|
Jul 10, 1883
|
Born at
Killarney Ireland to John and Mary Ann O’Donovan
By 1914
Daniel, his brother Dennis, and his widowed mother were living in Carlton Place, near
Ottawa Ontario
|
|
From We Are the Dead by Larry Gray
ISSN 1201-9364
Manitoba Library Association
|
|
Nov 6, 1914
|
Attested into
the 21st Battalion at Kingston Ontario
Ø Number 59755 (temporary number 998)
Ø Next of kin given as Mrs J O’Donovan, mother, of Carlton Place,
Ottawa Ontario
Ø Previous occupation given as Fireman (locomotive) for Canadian Pacific
Railway
o Prior to his employment with the CPR, he was employed at the Findlay
Foundry in Carlton Place
Ø No previous military experience given
Ø Religion given as Roman Catholic
Ø Assigned to the Transport Section
His brother,
Dennis O’Donovan, also joined the 21st Battalion and was assigned to
“H” Company which was later reorganized into “D” Company
|
|
Dec 23, 1914
|
Admitted to the
Kingston Hospital diagnosed with inflamed Tonsils
|
|
Dec 24, 1914
|
Discharged to
duty from hospital
|
|
Jan 5, 1915
|
Admitted to the
Kingston Hospital diagnosed with Gonorrhea
|
|
Jan 30, 1915
|
Discharged from
hospital to duty
|
|
Mar 29, 1915
|
The Transport
Section, along with horses and wagons, left Kingston to begin the journey to England
|
|
Apr 1, 1915
|
The Transport
Section embarked at St John New Brunswick for England.
On arrival in England they proceeded to the Shorncliffe Camp
|
|
May 15, 1915
|
The main body of
the Battalion disembarked at Devonport England and proceeded to the West Sandling Camp and
were joined up with the Transport Section
|
|
May 28, 1915
|
Reported to be
AWL (Absent Without Leave)
|
|
May 31, 1915
|
Reported for
duty and was sentenced to 5 days detention and fined $2.00 in addition to the forfeiture
of 4 days pay and allowances
|
|
Jul 4, 1915
|
Reported to be
AWL
|
|
Jul 8, 1915
|
Reported for
duty and sentenced to 10 days detention and forfeiture of 5 days pay and allowances
|
|
Sep 12, 1915
|
The Transport
Section embarked for France to be there ahead of the main body of the Battalion
|
|
Sep 15, 1915
|
The main body of
the 21st Battalion disembarked at Boulogne France and joined up with the
Transport Section and then proceeded to St Omer
|
|
Sep 24, 1915
|
Embarked for
France
|
|
Nov 30, 1915
|
Sentenced to 14
days Field Punishment #2 and 15 hours of extra fatigue duty for being absent for 2 days
after being instructed to be ready to move into the front line trenches
|
|
Jan 15, 1916
|
Admitted to No 5 CFA
(Canadian Field Ambulance) diagnosed with Influenza
|
|
Jan 16, 1916
|
Transferred to
the Divisional Rest Station at Goderwaersvelde
|
|
Jan 27, 1916
|
Transferred to
the North Midland Division Casualty Clearing Station
|
|
Feb 3, 1916
|
Transferred to
the No 15 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) at Hazebrouck
|
|
Feb 8, 1916
|
Transferred to
the St John’s Ambulance Brigade Hospital at Etaples
|
|
Feb 29, 1916
|
Invalided to
England aboard the Hospital Ship Gascon
Posted to the
CCAC (Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre) while in hospital in England
|
|
Mar 1, 1916
|
Admitted to the
Duchess of Connaught Canadian Red Cross Hospital at Taplow Bucks. While here, Bronchitis and Emphysema were added to
the diagnosis
|
|
May 4, 1916
|
Discharged to
duty from hospital
|
|
May 8, 1916
|
Transferred to
the 39th Reserve Battalion at West Sandling
|
|
May 10, 1916
|
Reported to be
AWL
|
|
May 12, 1916
|
Sentenced to 6
days Field Punishment #2 and loss of 3 days pay
|
|
Jun 8, 1916
|
Sentenced to 6
months Detention by Court Martial for being absent after being informed that he was to
embark for France. This sentence was reduced
to 42 days in exchange for him proceeding to France
|
|
Sep 10, 1916
|
Transferred to
the 21st Battalion
|
|
Sep 11, 1916
|
Arrived at the
CBD (Canadian Base Depot) at the Rouelles Camp, Havre France. TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st
Battalion
|
|
Oct 1, 1916
|
Left the CBD to
join the 2nd Entrenching Battalion
|
|
Oct 4, 1916
|
Joined the 2nd
Entrenching Battalion at Albert
|
|
Oct 6, 1916
|
Along with 45
other reinforcements, he joined the 21st Battalion when they moved into billets
at Albert. They had just been relieved from
the front line on The Somme and were in desperate need of reinforcements. Pte O’Donovan was assigned to “D”
Company at this time
|
|
Apr 9, 1917
|
He was buried
near where he fell, but following the war, his remains were exhumed and relocated to a
permanent cemetery
Nine Elms Military Cemetery
Thelus France
Post war, the 1914-15
Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny), Scroll and
Memorial Cross were sent to his mother, Mrs MA O’Donovan, at 79 Broad St, Ottawa
Ontario
|
|
