Peter O'Connell
FatherWilliam Patrick O'Connell b. 30 Aug 1865, d. 13 Jun 1952
MotherMary Elizabeth Milovitch b. 10 Sep 1867, d. 23 Jan 1919
Pedigree

Birth, Death, Marriage

Peter Maurice O'Connell was born on 21 December 1893 in Trentham, Victoria.1 
He died on 8 October 1972 in Bundoora, Victoria, at age 78.1,2,3 
ChartsMilovitch, Thomas, descendant chart
O'Connell, Michael, descendant chart

Story

Peter was the eldest of six children to reach adulthood.

When he was about four, the family moved from Trentham where he was born, to Shepparton.

He attended St Brendan's primary school in Shepparton.

When he was about nine, the family moved to Mooroopna.4
 
Nellie and Annie attended Mooroopna Primary School, and it is possible the four older boys attended for a time also.5,6
 
For most of the six children's childhood and early adult years, they lived at the back of the Mooroopna wine shop on the main road just west of the Mooroopna hospital.6
 
First World War Service
Private Peter Maurice O'Connell, service number 5424, enlisted in January 1916 in Cootamundra, New South Wales. On enlistment he was 21 years and 11 months old, 5 feet 8½ inches (1.74 m) tall and weighed 160 pounds (73 kg).7
 
Mary (Milovitch), Peter & William O'Connell, c. 1916
Image: Laurie & Lorraine Phillips
Peter O'Connell, c. 1916
Image: Margaret O'Connell
Peter embarked at Sydney in April 1916, arriving in the Suez aboard the transport ship Ceramic in May, and was soon fighting with 54th Battalion around Tel el Kebir in Eqypt. In July he went via Alexandria to Marseille in the south of France, and by August was in 90 Machine Gun Base in Camiers in the north of France. Later in August, he was sent to a segregation camp in Étaples, having contracted German measles. This was the location of his first and only AWL when he left camp for eight hours - it cost him ten days pay.

While fighting with the 14th Machine Gun Company in the area around Camiers and Étaples in December 1916, he received a gun shot wound to the right shoulder. He was transferred by field ambulance to the 16th General hospital in Treport, France before being transferred via the Dunluce Castle to the Horton County of London War Hospital in Epsom for treatment. His parents were notified in early January 1917. In February, Peter was transferred to Perham Downs in England for recovery.7
 
At Perham Downs, Peter had a photo taken with Frank Maskell of Shepparton and sent a postcard home.
Peter O'Connell (seated) & Frank Stanley Maskell of Shepparton, Perham Downs, Salisbury, England, 1917
Image: Val Williams
On furlough from Perham Downs, Peter went to London where he contracted venereal disease. Up to 60,000 AIF troops were treated for VD. He was admitted for treatment to the 1st Australian Dermatological hospital in Bulford, where he spent 54 days.7,8
 
By July, he was back with 14th Machine Gun Battalion in Camiers, France, but within days his VD flared again and he spent 24 days in the 39th General Hospital. After a short time at Machine Gun Base Depot, he was again back at the front line at Camiers.

Between June and September 1918, Peter was promoted from Private to Lance Corporal, then to temporary Corporal, and in late September to Corporal.

In February 1919, Peter gained his final promotion to temporary Sergeant.7
 
In March 1919, Peter was marched out from France to Southampton then Sutton Veny in England en route to Australia. This was two months after his mother Mary died. In May, Peter's father was advised he would be returning home.

Peter travelled via the Warwickshire to Australia and was officially discharged from the 14th Machine Gun Company on 12 July 1919.

He received the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.7
 
Mother Mary's Illness
In 1918, Mary became quite ill.
 
As the holder of the wine licence, being unable to work would have made it difficult for the family.

Added to this, the First World War had been going for four years, and the two eldest sons, Peter and Thomas, were on active service.
 
Mary made a will on 11 September 1918, appointing husband William as sole executor.

To son William, she leaves the piano (this is not her mother's Bord piano, but one she purchased from her own savings). To daughter Nellie (Mary Ellen), she leaves the sewing machine. To husband William, she leaves the balance including the wine licence and interest in the Elizabeth St property held jointly with her sister, Annie Fortin.

Mary also gives William the right to draw money for their sons Peter and Thomas while they are serving abroad.9,10
 
Mary died in Mooroopna hospital after a long illness and is buried in Mooroopna cemetery. She was 51 and left behind a husband and six children of which the youngest, Annie, was 12.11,12
 
A family photo was taken at the back of the wine shop, a couple of years after Mary died.
O'Connells: back: Will/Billy, Mick, Tom, Peter; front: Annie, William (snr), Nell (Mary Ellen); c. 1922
Image: Val Williams
Football
Peter, Tom and Mick played football for their local Mooroopna team.

In 1921 Mick was vice captain and played alongside his brother Tom. The following year, Mick's responsibilities included 'collector', member of the executive committee and pre-competition coach.13,14,15
Image: Mooroopna Football Club
Image: Mooroopna Football Club
Mooroopna Fire Brigade
Peter and Tom O'Connell were Mooroopna Fire Brigade volunteers in the early 1920s. In an Honour Board unveiled in January 1920, Tom is listed as a member and Peter is listed as an ex-member.16
 
Work
When Peter enlisted early in 1916, he was working near Cootamundra, New South Wales, as a groom, 'a person who is responsible for some or all aspects of the management of horses and/or the care of the stables themselves'.

After the war, in the 1921 and 1924 electoral rolls, he is shown as 'no occupation'. In electoral rolls between 1928 and 1942, he is a labourer in Mooroopna.17,18,19,20,21,22
 
Peter was affected more than his brother Tom by the war. In addition to entries in his service record, family believed he may have been gassed. He later lost contact with the family.23
 
Peter died at Repatriation Mental hospital in Bundoora and was buried at Pine Ridge Memorial Park cemetery in Coburg. He was 78 years old.2
 

Citations

  1. [S56] Margaret O'Leary, personal communication, 9 July 1996.
  2. [S511] Peter Maurice O'Connell, death registration no. 25058, 8 October 1972.
  3. [S270] Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, 'Peter Maurice OConnell' entry, death registration no. 25058, 1972.
  4. [S165] History of St Brendan's Primary School 1891-1991, St Brendan's Centenary History Committee, 1991, p. 67.
  5. [S201] 'Coming of age', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 5 December 1924, p. 2, viewed 11 March 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article174035075
  6. [S21] Lorraine Phillips, personal communication, 28 August 2012.
  7. [S509] 'O'Connell, Peter Maurice', B2455 First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, control symbol: O'Connell Peter Maurice, service record, 15 January 1916, https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/…
  8. [S2] Craig Tibbitts, 'Casualties of war', Australian War Memorial, online, AWM, viewed 22 February 2019, https://www.awm.gov.au/wartime/article2
  9. [S81] 'Mary Elizabeth O'Connell', VPRS 7591 Wills, 163/157, will, 11 September 1918.
  10. [S430] 'Mary Elizabeth O'Connell', VPRS 28 Probate and Administration Files, no. 163/157, probate, 1919.
  11. [S220] 'Deaths: O'Connell', The Argus, 1848-1957, newspaper, Argus Office, 24 January 1919, p. 1, viewed 4 October 2017, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1421945
  12. [S440] Mary O'Connell, death registration no. 3219, 23 January 1919.
  13. [S201] 'Football: Mooroopna v. Shepparton', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 2 Jun 1921, p. 3, viewed 9 OCtober 2017, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/174156831
  14. [S201] 'Mooroopna: Football club', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 6 Apr 1922, p. 5, viewed 9 OCtober 2017, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/179181583
  15. [S201] 'Football thrills: Mooroopna win', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 18 September 1924, p. 11, viewed 15 September 2017, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/174033872
  16. [S295] Ever Ready Ever Willing: Mooroopna fire brigade 1892-1992, Mooroopna Fire Brigade, 1992, p. 21 & p. 81.
  17. [S246] 'Groom (profession)', Wikipedia, online, Wikimedia Foundation, viewed 18 February 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groom_(profession).
  18. [S392] Australia, Electoral Rolls 1903-1980, online, division of Echuca, subdivision of Mooroopna, 1921.
  19. [S392] Australia, Electoral Rolls 1903-1980, online, Commonwealth division of Echuca, Victorian division of Rodney, subdivision of Mooroopna, 1924.
  20. [S392] Australia, Electoral Rolls 1903-1980, online, Commonwealth division of Echuca, Victorian division of Goulburn Valley, subdivision of Mooroopna, 1928.
  21. [S392] Australia, Electoral Rolls 1903-1980, online, Commonwealth division of Echuca, Victorian division of Goulburn Valley, subdivision of Mooroopna, 1936.
  22. [S392] Australia, Electoral Rolls 1903-1980, online, division of Indi, subdivision of Shepparton, 1942.
  23. [S140] Elaine Dalton, personal communication, 13 September 2018.