Patrick Ongley was with the Otago Regiment during the German spring Offensive in the early months of 1918 and, after its failure, the advance towards the German frontier and the liberation of long-held French territory. Then the Allied forces came to the French town of Bapaume. It had been turned into a fortress by a German army which had its back to the wall and was becoming desperate. Patrick's Company, the 4th, attacked on August 25:
"The Battalion's casualties during this operation were heavy, particularly those of the right Company, the 4th, which lost over 50 per cent of its initial strength, including its commander, Captain E. V. Freed, M.C., who was shot down when in the van of the attack. Captain Freed was a fine type of soldier, very determined, and indifferent to all danger where his purpose was to be achieved. Although mortally wounded and nearing the end he had insisted on being carried to Battalion Headquarters when on the way out to the Dressing Station in order to report the situation. There was a high percentage of casualties among the senior n.c.o.'s of the Battalion, and in this list was Sergt.-major W. Schaumann, of 4th Company, who was killed at the extreme point of the morning's advance." -Official History of the Otago Regiment.
Yesterday Mr F. W. Ongley received word that his brother, Lieut. P. A. Ongley, had been killed in action. Lieut. Ongley, who was in his twenty-sixth year, left with the 27th Reinforcements. He was the fifth son of Mr F. Ongley, of Oamaru, and received his primary education at St. Patrick's and South Schools, proceeding from the latter to the Waitaki High School, where he obtained his B.A. degree. "Gus'' was prominent in football and cricket circles, being a South Island representative in the first-named and one of the North Otago representatives in its cricket team. His fame as a sterling batsman was well established, his well-known century the old North Road field being still well remembered locally. At the time of enlistment he was on the teaching staff of Wellington College. Two other brothers, "Monty" and "Bob," are also on service. Very general sorrow will be felt at the untimely cutting off of so promising a life, and much sympathy will he felt for the bereaved relatives. -Oamaru Mail, 14/9/1918.
On the motion of Cr. Bramwell, the Feilding Borough Council passed a motion of sympathy with the Mayor, his mother and the family, on the death in action of Lieut. P. A. Ongley. Cr. Bramwell said he had known something of the late Lieut. Ongley's work at the Feilding District High School and the Wellington College, and he knew Lieut. Ongley was a young man who could ill be spared. -Wanganui Chronicle, 14/10/1918.
Oamaru Cemetery.
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