Martin O'Meara
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Martin O'Meara VC (31 December 1882–20 December 1935) was both an Irish recipient by birth and by naturalisation an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
O'Meara was born at Sharragh, Lorrha, County Tipperary, Ireland in 1882. He had been working as a labourer in Western Australia when on 19 August 1915 he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, joining the 16th Battalion (S.A. & W.A.) as a private and embarking for France on 22 December 1915.
Between 9 August and 12 August 1916 at (Mouquet Farm) Pozières, France, during four days of very heavy fighting, Private O'Meara repeatedly went out and brought in wounded officers and men from "No Man's Land" under intense artillery and machine-gun fire. He also volunteered and carried up ammunition and bombs through a heavy barrage to a portion of the trenches which was being heavily shelled at the time. Throughout this period he showed utter contempt of danger and undoubtedly saved many lives.
O'Meara was wounded three times during the war and returned to Australia on 15 September 1918, having reached the rank of sergeant. Shortly after his return he was admitted to Claremont Mental Hospital, "suffering from Delusional Insanity." He died in 1935 and is buried in Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Army Museum of Western Australia, Fremantle, Western Australia.
[edit] References
Listed in order of publication year
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (1981, 1988 and 1997)
- The Irish Sword (Brian Clarke 1986)
- VCs of the First World War - The Somme (Gerald Gliddon, 1994)
- Irelands VCs ISBN 1-899243-00-3 (Dept of Economic Development 1995)
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)
