DAVEY, Oliver Leopold
| Service Number: | Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Moonta, South Australia, 1883 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Mining surveyor |
| Died: | Adelaide, South Australia, 19 August 1952, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
West Terrace Cemetery (AIF Section) Section: KO, Road: 15, Site No: 53 |
| Memorials: | Broken Hill Barrier District No 12 M.U.I.O.O.F. Great War Roll of Honor, Broken Hill Barrier District Roll of Honour, East Moonta Soldiers' Aid League Roll of Honour, Moonta Corporation of The Town of Moonta Roll of Honour, Moonta Mines Public School Roll of Honour WW1 |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Officer, 3rd Light Horse Regiment | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Oct 1914: | Involvement Lieutenant, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Lincoln embarkation_ship_number: A17 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Oct 1914: | Embarked Lieutenant, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Port Lincoln, Adelaide | |
| 8 May 1916: | Involvement Lieutenant, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Kabinga embarkation_ship_number: A58 public_note: '' | |
| 8 May 1916: | Embarked Lieutenant, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Kabinga, Melbourne |
Quinns Post
Lieutenant Oliver Leopold Davey was born on 20/11/1883 in East Moonta, South Australia. A miner by trade he enlisted into the 4th Australian Commonwealth Horse on 5/2/1902 with the service # 2747 (his QSA medal displays 2746). He served in South Africa from April 1902 – July 1902, qualifying for the medal and clasps Transvaal, South Africa 1902.
Between the wars he attended the school of mines and was employed as a mining surveyor. He remained active in the Militia on his return and pre–Great War he had risen to the rank of Sergeant. He appears in several newspaper articles enforcing the Defence Act in relation to compulsory service. On the outbreak of the Great War, he successfully applied for a commission being appointed as a Lieutenant with the 3rd Light Horse Regiment on 21/8/1914 as the Quartermaster.
He deployed with the regiment to Egypt on 22/10/1914, and subsequently to Gallipoli landing on 12/5/1915.
Wounded at Quinns Post, Gallipoli.
He was placed in charge of the Australian and New Zealand miners at Quinns Post on the 25th May. He was immediately engaged in mining and counter mining, the nearest Turkish trench being 8 yards away. In a letter he describes sinking a 6 foot shaft preparatory to driving forward (the drives being only 3ft x 2ft) under the Turkish trenches, and being within bomb throwing distance it requiring a great deal of courage and nerve due to the Turkish grenades.
He was blown up on the 29th May when the Turks successfully mined under Quinns and launched a follow up attack. Volume II, The Story of Anzac (Charles Bean) Chapter VII covers the intense action titled The Turks Break into Quinn’s. Davey is mentioned on p223.
His medical records record him receiving a GSW initially which was later changed to dislocated knee. Some records show this occurred in the initial blast, another records when climbing a hill during an attack, slipped and displaced knee.
He was evacuated to England and subsequently to Australia in October 1915 as unfit for general service.
He returned to the Egypt with the 17th Reinforcements 3rd Light Horse Regiment landing in July 1916. He was subsequently transferred to the Infantry and posted to A.I.F. H.Q. in London. He deployed to France posted to the 48th Battalion A.I.F. However, by August 1917, his knee failing him he was returned to Australia via England where his commission was terminated on 4/12/1917.
He died on 19/8/1952 in Welland South Australia.
Submitted 27 June 2024 by Edward Robinson
Click images to start slideshow.