Jack Davidson Oliver

(Confirmed)

Born: 1 January, 1892

Died: 9 October, 1935

Biographical Summary:

Wounded in action on 7 August 1915 while serving at Gallipoli with the 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment (1st ALH).  The following describes the events of that day:

[F]rom Pope's Hill … the 1st Australian Light Horse Brigade attacked Turkish positions on the Chessboard at dawn on the 7th August, 1915. Led by Major J M Reid, the ill fated attempt to capture the Chessboard trenches north of the Bloody Angle resulted in severe casualties. The 1st Light Horse Brigade reached the third line of Turkish trenches, but were forced to withdraw due to the strength of the counterattack.  [Source: Australian War Memorial, C02705]

There were heavy casualties as a result of the attack, with the 1st ALH losing 15 killed, 98 wounded and 24 missing [1st ALH War Diary, August 1915].

He was evacuated from Gallipoli to Malta for treatment of a gun shot wound to his groin and lower abdomen.  He was then sent, in September 1915, to England for further treatment.  He remained there until January 1917 when he embarked on the Hospital Ship Kanowna to return to Australia.

His brother William Dalgleish Oliver was wounded in the same action.

He married Frances Sylvia Wiggan in 1919 and soon after took up grazing at Byrock but died at Bourke on 9 October 1935.  In his file is a letter written in 1967 by his widow, applying for his Gallipoli Medal, in which she describes the consequences of being wounded:

He was wounded at Gallipoli and after two or more years in hospitals etc in England he returned home and was discharged as medically unfit on April 1st 1917.

After many years of trouble he died in Bourke on Oct (sic) 10th 1935 from the effect of his wounds.

 [JSB]

Service Number: 46

Ranks:

• Held rank of Private

Birth Records:

• 1 January, 1892 in Katoomba

Death Records:

• Wounded
• 9 October, 1935 in Bourke

Address:

• Pendiana 14 Macpherson Street Cremorne NSW Australia

Relationships:

• father - William Oliver
• mother - Elizabeth Dowell Whately
• wife - Frances Sylvia Wiggan
• brother - James Whately Oliver
• brother - William Dalgleish Oliver

Organisations:

• Member of - 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment

Main Sources:

• OLIVER Jack Davidson Service Number 46 Place of Birth Katoomba NSW Place of Enlistment Sydney NSW Next of Kin Wife OLIVER Frances S (Webpage)
• First World War Embarkation Rolls Jack Davidson Oliver (Webpage)
• FROM ALL PARTS Wounded (Newspaper Article)
• TOWN TOPICS Death (Newspaper Article)
• Death of Mr J D Oliver (Newspaper Article)
• CASUALTIES EIGHTIETH LIST NEW SOUTH WALES WOUNDED DISEMBARKED AT MALTA (Newspaper Article)
• General view of Pope’s Hill Quinn’s Post and Courtney’s Post from Walker’s Ridge Photograph AWM C02705 (Webpage)

Commemorations:

• OLIVER J. on the North Face of the
• Oliver on the Mosman Public School Roll of Honour
• J. on the St Peter's Anglican Church World War 1 Honour Roll