THE ATTACK LAUNCHED.
"Punctually to time the great series of underground mines were fired, the effect instantly being a premonitory heaving and trembling of the earth, as if Nature, in some mad freak of hideous sympathy with the prevalent human wickedness, was preparing to launch an assortment of horrors on her own account. Simultaneously with the rending of the blood-soaked Ridge, again to be the scene of desperate conflict, the dark and sullen sky, as yet untouched by the sleeping dawn, was suffused with a red glow as the fire of the massed artillery broke out along the line, its thunderous reverberations rolling over the distant spaces of the battlefield. The infantry were at once in motion, and in splendid unison were now sweeping over the foremost German defences."
So stated the Official History of the Otago Infantry Regiment.
Michael O'Connor was not the best soldier. He joined the Rifle Brigade in 1915, having been a labourer for the railways. In April 1916 he was returned to New Zealand and discharged as "undesirable." He re-enlisted four months later and was part of the 4th Company,2nd Battalion for the Battle of Messines. He did not answer the roll call after the battle and a Court of Enquiry found that he had been killed in action.
In yesterday's casualty lists the name of Michael John McLeod appeared among the missing. This should have been Michael John O'Connor. He is a son of Mrs J. O Connor, of York place. -Evening Star, 5/7/1917.
O'CONNOR. — On June 7, killed while in action in France, Private Michael John O'Connor (7th and 18th Reinforcements), fourth son of James and Jane O'Connor, 117 York place, Dunedin; aged 20 years and 7 months. -Otago Daily Times, 23/8/1917.
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