right and left thigh) | |
| 3 Mar 1943: | Discharged Private, WX1952, 2nd/16th Infantry Battalion | |
| 3 Mar 1943: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, WX1952 |
Help us honour Oswald Withno Colless's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Paul Trevor
The two enlisted children of 1194 Sgt. Frederick Joscelyn Colless (/explore/people/355939)(died of wounds as POW 23 July 1916) and Anna Jenetta Colless of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia:-
WX32621 Major John Frederick Joseph Colless (/explore/people/798838) - served in Australia;
WX1952 Pte. Oswald Withno Colless MM - returned to Australia.
'Won the Military Medal
BRAVERY OF KALGOORLIE-BORN SOLDIER.
Perth, Jan. 3.— "If I got the Military Medal, what I'd like to know is why Lieutenant Bill Elphick didn't get a decoration?" This is the main concern of 27-year-old Private Ossie W. Colless, of Fremantle, whose decoration was announced last night. Colless, who was badly wounded at Litani River, Syria, is now in a military hospital in this State. Colless flatly refused to-day to tell the story of the exploit which won him the Military Medal. "That's nobody's business," he said with a grin. His reticence departed, however, as he paid tribute to those who had been with him in the action.
Those he singled out for mention were Lieutenant Elphick, Major A. W. Potts (who has been awarded the D.S.O.) and Captain D. Horley — all West Australians. Lieutenant Elphick was severely wounded in the arm, and is waiting to be invalided home. Carefully refraining from mentioning his own part, Colless gave a general outline of the operation. Two companies of the 16th Battalion were wiped out and to D Company to which he belonged, fell important responsibilities. "Captain Horley gave us the command to take what was a suicide position," Colless said, "and the remnants of Don Co. under Bill Elphick went about the job. There was only a handful, but we got the ridge. It was a case of do it or simply not exist. I suppose the 'Froggies' outnumbered our crowd about 10 to 1. Just write that much; no more," Colless said then.
Kalgoorlie-born, Colless has been many years in Fremantle. His fiancee, Miss Linda Doig, is a sister of footballers Charles Doig (now in the R.A.A.F.) and George Doig. Lieutenant Elphick was also a league footballer with Perth club, and shortly before he left for overseas was admitted to the Bar. Private Colless was severely wounded in the right leg by an explosive bullet and, to. use his own words, "has a machine-gun bullet or two" in the other leg. His father died of wounds in the last war. A brother who is a captain with a training battalion locally has tried on five occasions to go overseas.' from Kalgoorlie Miner 5 Jan 1942 (nla.gov.au)
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