Lieutenant Colonel Owen Arthur Kessels

Service number	QX36757
Birth Date	1903-05-04
Birth Place	Australia: Queensland, Brisbane
Death Date	1973-06-18
Final Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Service	Australian Army
Unit	49th Australian Infantry Battalion
Place	Brisbane
Conflict/Operation	Second World War, 1939-1945
Gazettes	Published in London Gazette in 1943-12-23 Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1943-12-23

Rolls

Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

Conflict

Second World War, 1939-1945
Honours and Awards:

Unit

49th Australian Infantry Battalion

Conflict

Second World War, 1939-1945

Rank

Lieutenant Colonel

London Gazette

23 December 1943 on page 5574 at position 7

Commonwealth Gazette

23 December 1943 on page 2797 at position 43

Timeline

Date of birth	04 May 1903
Date and unit at appointment (Officers)	01 January 1922
Other units	01 January 1922	Lieutenant 26th Battalion.
Other units	01 July 1923	49th Battalion.
Date promoted	01 July 1925	Appointed captain.
Date promoted	13 February 1929	Appointed major.
Other units	01 July 1930	25/49th Battalion.
Other units	01 October 1934	9/49th Battalion.
Date promoted	1939-08-01 - 1940-07-05	Appointed lieutenant colonel to command 9/49th Battalion.
Other	1940-02-26 - 1940-03-02	Course senior officers Tactical Course.
Other units	1940-06-05 - 1940-09-15	Full time duty commanding officer Caloundra Infantry Training Depot.
Other units	1940-07-06 - 1942-01-27	Lieutenant colonel - 9th Battalion.
Other	21 November 1941	Course Northern Command Motor Training School Commanding Officer's Driving and Maintenance Course #1.
Other units	1942-01-28 - 1943-07-31	Commanding officer 49th Battalion.
Date and unit at enlistment (ORs)	01 July 1942	Enlisted in the 2nd AIF.
Other units	1943-01-17 - 1943-07-03	Attached Headquarters 30th Brigade.
Date returned to Australia	14 March 1943	Returned to Cairns.
Other	23 May 1943	Contracted malaria.
Other units	01 August 1943	Commanding officer No 4 Base Sub Area New Guinea.
Other	19 September 1943	Arrived Moresby.
Date of honour or award	21 December 1943	Companion of the Distinguished Service Order.
Other units	05 January 1944	Assistant adjutant and quarter master general Lae Base Sub Area.
Date returned to Australia	08 May 1944	Returned to Townsville.
Other units	17 August 1944	Assistant adjutant and quarter master general No 1 Australian Base Sub Area.
Other	24 August 1944	Arrived Moresby.
Other	21 March 1945	Arrived Morotai.
Other units	27 March 1945	Attached Headquarters 11 Australian Base Sub Area Planning Party 19.
Date returned to Australia	11 April 1945
Other	22 May 1945	Arrived Morotai.
Other	19 August 1945	Arrived Manila.
Other units	31 August 1945	Assistant adjutant and quarter master general 3rd Australian prisoner of war Reception group.
Other units	1946-01-14 - 1946-03-29	Adjutant and quarter master general director quarter master general Headquarters AMF.
Other	01 May 1946	Reserve of Officers.
Date of death	18 June 1973