Studio portrait of 591 Private (Pte) William Lawrence O’Donnell, 32nd Battalion. A stock brander ...

Studio portrait of 591 Private (Pte) William Lawrence O’Donnell, 32nd Battalion. A stock brander from Gepp’s Cross, South Australia, prior to enlistment, he embarked with B Company form Adelaide on 18 November 1915 aboard HMAT Geelong (A2) for Suez. The battalion relocated to the Western Front, France, during June 1916. Pte O’Donnell was wounded in action on 19 July 1916 at the Battle of Fromelles and rejoined his unit four weeks later. He attended the 5th Divisional Bomb School in late September 1916. Pte O’Donnell was wounded in action on a second occasion near Montauban on 31 October 1916 and was able to rejoin his unit a week later. Pte O’Donnell was wounded in action on a third occasion near Vaux-sur-Somme, was evacuated to 5 Casualty Clearing Station where he died of these wounds four days later on 31 May 1918. He was aged 26 years.