9. Martin O’Meara VC
Martin O’Meara VC
Saluting their Service - Grahame Old
WW1
An earlier ‘saluting their service’ article featured Irish Priest, Father John Fahey DSO MID. In this story we honour another fine son of Ireland Martin O’Meara VC. Collie Soldiers Park plays an important part in the remembrance of Collie Boys who fought in all wars. In the centre of the eastern side memorial rose garden is a simple granite stone with plaque honouring this quite timber cutter who enlisted from Collie.
3970 Sergeant Martin O’Meara VC
Martin O’Meara was born on 6 November 1885 near the town of Birr in the parish of Lorrha, County Tipperary Ireland, not far from the birthplace of Father John Fahey. His parents were Michael, a labourer and Margaret O’Meara. Martin sought a better life in Australia and emigrated in 1912, working his passage as a ships stoker. He settled first in SA but soon moved to WA for work in the southwest timber industry. Martin is known to have worked as a sleeper cutter in areas surrounding Pinjarra and Waroona before moving down to the Bowelling Block surrounding Collie. It was physically demanding and dangerous work which Martin relished.
Military Service
Military service records show that Martin O’Meara applied to enlist into the AIF on 17August 1915 at Collie Municipal Council, listing his postal address as Bowelling Pool via Collie and his occupation as Sleeper Hewer. His listed next of kin was his sister, Alice O’Meara, Ireland. As with all Collie Boys who enlisted from Collie at that time his Preliminary Medical Examination was conducted by local Doctor W.H. Ryley. Martin aged 29 yrs, short and stocky, 5feet 7inches in height with a chest measurement of 41inches was declared fit for active service.
After training at Blackboy Hill, Private O’Meara along with other Collie Boys was assigned to the 12th Reinforcements for WA’s own 16th Infantry Battalion. The Bn was at rest in Egypt after the disastrous Gallipoli campaign where it had suffered heavy casualties. The AIF underwent a major rebuild in Egypt and in early 1916 after training the 16th Battalion was moved to the Western Front in France. The Bn, made up of some experienced soldiers from Gallipoli and new reinforcements from Australia, underwent its baptism of fire at Pozieres. From the 9th to the 12th August the 16th Bn mounted attacks on entrenched German positions at Mouquet Farm. Devastating Artillery fire from the Germans caused horrendous casualties amongst the 16th Bn soldiers.
An entry into the Bn war diary stated; “so intense was the barrage that our trench as a trench had ceased to exist”. No man’s land, between the Australian and German trench lines, was littered with dead and dying soldiers from both sides. It was here that the quite Irishman took it upon himself to enter the turmoil to bring in wounded Australian soldiers. An act that led to him being described by one of his officers as; “the most fearless and gallant soldier I have ever seen”. Private O’Meara, a scout, was also acting as a stretcher bearer over the period of the battle and he entered No man’s Land repeatedly to apply first aid and then bring in wounded soldiers. He was under constant machine gun and artillery fire, conditions said by one of his officers as; ‘’indescribable”. Martin O’Meara was credited as having saved the lives of over 25 wounded soldiers, although the exact amount will never be known. Even after the Bn was relieved O’Meara was seen leaving his now safe position to re-enter No man’s land where he brought in a further two wounded soldiers. In between these gallant acts and still under heavy fire, he had also brought forward much needed ammunition, bomb’s (grenades) and food to the front. For his actions Private Martin O’Meara was awarded the Victoria Cross for ‘Most Conspicuous Bravery’. No fewer than six officers had recommended an award for his bravery. Shortened versions of those recommendations follow;
Recommendation by Lt Col E. Drake Brockman Commanding Officer 16th Bn “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. 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 Man’s Land”. In order to carry out his mission of mercy this man voluntary returned through the barrage referred to after having reached a position of comparative safety. He is strongly recommended for the highest distinction for great gallantry and devotion to duty in rescuing wounded men under intense shell fire”.
MAJOR P. Black “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”.
Lieut Frank Wadge “At times when he was carrying out his work of mercy the H.E. shrapnel and machine gun fire was intense beyond description”
Capt Ross Harwood “I saw Pte. O’Meara go into “No Man’s Land” where it was being severely shelled and remove wounded men to places of safety where he rendered first aid”
Capt A. McLeod “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”.
Lieut R. S. Somerville “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 whilst under intense fire”.
Lieut W. J. Lynas “Private O’Meara is the most fearless and gallant soldier I have ever seen: ……he located wounded men and carried three of them back to the Dressing Station under conditions that are indescribable”.
The Victoria Cross
For his actions Private Martin O’Meara was awarded the Victoria Cross for ‘Most Conspicuous Bravery’. He travelled to London in July 1917 where he was presented with his Victoria Cross at Buckingham Palace by King George V. The VC is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy".
Martin O’Meara spent the remainder of the war with the 16th Battalion; he was wounded three times and was promoted to Sergeant, a position he later relinquished at his own request. His rank of Sergeant was re-instated on his return to Australia.
Return to Australia
In August 1918 the Australian Government, in an attempt to revive a flagging recruitment campaign, requested the AIF return VC recipients to assist. Martin O’Meara reluctantly left the 16th Infantry Battalion and returned to Australia in September 1918; he was hailed as a hero but tragically was hospitalised soon after suffering a severe ‘nervous breakdown’. He was diagnosed with “delusional insanity”, doctors concluded O’Meara had “hallucinations of hearing and sight, is extremely homicidal and suicidal and requires to be kept in restraint”. His war experiences had taken their toll, he had lost his mind. Mental disorders affect many soldiers returning from war and continue to do so to this day. Martin O’Meara VC was discharged from the AIF in November 1919. Sadly, he remained as an insane inmate of both the ‘Claremont Mental Hospital’ and the ‘Lemnos Soldiers Hospital’ until his death on 20 December 1935.
Martin O’Meara VC was buried with full military honours in the catholic section of Karrakatta Cemetery. The gun carriage was led by surviving VC recipient’s, the ‘Padre’ officiating at the service was none other than Father John Fahey DSO MID. He knew what he was talking about when he spoke of O’Meara’s actions in battle. Father Fahey died in 1959 and he too was buried in Karrakatta not far from Martin O’Meara. Two fine sons of Ireland and Australia together at rest.
Much has been written about Martin O’Meara, I believe the following paragraph from a letter sent home to Collie in 1917 by the then MLA for Collie, Arthur Alan WILSON, who took special leave from Parliament to enlist into the AIF, best summarises the modest Irishman; “I have met a good many of Collie’s soldier boys since I came here and all were pleased to get the latest news from Collie. I had a long talk with Martin O'Meara, V.C. What a fine chap he is, and so unassuming in spite of his high distinction. He has been through many of the bitter stunts here and has been wounded three times. He won his Victoria Cross in August, 1916, and it was presented to him at Buckingham Palace in July 1917. He desired to be returned to Collie’s good people and said "I am longing for the day when I shall be able to return to Collie and again sit in the shade of a big jarrah tree." Sadly, that was not to be.
3970 Sgt Martin O’Meara VC
Remembered forever in Collie Soldiers Park and at the Collie Cardiff RSL Sub Branch
‘Lest we Forget’