19/08/1915-To No 24 Depot Company Blackboy Hill Camp WA as Private
14/09/1915-To “B” Company 2nd Depot Battalion Blackboy Hill
16/10/1915-To 16th Battalion 12th Reinforcements Blackboy Hill
22/12/1915- Embarked Fremantle WA aboard “Ajana” bound for Egypt
15/01/1916- Disembarked Alexandria to Overseas Training Base near Cairo Egypt
07/03/1916-Joined 16th Battalion in the field Tel-el-Kebir Egypt
01/06/1916- Embarked Alexandria aboard ” Canada”with British Expeditionary Forces bound for Marseilles France
07/06/1916-Disembarked Marseilles France ex Alexandria
12/08/1916-Wounded in Action France ( Gunshot Wound Abdomen ) Remained at Duty
16/08/1916-Admitted 11th Stationary Hospital Rouen France ex 3rd Casualty Clearing Station ex 13th Field Ambulance
19/08/1916-Evacuated/Admitted 3rd London General Hospital Wandsworth England ex Rouen France
9/09/1916-Awarded VICTORIA CROSS ( Re Pozieres France 9/08/1916 to 12/08/1916 )
9/10/1916-To No. 1 Command Depot Perham Downs England
2/11/1916-To 4th Training Battalion Perham Downs
4/12/1916-Proceeded Overseas 4th Aust Division Base Depot France ex Folkestone ex Perham Downs
22/12/1916-Rejoined Unit in the field France ex Wounded
3/01/1917-Admitted Hospital France ( Sprained Ankle ) ex 1st Anzac Rest Station ex 4th Aust Field Ambulance
9/04/1917-Wounded in Action Bullecourt/Reincourt France ( Gunshot Wound Face ) ex 9th Casualty Clearing Station ex 4th Australian Field Ambulance
9/04/1917-Admitted 3rd Stationary Hospital Rouen France
16/04/1917-Discharged to 4th Australian Division Base Depot Etaples France
25/04/1917-Rejoined Unit in the field France ex Wounded
8/08/1917-Wounded in Action Belgium ( Third Battle of Ypres )- ( Severe Shell Wounds Left Buttock, Left Thigh & Back ) ex 4th Australian Field Ambulance ex 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station
11/08/1917-Admitted No. 2 Canadian General Hospital Etaples France
20/08/1917-Evacuated/Admitted Bath War Hospital England
18/10/1917-Granted Leave England
19/11/1917-To No. 1 Command Depot Sutton Veny England
13/12/1917-To Overseas Training Brigade Longbridge Deverill England
10/01/1918-Proceeded Overseas Australian Infantry Base Depot Havre France ex Southampton ex Longbridge Deverill
18/01/1918-Rejoined Battalion in the field France ex Wounded
13/03/1918-Promoted CORPORAL in the field France
22/03/1918- Promoted ACTING SERGEANT in the field France
23/03/1918-To 2nd Army Musketry School England
15/04/1918-Rejoined Battalion ex School England-Reverts to CORPORAL at own request
12/07/1918-Detached to SOS School in the field France
2/08/1918-Rejoined Battalion in the field France
30/08/1918-Promoted SERGEANT in the field France
1/09/1918-To Codford England ex Folkestone ex France for Return to Australia
15/09/1918- Embarked England for Australia per ” Arawa ”
10/11/1918- Disembarked Fremantle WA Australia
19/12/1918- Letter written by Commonwealth Military Forces 5th Military District , District Headquarters Perth to O.I.C. Base Records Victoria Barracks, Melbourne VIC, which quotes ” This patient is suffering from Delusional Insanity , with hallucinations of hearing and sight, is extremely homicidal and suicidal, and requires to be kept in restraint. It is not hopeful for his recovery in the near future “.
30/11/1919- Discharged from Service ( Medically Unfit )
20/12/1935- Date of Death at Claremont Mental Hospital WA.
Service Medals Awarded
British War Medal – No. 7679
Victory Medal – No. 7649
Victoria Cross
Memorial Inscriptions
Resoration of Lorha Abbey Tipperary Ireland Memorial(beside confession boxes)
VC Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial Fromelles France
Collie War Memorial Western Australia
VICTORIA CROSS
Date of Recommendation: 16 August 1916
From- Lieutenant-Colonel E. A. Drake-Brockman
” On the evening of the 12th Instant , after my Battalion had been relieved , I met O’Meara near CHALK PITS going in the direction of POZIERES. He had previously been sent down as a Guide to “D” Company. When I asked him where he was going he informed me that he had just heard of 2 wounded men of the Battalion who had not been brought in from “No Mans Land “. He was subsequently seen by Lieutenant Cook in the front trenches . The following day, the attached note was received from him by my Scout Officer. During the later stages of the relief of the Battalion a very heavy German Artillery barrage was put down over the communication trenches South of POZIERES. In order to carry out his mission of mercy this man voluntarily returned through the barrage referred to after having reached a position of comparative safety.
Private O’Meara is strongly recommended for the highest distinction for great gallantry and devotion to duty in rescuing wounded men under intense shell fire , and for voluntarily carrying ammunition and bombs to a portion of the trenches being heavily bombarded, and which at the time was also heavily barraged . Hereunder written are statements concerning this by some of the many witnesses of his many gallant actions “.
Statement by MAJOR P. Black– ” On the morning 11th August O’Meara was on scouting duty in “No Mans Land’ . At this time some three Machine Guns were firing over the section of ground which he was examining , and it was also being very heavily shelled with H. E. Shells. About 10 minutes after I saw him go over the parapet into “No Mans Land” , I saw him return carrying a wounded man whom he had found lying in a shell hole in “No Mans Land”. Having dressed the wounds of this man he returned to “No Mans Land’ in pursuance of his duties as a Scout. My notice was again drawn to this man on the morning of the 12th when the section of trench occupied by my Company was being heavily bombarded by H. E. and shrapnel. I withdrew the garrison to either flank from one portion that was in process of being completely obliterated , which subsequently happened ; one man failed to get out in time and was buried: O’Meara, despite the overwhelming fire , at once rushed to the spot , extricated the man concerned and thereby undoubtedly saved his life. During the advance of the Battalion on the night of the 9/10th, a number of men were wounded and left lying on the ground over which the advance had been made and subsequently on the 11/12th , runners and carriers who had occasion to cross this area were wounded there. I saw O’Meara on many occasions on the 10/11/12th August searching the ground for wounded, to whom he rendered first aid , and whom he subsequently brought in or assisted to bring in “.
Statement by Lieutenant Frank Wadge- ” I saw O’Meara on a number of occasions attending to or bringing in wounded men from the area over which the Battalion had advanced and from “No Mans Land’. I estimate that the number of men rescued by him is not less than twenty. At times when he was carrying out his work of mercy the H. E. shrapnel and machine gun fire was intense beyond description. I cannot state who these men were – they were mostly members of the 15th Battalion, A.I.F. and the Suffolk Battalion- but I am able to identify Lieutenant Fogarty of the 15th Battalion, A. I. F to whom he rendered first aid and whom he subsequently brought into trench. This Officer had been wounded and had been lying in “No Mans Land’ for about 4 Hours; the enemy fire at this point was so dense that it had been impossible to make a search for wounded, but such conditions did not deter O’Meara “.
Statement by CAPTAIN Ross Harwood- ” On the night of the 8/9th I saw No. 3970 Pte. O’Meara , out into “No Mans Land” where it was being severely shelled and remove wounded men to places of safety where he rendered first aid and thence subequently he assisted to carry them down to the Dressing Station. I personally saw him remove not less than six men mostly of the 15th Battalion, A. I. F. and the Suffolk Battalion. One of the wounded whom I saw him remove in this is Lieut Fogarty of the 15th Battalion A. I. F.”
Statement by CAPTAIN A. McLEOD- “ Late in the afternoon of the 12th instant , after my Company had been relieved in the front firing line, I noticed Lieut Carse of the No. 4 Machine Gun Company , lying wounded in a sap which was at that time out off from the rear by a very heavy barrage. In order to go to the assistance of this officer No. 3970 Private O’Meara with great gallantry and utmost fearlessness went through the barrage and subsequently assisted to bring him down to the Regimental aid post “.
Statement by Lieutenant R. S. Somerville- ” On the night of the 11/12th August , that section of the Front Line occupied by “D” Company was intensely shelled . All communication trenches were blown in as well as a considerable portion of the Front system of trenches . It was discovered that the supply of S. A. A. was very short , and that all bombs and flares for signalling purposes had been buried; an infantry assault was expected to succeed the barrage. O’Meara volunteered to go down to the Regimental Dump and procure ammunition, bombs and flares . He made this trip twice and on both occasions staggered back under a very heavy load of the munitions required “.
Statement by Lieutenant W. J. Lynas- ” I respectfully beg to draw your attention to the conduct of No. 3970 Private O’Meara. M. during the recent operations of this Battalion. Private O’Meara is the most fearless and gallant soldier I have ever seen: besides doing the very arduous duties imposed on him, by reason of his being in the Scouting Section, efficiently and cheerfully this man used to fill in his time bringing in wounded under all conditions. Private O’Meara is always cheerful and optimistic, will volunteer for any job, and can be trusted to carry any duty through with the utmost certainty. During Friday night’s operations I required more ammunition and bombs on the left sector , most of the reserve stocks having been buried owing to there being no communication saps, and the perfect hail of shells that were blowing the parapets to pieces , I would not detail anyone for this job. O’Meara went on his own initiative to the Battalion Dump twice, returning with S. A. A. and bombs; on his second return he managed to guide a fatigue party across and relieved us of our shortage. During these trips he located wounded men and carried three of them back to the Dressing Station. This man has been responsible for the evacuation of at least twenty men under conditions that are indescribable “.