The AIF Project

John Murdoch O'BRIEN

Regimental number960
Place of birthVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationMechanic
AddressInvercargill, New Zealand
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation32
Next of kinSister, M O'Brien, Invercargill, New Zealand
Previous military serviceServed for 9 months in the 9th New Zealand Mounted Rifles; discharged with the rank of Sergeant on termination of the [South African] war.
Enlistment date14 December 1914
Rank on enlistmentActing Sergeant
Unit name5th Light Horse Regiment, 5th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number10/10/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Newcastle, New South Wales, on board HMAT A57 Malakuta on 17 May 1915
Rank from Nominal RollLieutenant
Unit from Nominal RollImperial Camel Corps
FateDischarged 12 July 1919
Discharge date12 July 1919
Other details

War service: taken sick at Gallipoli, 16 October 1915, and admitted to 1st Casualty Clearing Station. Transferred by Hospital Ship 'Delta' to Egypt, 16 October 1915. Appointed Sergeant and Acting Regimental Sergeant Major, 8 February 1916. Taken on strength, No. 12 Company, Imperial Camel Corps, 15 July 1916. Detached to, and taken on strength of, Australian Reserve, Imperial Camel Corps, 13 August 1916.

Appointed 2nd Lieutenant, 28 August 1916. Admitted to hospital, 2 December 1916 (malaria); transferred to 24th Stationary Hospital, 29 December 1916 (diarrhoea); transferred to Cairo and admitted to 14th General Hospital, Abbassia, 1 January 1917 (malaria); discharged to duty, 12 January 1917.

Promoted Lieutenant, 31 January 1917.

Admitted to 24th Stationary Hospital, Abbassia, 23 March 1917; transferred to No. 1 (Syrian) Convalescent Hospital, 1 April 1917; discharged to duty, 23 April 1917.

Taken on strength, No. 2 Coy, ICC, 18 May 1917; transferred to No. 3 Coy, ICC, 19 May 1917; transferred to Brigade Headquarters, 5 June 1917; seconded to Reserve Depot Coy, 5 June 1917.

Seconded for special duty and granted temporary rank of Captain, Frontier Force Administration, 8 February 1918, and transferred to Special Service List. Transferred to 14th Light Horse Regiment, 1 July 1918.

Embarked at Basra, 17 November 1918, to join Knox's Mission at Vladivostock. Embarked from Vladivostock for Shanghai; transshipped to Hong Kong, thence to Australia, arriving Brisbane, 11 May 1919; discharged, 12 July 1919.

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Date of death10 November 1942

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