Michael Dennis O'Rourke

Personal Information
Date of Birth	not known
Place of Birth	Melbourne, Victoria
Age at Enlistment	44 years, 2 months
Description	5'7" (1.70m) tall; weight 128 lbs (58.1kg); fair complexion, blue eyes, dark hair.
Occupation	farrier
Religion	Roman Catholic
Address	Wuraming State Mill, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife Mrs Florence Maud O'Rourke
Military Information
Reg Number	1223
Date of Enlistment	2 Mar 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	3rd Pioneer Battalion, D Company / 3rd Division
Date of Embarkation	6 Jun 1916 - 26 Jul 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A62 Wandilla
Date of Return	28 Aug 1917 - 14 Oct 1917
Ship Returned On	HMNZT Pakeha
Fate	Wounded in Action 7 May 1917 Armentieres Returned to Australia
Monument	Jarrahdale Honour Roll ANZAC Memorial Park (Byford)
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries - 1910 - 1912 No 6 Mill, Jarrahdale, teamster; 1916 Wuraming, mill hand.

War Service

Two days after entering camp, Michael was allocated to be a Pioneer, and on 15 Apr 1916 he was allocated to the 3rd Pioneer Battalion, D Company. His training took him to Broadmeadows camp Melbourne, from where he left for England on 6 Jun 1916. Arriving in England on 26 Jul 1916 he would have spent time in the Pioneer Training Battalion at Perham Downs before proceeding to France.

On 24 Nov 1916, Michael along with the rest of his battalion proceeded overseas to France. The battalion entrained in Lark Hill for Amesbury on three trains on the morning of 24 Nov 1916, and at Amesbury they caught three other trains to Southampton where the majority of the battalion boarded the HMT Caeserea, and the rest the HMT Nirvanna. Both ships arrived in Le Havre at 4.30am on 25 Nov 1916 and a day later the battalion entrained for Armentiès.

During January 1917, from the 11th until the 13th, Michael needed medical attention from the 10th Australian Field Ambulance for diphtheria. Then on 7 May 1917, he was wounded when a German shell landed in the battalion's workshop, killing 1 man and wounding Michael and 12 others. Michael's wounds were described as to his hand, chest, and arm. Seen first by the West Lancashire Field Ambulance on 7 May, Dennis was transferred the same day to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station who placed him aboard the 21st Ambulance Train for Calais where he was admitted to the 30th General Hospital. A week, later, on 15 May 1917 he was embarked on the HS Princesse Elisabeth for England.

In England he was admitted to the 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham later the same day. Following treatment in Birmingham he was granted furlough from 16 - 30 Jul 1917, and then reported to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth.

On 27 Aug 1917 he was returned to Australia for home service as being overage, and discharged by the 5th Military District on 2 Nov 1917.

Post War

Wife Florence Maud ??

Electoral Roll entries - 1922 - 1931 Pindalup, mill hand; 1937 - 1954 at 64 Francis street, Perth;

Notes

Ancestry.com also has a shipping list for the SS El Kantara via Marseilles and Colombo, arriving in Fremantle 29 Sep 1917 with Michael Dennis O'Rourke aboard.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War memorial