Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Joseph Edward O’Brien was born in February 1892, in Adelaide, Australia.  He had blue eyes, fair hair, and stood at 157cm tall, meaning he was below the average at the time (which was 167cm for British men). He was raised by his mother, Elizabeth Mary O’Brien, and lived in Norwood with her until his enlistment, as he was unmarried and had no children. Growing up in 19th-20th century Australia, he, amongst many others, was of Roman Catholic faith. It is likely that he was educated, as men at the time generally were sent to school unless they worked with their parents or lived too far away.

Post education and prior to military involvement, O’Brien worked as a boilermaker (someone who bends, shapes and moulds large amounts of steel tubes and plates into machinery or structural pieces). This meant that he was used to manual labour, and long, strenuous hours even prior to his military enlistment.

O’Brien was enlisted on the 13th of December 1915. Joseph was a soldier of private rank. 

After his enlistment he was transferred to Egypt, arriving by boat on the 19th of May 1916. The troops that trained in Egypt were originally set to train in England, but due to overcrowding and shortages in equipment they were transferred to training camps in Egypt for late Autumn to Winter. As the transfer was unexpected, only 8,500 troops were provided with tents, the remaining troops left shelter-less until additional tents arrived from England. The training periods were long and gruelling – the soldiers were under a curfew of sorts, rarely being able to leave Cairo after hours. O’Brien trained 8 hours a day, 6 days a week, and remained in Egypt until August 7th the same year, where his Battalion was required for service in Belgium.

O’Brien remained in Belgium until January the next year, where he was attached to an ANZAC Workshop in France on the 30th. 5 months after his initial service in France, he was sent to hospital, reasons unknown. He recovered within a week and re-joined the Battalion mid-late June. After his re-joining, on the 13th of August 1917, he was dispatched for duty to the 7th Infantry Battalion and travelled to Belgium again to serve in the Third Battle of Ypres, which is also known as the Battle of Passchendaele (which lasted from the 31st of July to the 10th of November 1917). As opposed to the first and second battles of Ypres, the Third Battle of Ypres was lead by British commander in chief, Sir Douglas Haig. They planned to penetrate the secured German defences that surrounded the Ypres region that protruded into the British front line. 

After serving in Belgium for 2 months, he went on leave on the 15th of October. His final return from leave was on the 18th of April 1918 when he re-joined his Battalion in Belgium. His Battalion was then transferred to France, where he suffered a severe shoulder wound during battle (12/06/1918), which eventually was the cause his discharge. He also suffered a concussion. Initially, he was admitted to hospital on the 15th of June 1918, then transferred to a different hospital on the 2nd of July the same year. His condition improved, and he returned to the battlefront, but on the 25th of October 1918 he was advised to return home. Later, he was discharged, and World War 1 concluded.

After his military service, Joseph O’Brien was the recipient a Victory Medal, Star Medal and British War Medal, both dated 4/11. Victory Medals were provided to prescribed classes that served during 1914-1919. Each Allied Nation provided their soldiers with Victory Medals, the ribbons differing for individual countries. The Star Medal was awarded to those who participated in specific theatres of war during an allocated time period, similar to the British War Medal was awarded to all those who entered theatres of war during unspecified time periods.

Bibliography:

- Addison, P 2012, Pearson History 9, Pearson Australia, VIC, Australia, accessed 16 February 2018, <https://reader-sin-prod.gls.pearson-intl.com/readBook>.

- RSL Virtual War Memorial n.d., O'Brien, Joseph Edward, South Australia, accessed 22 February 2018, <https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/people/86680>.

- National Archives of Australia n.d., n.a., Australian Government, accessed 22 February 2018, <http://www.naa.gov.au/>.

- Australian War Memorial n.d., AWM4 Subclass 23/44 - 27th Infantry Battalion, Australian Government, accessed 24 February 2018, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1339166>.

- RSL Virtual War Memorial n.d., 27th Infantry Battalion, South Australia, accessed 26 February 2018, <https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/units/2>.

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- Anzac Spirit n.d., Australian War Memorial, accessed 20 February 2018, <https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/anzac/spirit>.