Oswald William Thomas Orchard ( 1897 - 1917 )

My Great Uncle's Brother

Lest We Forget

June 1916: Enlisted
October 1916: At Gallipoli
December 1916: At Alexandria ( septic legs )
February 1917: Discharged to Duty, Rejoined Unit, 3/24th Battalion AIF
March 1917 At Marseilles
April 1917-July 1917: In hospital in France then England with Influenza
August 1917: Rejoined Unit in France
9th October 1917: KILLED IN ACTION - Passchendaele, Belgium

During the years of WW1 there appeared a regular column – “WHERE ARE THEY?” in the Alexandra & Yea Standard newspaper. The following was copied from the Friday edition dated January 4, 1918. Such letters and news of local men on the war front overseas were the essence of these columns.

Private Ossie Orchard met his death at the hands of a sniper. He was shot through the chest and died instantly.Who will fill this hero’s place? It is not the matter of Yes or No but “Go”. The following letter has been received:-

“In the field, 27/10/17, - Dear Mrs. Orchard, - By the time this letter reaches you, you will have been notified of the death of your son, No 1964, who was a stretcher-bearer in our battalion and was killed in the recent fighting in Flanders. I know how little we can comfort you by words, for your loss is something only a mother can know. Yet I must write to tell you how we all honoured your son for his bravery, his manly disposition and his lovable nature. I was associated with him for a considerable time, and we were the best of friends. His cheerful manner at all times was a tonic to his mates who loved him for his sterling worth as a soldier and a pal. No work on the battlefield was more honoured than that of the stretcher-bearers who had to face the worst of dangers and expose themselves to fire more than any other men. It requires a strong nerve and a stout heart to do the strenuous and dangerous work, your boy, for so long, gallantly accomplished. He saved many another man from death and his reward will surely be great. What did the Christ say? “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” This is just what your son did. He gave his life trying to save others.

“Now, dear Mrs. Orchard, do not weep for his sake. He is with the great army of heroes. They live in a grander and better life. We who are left must carry on and be brave. It would grieve him to know you were fretting. Indeed that is one concern of our lads and men on the field. They are not afraid of death they fear their loved ones will sorrow unnecessarily after they are gone. I have a mother of my own, and I write to you as I would desire someone to write to my mother if I were killed. I ask you not to fret. What a joy it would be to your boy if he could know that by your courage you helped another mother, a widow, or father, or sister, to dry their tears. When you are inclined to sorrow over your loss, think of what your son accomplished in his young life. A prominent clergyman, a man who has been Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Victoria and who was a Colonial Chaplain out here, said to me one day after he had read the burial service over several young fellows who had been killed – “I have had a long life in the ministry, and have been an influential man in public life, yet every one of these lads who has died for the cause of right has done more than I”

“Your son had the honour of serving with one of the finest battalions in the Australian army, a battalion that never failed in any task assigned to it. His grave will be marked by a neat and substantial cross made by our carpenters. I will try and get a sketch or photo of it for you later. I would like you or someone in your family to write to me, I will write again. You have the deepest sympathy of all the lads who knew your son. We hope you will try to keep a brave heart and do not fret. We must trust God for in Him is our hope of reunion beyond the grave. Please accept my best wishes for yourself and all your people. Your sincere friend, WALTER J. HARVEY, 2465 H.Q., 24th BATTALION.

Records show Walter Harvey was a 29 years old journalist from Moama, NSW. He somehow managed to survive the war!

However, Ossie's makeshift grave did not survive! With another year of horror on the Ypres Salient, Ossie became one of 100,000 missing soldiers only remembered by name with no known grave.

There are 5 memorials to these men in Belgium. The biggest being the Menin Gate with 54,000 names.

In 2008 I found Ossie's name engraved on that very Gate.

I often think of Ossie who died just before his 21st birthday.

And I reflect on Walter Harvey who penned his letter "in the field" ( of mud, desolation and death ) to a mother.

Then I think of my family and our land of peace and freedom.