Martin O'Meara

Martin O'Meara

Private Martin O'Meara c.1915–16
Born (1885-11-06)6 November 1885
Terryglass, Lorrha, County Tipperary
Died 20 December 1935(1935-12-20) (aged 50)
Perth, Western Australia
Buried at Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth
Allegiance  Australia
Service/branch Australian Imperial Force
Years of service 1915–1919
Rank Sergeant
Unit 16th Battalion
Battles/wars

First World War

Awards Victoria Cross

Martin O'Meara VC (6 November 1885 – 20 December 1935)[1] was an Irish-born Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Early life

O'Meara was born at Terryglass, Lorrha, County Tipperary. He spent his early years in County Tipperary and by 1911 had moved to County Kilkenny. He arrived in South Australia in 1912, where he worked as a labourer, and then travelled to Western Australia in 1914. He worked as a labourer in the Pinjarra area before making his way to the Collie area.

He was working as a sleeper cutter near Collie before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force on 19 August 1915.

Military career

Assigned to 16th Battalion[2] as a private, O'Meara embarked for the front on 22 December 1915. He initially served with the 16th Battalion in Egypt as an infantryman and machine gunner before arriving in France in June 1916.

In June 1916 he joined the 16th Battalion's newly-formed Scouting Section and served as a scout, observer and sniper during his time on the Western Front.

Between 9 and 12 August 1916 at Mouquet Farm, Pozières, during four days of very heavy fighting, Private O'Meara repeatedly went out and brought in wounded officers and men from "no man's land" under intense artillery and machine-gun fire. He also volunteered and carried up ammunition and bombs through a heavy barrage to a portion of the trenches which was being heavily shelled at the time.

O'Meara was wounded three times during the war: near Mouquet farm in August 1916, near Bullecourt in April 1917 and near Messines in August 1917.

He was presented with his Victoria Cross medal by King George V at Buckingham Palace in July 1917.

He returned to Australia in November 1918, having reached the rank of sergeant.[3]

O'Meara (right) meeting fellow VC recipient, Lt. Albert Jacka, following the fighting at Pozières.

Later life

O'Meara had a mental breakdown in November 1918, shortly after arriving in Western Australia, and was diagnosed by the OC, 24th Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Stromness on 19 December 1918 as:

suffering from Delusional Insanity, with hallucinations of hearing and sight, is extremely homicidal and suicidal, and requires to be kept in restraint. He is not hopeful of his recovery in the near future. Admitted to Claremont Mental Hospital (insane patient), 3 January 1919.[4]

O'Meara remained in mental hospitals and died at the age of 50. He was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia.

The Medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Army Museum of Western Australia, Fremantle, Western Australia.

References

  1. ↑ Reid, Richard E. "O'Meara, Martin (1885–1935)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: Australian National University. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  2. ↑ "Australian War Memorial". Retrieved January 17, 2013.
  3. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29740. p. 8871. 9 September 1916. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  4. ↑ The AIF Project: Martin O'Meara profile

Listed in order of publication year

External links

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