BORN HULL 1893. SON OF THE LATE PETER & ELLEN O’CONNELL – 153, BEAN STREET, 87, SPRING STREET, HULL (WAR PENSION ADDRESS) AND 6, BRAEMAR TERRACE, ALEXANDRA STREET, HULL, (ARMY ADDRESS). SISTERS ELLEN AND ELIZABETH AND BROTHER THOMAS. EMPLOYED AS A FITTER’S LABOURER IN THE PAINT WORKS.
HE ENLISTED IN HULL, ON THE 13/05/1910, JOINING THE EAST RIDING ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY, BEFORE WAR BEGAN. HE SERVED FOR 3 YEARS AND RE-ENLISTED ON 12/12/1913, BEFORE WAR BEGAN. HIS ARMY RECORDS DESCRIBE HIM AS 5 FOOT 7 INCHES TALL, 123 LBS, 36.5 INCH CHEST, BLUE EYES, BROWN HAIR, FRESH COMPLEXION, ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIGION. SENT TO FRANCE WITH THE BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE, ON 15/08/1914. HE WAS INVALIDED HOME ON12/12/1914. RETURNED TO FRANCE ON 9/06/1915. HE WAS GASSED IN FRANCE, ON 12/12/1915. DISCHARGED ON 12/08/1916. ADMITTED TO COTTINGHAM SANITORIUM ON 20/07/1917. DIED OF HIS GAS WOUNDS, ON 3/09/1919, AGED 27.
HIS DEATH AND PHOTOGRAPH WERE REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL ON 10TH SEPTEMBER 1919. *
HE IS BURIED IN HULL WESTERN CEMETERY AND LISTED ON THE COTTINGHAM WAR MEMORIAL.
