"My only child dies. The empire lives. A lonely Mother mourns"
O'DONNELL, Daniel Edward
O'DONNELL, Edward
O'DONNELL, Francis Cornelius
O'DONNELL, George
O'DONNELL, John Charles
O'DONNELL, Stephen
O'DONOGHUE, Francis Joseph
O'DONOGHUE, Joseph
O'DONOGHUE, Peter Joseph
OELKERS, Norman William
OGDEN, James Edmund
Tom was educated at Bowen House to VIB and in 1904 enrolled at Brisbane Boys Grammar School to complete his education.
He was a fine horseman, by 1913 he was an overseer on Fernlees Station and then moved north to Warianna Station, Stamford via Hughenden where he was successful with his application to select this property.
The First World War had begun and on 23 June 1916 Tom enlisted at Hughenden as Number 3287 with 27/2nd Light Horse Regiment. He was 27 years 5 months and had become engaged to be married to Margaret Evelyn Thompson BROWN.
He embarked from Sydney on HMAT A15 'Port Sydney' on 9 May 1917 for the Middle East where on 26 July transferred to 1st Light Horse Training Regiment. By the end of October 1917 Toms' Regiment was engaged in the capture of Beersheba. Following this the regiment participated in the advance to Jaffa and Jerusalem and were involved in the raids on Es Salt in early May 1918.
He was a fine horseman, by 1913 he was an overseer on Fernlees Station and then moved north to Warianna Station, Stamford via Hughenden where he was successful with his application to select this property.
The First World War had begun and on 23 June 1916 Tom enlisted at Hughenden as Number 3287 with 27/2nd Light Horse Regiment. He was 27 years 5 months and had become engaged to be married to Margaret Evelyn Thompson BROWN.
He embarked from Sydney on HMAT A15 'Port Sydney' on 9 May 1917 for the Middle East where on 26 July transferred to 1st Light Horse Training Regiment. By the end of October 1917 Toms' Regiment was engaged in the capture of Beersheba. Following this the regiment participated in the advance to Jaffa and Jerusalem and were involved in the raids on Es Salt in early May 1918.
The Battle of Abu Tellel was to be played out in the Jordan Valley a little north of Jericho, before dawn on Sunday 14 July 1918 with "A" Squadron under the leadership of Lieutenant W.K. King, MC, whose orders were to delay the enemy patrols and hold NO 1 Abu Tellel at all costs.
Lieutenant-Colonel Bourne has written in the war diary and also to relatives this commendation:
"Before dawn we were heavily attacked by a strong force of Germans. Your son's troop was very heavily engaged and put up a most gallant resistance. The Officer was killed and every man of the troop was either killed or wounded. Their gallant sacrifice contributed to the ultimate victory."
Lance Corporal Tom Alexander OGG was killed that day, his body first buried in the field, later to be re-interred in the Jerusalem War Cemetery.
Courtesy of David and Daun Clapperton
Lieutenant-Colonel Bourne has written in the war diary and also to relatives this commendation:
"Before dawn we were heavily attacked by a strong force of Germans. Your son's troop was very heavily engaged and put up a most gallant resistance. The Officer was killed and every man of the troop was either killed or wounded. Their gallant sacrifice contributed to the ultimate victory."
Lance Corporal Tom Alexander OGG was killed that day, his body first buried in the field, later to be re-interred in the Jerusalem War Cemetery.
Courtesy of David and Daun Clapperton