James Donald O'Connor

James O'Connor (Service No 359) was born in Sydney around 1891.

James enlisted when he was 24 years old; he was single, lived at Helensburgh, N.S.W. and worked as a blacksmith.

He embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A14 Euripides with B Company, 3rd Battalion on 19th October 1914.  The troops arrived in Egypt and after training, James was sent to Gallipoli and landed on 25th April.  

After surviving the fighting of the first days on the peninsula, and the battle of Lone Pine, James contracted dysentery and was admitted to hospital at Mudros on the Greek Island of Lesbos, on 10th August.  He returned to Gallipoli on 14th September 1915 and remained until the evacuation.

Back in Egypt James was promoted to Lance Corporal on 17th February 1916.  

On 28th March 1916 James was sent to France with 10 Platoon, C Company, 3rd Battalion.  While fighting on the Western Front, James was admitted to hospital on 25th July 1916 suffering shell shock.  He rejoined his unit in Belgium on 14th September 1916. 

In April 1917 James was back in France.  On 9th April, while taking part in the fighting, Daniel was hit in the head by a machine gun bullet and killed instantly.  Two days later James brother, Daniel  (Service No 6852) was also killed in action in France. 

James is buried in Beaumetz Cross Roads Cemetery, Beumetz-les-Cambrai, France; Row F, Grave 5.