Arthur O’NEILL
Service
number: QX27819. Age:
27 years 10 months. Enlisted: 24 Feb 1942.
Occupation: Fisherman. Next of kin: (mother) Mrs Mary O’Neill.
Address
on enlistment:
Bribie Island.
26
Nov 1944, Jacquinot Bay, New Britain. The Dutch troopship
Van Heutz at anchor after bringing
troops into the area.[1]
Service
Summary:
23 Aug 19442: Embarked on US 16 HT P3 for Middle East.
2 Jan 1943: 2/15 Infantry Battalion.
27 Feb 1943: Unit returned from Middle East
to Sydney for training in Queensland.
28 Jul 1943: Embarked on Van Heutz for Milne Bay where he was
wounded.
6 Jul 1945: Returned to Australia.
20 Jun 1946: Discharged.
Life
Summary:
Arthur O’Neill (1914-1987) was born 6 May 1914 in
Brisbane, the only son of William O’Neill (1860-1938) and Mary Jane Hazeldine
(1871-1942).
When he enlisted he was carrying his shoes
because, as he explained to a journalist, working as a fisherman on Bribie
Island for 11 years he had not worn shoes.[2]
After his service, Arthur O’Neill returned to fishing and lived
at Toorbul Point until the early 1960s when he moved to Woorim. He had been
associated with Bribie Island for over 50 years when he died 18 Apr 1987, aged
73.
[1] Courtesy of the Australian War Memorial 0771990
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C77542
[2] Ready to try army boots. The Sun (Sydney) Sat 28 Feb 1942 p. 2 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article231766410
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