Subject

St. Martin of Tours

Text

n/a

Inscription

In loving memory of our dear son and brother Private Martin O'Dwyer, died in France August 6th, 1916. R.I.P.

Description & History

The window depicted St. Martin of Tours, patron saint of France, dividing his cloak with a beggar. Private O'Dwyer's parents, Mr. and Mrs. John O'Dwyer of 'Laurel Grove', Tahbilk and his sister, Mrs. N. Walsh of West Brunswick donated the window to their local church. The commission was put in train fairly quickly as stained glass artist, William Montgomery sent a design of St. Martin to Mrs. Walsh on 29 May 1917; it was unveiled by the Rev. Father Kavanagh on 5 August 1917, almost exactly a year after the soldier's death. The full cost of the window, £39.5.0 included the installation of a wire guard to protect the window and was paid in cash immediately.

Martin O'Dwyer was a 37 year-old grazier at Tahbilk when he enlisted on 1 April 1915. Only a month later he embarked on HMAT Ulysses with 21 Battalion, bound for Egypt and, ultimately, Gallipoli. Suffering from bronchitis he was admitted to hospitalat Mudros on the island of Lemnos after the Gallipoli evacuation and then rejoined his unit in late January 1916. The battalion was among the first Australian troops to land at Marseilles on 26 March 1916 and marched to the Somme where O'Dwyer took part in the barttle of Pozieres. Private O'Dwyer received gun shot wounds to the abdomen on 4 August 1916 during the fighting at Mouquet Farm and died two days later at 3 Casualty Clearing Station. He was buried at Puchevillers British Cemetery, several miles south-west of Doullons in France.

In a strange quirk of fate, William Montgomery's son, 'Mont',was also in 21 Battalion withMartin O'Dwyer.Sergeant Montgomerysurvived through the same battles, including Mouquet Farm, but he too was killed, on 5 October 1918 at Montbrehain.

References & Acknowledgements

AWM Roll of Honour; NAA: B2455, O'Dwyer, Martin; Euroa Advertiser, 24 August, 1917, p.3.

Thanks to Ray Brown for bringing the window to the author's attention.