Private Oliver Gerald Connor
Service #: 3281
Summary
FAMILY LIFE
Oliver Gerald Connor was born in 1896 in Guyra, son of Joseph & Jessie Connor. Oliver was one of nine children. The Connor family moved to Murwillumbah in 1907, Joseph purchasing a butcher shop which he ran until 1927. Joseph became a councillor in 1909, a position he occupied for 14 years, 5 of them as mayor. He was a committee member of the Tweed River Agricultural Society, and the Tweed District hospital. Joseph is listed on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district
APPLICATION
Oliver was single clerk, eager to do his bit. He travelled to Lismore on 21st June 1917 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his father, Joseph, of Murwillumbah. He had previous military experience being 3 years as a senior cadet & 4 years in the militia.
He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia
PAGE 2
CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER
On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following; “The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him”
OATH
He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Oliver Gerald Connor, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law
SO, HELP ME, GOD.”
MEDICAL EXAMINATION
His medical showed he was 20 years 8 months old, 5ft 4 ½ inches tall (1.62m), weighed 7 stone 13 lbs (51 kgs), with a dark complexion, brown eyes & black hair. His eyesight was good. Oliver was Presbyterian.
CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER
The medical examiner certifies I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -
Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.
He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service
CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER
The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him as a private into the 36th Infantry Battalion – 8th Reinforcements with service No 3281.
36TH INFANTRY BATTALION
The 36th Infantry Battalion, known as "Carmichael's Thousand," was part of the 9th Brigade, 3rd Australian Division during World War I.
34TH INFANTRY BATTALION
He was transferred to the 34th Battalion on 18th July 1918. The 34th Battalion, also known as "Maitland's Own," was part of the 9th Brigade, 3rd Australian Division during World War I. Formed in January 1916 at Maitland, New South Wales, the battalion was composed of volunteers, many of whom were coal miners from the region. It was named after its strong ties to the Maitland community.
AUSTRALIAN TRAINING CAMP
Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the men had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave
Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.
This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line.
As reinforcements were needed overseas these recruits only had weeks of training.
INNOCULATIONS
All recruits were given a range of inoculations while in camp. The most important jab was to protect against smallpox and typhoid – indeed, having this was an essential precondition of enlisting.
THE UNIFORM
The recruits were issued with their uniform- service dress jacket was made of Australian wool and its loose fit gave the wearer more allowance for movement. The four large pockets were very useful. A unique feature designed for comfort was the pleated back, which provided a double thickness of cloth down the back that the pack rubbed against. Breeches were corduroy worn with wool wrap puttees. The famous khaki felt slouch hat or early service cap is probably the most distinctive part of the uniform. turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge.
SOLDIER’S KIT
Australia's World War I soldiers went to war weighed down by almost 30 kilograms of clothes, weapons, tools and kit.
· Breeches: made from khaki woollen cord fabric, with side pockets and button flies. Soldiers were issued with two pairs of breeches, plus a pair of dungarees. The breeches ended above the ankles and the gap was filled with puttees.
· Braces: worn with breeches.
· Puttees: The men wound these strips of woollen cloth, almost three metres long, upwards from the ankle to just below the knee. Soldiers disliked the puttees, probably with good reason: the tight binding restricted circulation and might even have contributed to the high incidence of trench foot. Mounted troops wore leather leggings.
· Shirt: Soldiers were given two grey, collarless, flannel shirt, plus a military shirt.
· Ankle boots: brown and lace-up.
· Socks: Made from wool or cotton. Soldiers were issued with three pairs.
· Greatcoat: the khaki woollen coat (which weighed about 3kg) often doubled as a soldier's bedding and was his chief protection against the cold and wet. The coat came into its own when snow hit Gallipoli in November 1915 and also on the Western Front.
· Jersey
· Singlets: Soldiers were issued with 2 woollen singlets.
· Cotton "drawers" (underpants): Soldiers were issued with two pairs.
· Abdominal belts: a sort of cummerbund that was issued to keep soldiers warm and supposedly ward off disease.
· Backpacks and webbing: The main backpack was a rectangular sack measuring about 15 inches x 13 inches, closed at the top by a folding cover secured by two straps. The webbing included a web belt, cartridge pouches, small haversack, bayonet frog, an entrenching tool holder (plus another holder for its handle), and a water-bottle holder.
· Identity disc: Soldiers were initially issued with one medal "dog tag" on a cord, but later in the war they were given two tags, made of compressed fibre.
· Soldiers were also issued with a "housewife" - a sewing kit containing such items as needles, thimble, thread, wool and button so they could carry out running repairs.
· Also in their kit were a short-magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, a rifle sling, a bayonet and scabbard, and an "entrenching tool" (they were "diggers" after all). This came in two parts, with the helve (handle) separate from the spade part.
· Soldiers were issued with eating equipment (knife, fork, spoon, an enamel mug, water bottle (with two-point capacity), and a mess tin with carrier.
· They also had a clasp knife (with marlin spike, tin-opener and lanyard), razor, shaving kit, soap, comb, two towels, field dressing (carried in the tunic's inside pocket), and a hold-all, in which they could pack their private possessions.
· No item was probably looked after more carefully than their service pay book: privates were paid six shillings a day
VOYAGE OVERSEAS SYDNEY TO ENGLAND AUGUST 1917
On the 2nd August 1917 the recruits left Sydney, sailing upon the HMAT Miltiades. The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. On-board, Officers organised rigorous training drills and exercise sessions for the men. They were expected to do their own washing, sweep the decks and carry out other chores
Attempts at breaking up the boredom, apart from the regular drill, varied. Shipboard activities included regular church parades and concerts. Troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection. Sports and recreation included boxing, deck quoits, draughts. Also, the commanding officer's morning inspection; kit inspections; submarine drill; recreation such as the on deck 'open air' library, deck billiards, pillow fighting and card games including Nap. As well, conditions on the ships were cramped and the risk of illness was constant.
Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. Many of the troops experienced bouts of seasickness on the voyage. The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship. The disembarked in Glasgow on 2nd October 1917
ENGLISH TRAINING CAMP
Training for the new recruits began in the 36th Battalion’s English training camp. They had only completed basic training in Australia and over many more tough months, in the English training camp, the volunteers left their old lives farther behind.
When the recruits arrived in England, they entered a period of intensive preparation that was both physically demanding and strategically vital.
Life in camp was austere and relentless. The recruits lived in wooden huts that offered little protection from the English weather, and the damp cold of the Plain came as a shock to men who had trained in Australia and/or Egypt. Days began early, often before dawn, with physical training designed to build endurance and toughness. Long route marches across the open downs were a regular feature, men carrying full packs, rifles, ammunition, and equipment as they were conditioned for the demands of trench warfare.
Training was systematic and increasingly realistic. The men would have spent many hours on the parade ground mastering drill, weapon handling, and unit manoeuvres, but the focus soon shifted to battlefield skills. The battalion practised trench warfare techniques, including entering and clearing enemy trenches, bombing drills with Mills grenades, bayonet fighting, and the rapid consolidation of captured positions. Specially constructed practice trenches on Salisbury Plain allowed officers and NCOs to rehearse attacks down to the smallest detail, ensuring that every man understood his role once the battalion went into action.
Musketry training was constant. The men would have fired thousands of rounds on the rifle ranges, honing accuracy, and speed, learning to fire from awkward positions and under time pressure. Lewis gun teams trained separately, while all infantrymen were taught how to operate the weapon if needed. Gas warfare instruction was also compulsory; men practised donning respirators under simulated gas attacks, a grim but necessary preparation for conditions at the front.
Between training cycles, the battalion undertook further instruction at nearby camps on Salisbury Plain, including periods at Perham Down, another major training area used to relieve overcrowding and provide additional field space. Here the emphasis was on large-scale exercises involving entire brigades, practising attacks behind creeping artillery barrages, night operations, and movement under cover. These exercises often lasted days, with men sleeping in the open, reinforcing the endurance and discipline required for front-line service.
Despite the hard routine, there were moments of respite. When training schedules allowed, the men may have been granted short leave to nearby towns such as Salisbury or even London, where Australian soldiers briefly escaped the rigours of camp life. These interludes, however, were short-lived, and by autumn the training intensified as the battalion’s departure for France drew closer.
After many months of continuous preparation in England, the Battalion was judged ready for active service. The recruits had been transformed from a newly arrived reinforcement into a fully trained infantryman, accustomed to discipline, hardship, and the mechanics of modern war. When the battalion finally crossed to France, it did so as a cohesive and well-drilled unit, prepared—so far as training could allow—for the brutal realities of the Western Front.
HOSPITALISATION MUMPS
However, Oliver was a little behind as he was admitted to Parkhouse Military Hospital on 9th October with mumps. Mumps is a contagious viral illness, easily spread among the hundreds of recruits on the ship. It can cause fever, swelling of the salivary glands (parotitis) and inflammation in other parts of the body. There is no specific treatment for mumps. Instead, treatment focuses on symptom relief. Treatment would have included plenty of rest, lots of fluids, using a warm or cool compress to relieve facial pain and swelling & eating foods that do not need a lot of chewing
TRENCH WARFARE
At the end of the training Oliver was sent overseas to France to join the 36th Battalion & was taken on strength on 9th February 1918. He and the other recruits were introduced to trench warfare. On the Western Front in 1914–1918, both sides constructed elaborate trench, underground, and dugout systems opposing each other along a front, protected from assault by barbed wire. The area between opposing trench lines (known as "no man's land") was fully exposed to artillery fire from both sides. Attacks, even if successful, often sustained severe casualties. Trench warfare created a living environment for the men which was harsh, stagnant, and extremely dangerous. Not only were trenches constantly under threat of attack from shells or other weapons, but there were also many health risks that developed into large-scale problems for medical personnel. Apart from the inescapable cold during the winters in France, trenches were often completely waterlogged and muddy, and crawling with lice and rats
The time soldiers spent in the trenches varied depending on factors like their army's rotation system and the intensity of the conflict in their sector. On average:
· Front-line trenches: Soldiers typically remained here for about 4–6 days at a time. This was where the fighting was most intense and the conditions were the harshest.
· Support and reserve trenches: After time on the front line, soldiers were rotated to these positions for around 6–12 days. These trenches were set further back and offered slightly better conditions.
· Rest periods: Soldiers were then moved away from the trench system entirely for rest, training, and recovery, often lasting several weeks, depending on operational needs.
The rotation system helped prevent complete physical and mental exhaustion, but the constant dangers of trench life meant there was rarely any true respite.
VILLERS-BRETONNEUX 4TH APRIL 1918
In April 1918, the 34th Battalion, part of the 9th Brigade, 3rd Australian Division, was actively engaged in defending the approaches to Amiens, France, during the German Spring Offensive. This was a critical period as German forces launched their last major attempt to break through Allied lines.
On April 4, 1918, during the German Spring Offensive, the 34th Battalion played a vital role in defending Villers-Bretonneux, a strategically important town near Amiens, France. As part of the 9th Brigade, 3rd Australian Division, the battalion was tasked with repelling a major German assault aimed at breaking through Allied lines.
The 34th Battalion, along with other Australian and British units, faced intense artillery bombardments and infantry attacks. Despite being outnumbered, they demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination, successfully halting the German advance and preventing the capture of Amiens. Their efforts were crucial in maintaining the integrity of the Allied defences during this critical phase of the war
WOUNDED IN ACTION & HOSPITALISATION
One of the casualties was Oliver, wounded in action, with a gunshot wound to the right left on 4th April, 1918. He was invalided to England to the 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham on 6th April.
DISCIPLINED
During this time, he was charged with two offences, the first being AWL from 7pm on 28th May to 1.45am on 29th May and the second breaking into the hospital. He forfeited 4 day’s pay.
CONVALESENCE
After being discharged on 29th October, he was marched into a command post where he would convalesce but continue with drilling & training as the technology and techniques were rapidly changing and soldiers had to be up to date when they were ready to rejoin their units.
TRANSFER TO 34TH BATTALION
He was transferred to the 34th Battalion on 18th July 1918 and sailed for France 15th August 1918. He was taken on strength on 20th August 1918.
THE BATTLE OF ST QUENTIN CANAL SEPTEMBR 1918
In September 1918, the 34th Battalion, part of the 9th Brigade, 3rd Australian Division, was actively engaged in the Battle of St Quentin Canal, a critical operation during the Hundred Days Offensive. This battle, which took place at the end of September, was a decisive moment in breaching the Hindenburg Line, the formidable German defensive system.
The 34th Battalion played a key role in the assault, demonstrating exceptional bravery and coordination. Their efforts contributed to the successful crossing of the St Quentin Canal and the capture of key German positions. This victory was a significant step toward the eventual Allied triumph in World War I
WITHDRAWN FROM ACTIVE SERVICE
The involvement of the 34th Battalion in the Australian Corps earlier actions in 1918 had significantly depleted its battalions which had suffered heavy casualties that they had been unable to replace as the number of volunteers arriving from Australia had fallen. As a result, upon Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes' request, it was subsequently withdrawn from the line for reorganisation and rest in October. It remained out of the line until the armistice came into effect in November
GOING HOME
After the Armistice, the Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes insisted Australian troops be repatriated (returned home) as quickly as possible. This logistical challenge was enormous with 135,000 troops brought home from Britain in 147 voyages, and 16,773 troops from the Middle East in 56 voyages, mostly on a first come, first go basis. There was a lack of suitable ships to transport personnel home and many had to wait many months before they were headed back to Australia. Oliver was attached to the 3rd Division paymaster then given leave to Paris on 28th February till 13th March 1919. He then returned to England where he was attached to various duties until he returned to Australia on the HMAT Ceramic on 20th March 1920.
CLOTHING AND NECESSITIES GIVEN TO SOLDIERS FOR SOLDIERS PROCEEDING TO AUSTRALIA FOR DEMOBILISATION
Badges Hat Badges Collar (2) Bags kit universal
Bags kit sea Braces (pair) Brush, shaving
Brush, tooth Breeches M.S (Military service)
Cap comforter (warm cap) Comb, hair
Disc identity with cord Drawers (2 pairs)
Great Coat Hat, Khaki fur Hat, white
Holdall Housewife (compact sewing kit)
Jackets Cardigan Jackets S.D (service dress)
Leggings 1 pair Laces, leather 1 pair
Puggarees, small (a traditional Indian head wrap, worn in warm conditions
Puttees, 1 pair (cloth bandages worn by soldiers, to provide support and protection for the lower leg)
Razor Shirts, flannel (2) Socks, 3 pairs
Singlets (2)
Strap chin Soap piece Suit, working
Towels, hand (2)
Titles “Australia” (4)-
Australian soldiers and
non-commissioned officers wore an “Australia” title at the base of their
shoulder straps. Each serving soldier also
wore unit titles above this which
indicated the units to which they belonged
FOR HIS SERVICE
For his service, Oliver was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.
AFTER THE WAR
Oliver died on 22nd July 1940, aged 43 and is buried at Rookwood General Cemetery, plot Presbyterian Section 5F Row 22 Grave 2007
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
We do not know the memorial location of this individual
Buried Location
Rookwood General Cemetery, plot Presbyterian Section 5F Row 22 Grave 2007
