Regimental number | 319 |
Place of birth | Prahran, Victoria |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Occupation | Labourer |
Address | Greville Street, Prahran, Victoria |
Marital status | Married |
Age at embarkation | 26 |
Height | 5' 4" |
Weight | 142 lbs |
Next of kin | T O'Donnell, Greville Street, Prahran, Victoria |
Enlistment date | |
Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
Rank on enlistment | Private |
Unit name | 29th Battalion, A Company |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/46/1 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 29th Battalion |
Fate | Killed in Action |
Miscellaneous details (Nominal Roll) | Date of fate incorrectly recorded on Nominal Roll as 19 June 1916. |
Place of burial | No known grave |
Commemoration details | V.C.Corner (Panel No 1), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France |
Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 116 |
Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Embarked Melbourne, 10 November 1915; disembarked Suez, 7 December 1915. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, 23 June 1916. Posted missing, 19/20 July 1916. 'Identification Disc received from Germany. No particulars afforded except the soldier is deceased. To be reported as KILLED IN ACTION, FRANCE 19.7.16.' on the authority of Assistant Adjutant General, ANZAC Section from War Office. A handwritten note on the bottom of the B.103: 'believed buried in vicinity of Fleurbaix, Sheet 36'. Red Cross File No 2040302 has statement from 1363 Pte G.L. BAILEY, A Company, 29th Bn, 12 February 1917: 'We went over the top at Fleurbaix on the evening of the 19th July. We took the first and second line of German trenches and held them for 12 hours when we were driven out owing to want of ammunition and lack of water. O'Donnell, [1983] Bregeut and [1390] Haslamwere all reported as missing after the attack. A lot of our men were killed and wounded by machine gun fire behind the German front line. Parties went out for the next two or three nights between our lines and the German front line collecting discs off the bodies but no discs belonging to the above were found.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
Sources | NAA: B2455, O'DONNELL William
Red Cross file 2040302 |