Contributed by Ron Inglis, October 2021
Labourer John O'Grady 27, whose parents lived at 18 Macquarie Road, Auburn, enlisted on 20 March 1916 at the RAS Showground, Sydney. He was in Australian training camps for an unusually long five and a half months before embarking on the Euripedes.
Disembarking in Plymouth, UK, on 26 October 1916, Private O'Grady had a further four months in training camps on the Salisbury Plain before crossing to France and marching into the 19th Battalion on 24 February 1917, 11 months from his time of enlistment.
The second Battle of Bullecourt, involving the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th Australian Divisions, lasted two weeks, from 3-17 May 1917. Three Auburn Memorial men were killed on the first day: Private John O'Grady, Private William Brown, and Lieutenant Selwyn Upton.
O'Grady was originally reported Missing in Action, but was deemed killed in action by a Court of Inquiry held seven months later. Such delays were common after Bullecourt, for many Australians were taken prisoner in First Bullecourt so there was increased uncertainty about a missing soldier’s fate.
The body of Private O'Grady was never found. His name is inscribed on the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux.
His parents donated a Holy Water Font to the new St John’s Catholic Church in Auburn in memory of their son. Over the period 1921-1923 O'Grady’s father received the Memorial Scroll, the Memorial Plaque, the pamphlet ‘Where the Australians Rest’ and his son's two medals.
John O'Grady is honoured on the following memorials in Australia:
- Auburn War Memorial
- Municipality of Auburn 1914-1919 Honour Roll
- Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial Canberra
His decorations:
- Victory Medal
- British War Medal 1914-20
