I have been advised by the AWM that[FONT="] the interview is with Warrant Officer Brian Gregory O’Connell (428820) and not Pilot Officer Bryan McConnell (412021) who is commemorated on the Roll of Honour:[/FONT] Noticed this interview is available from the AWM- Do not know what it entails or what it costs however it would be interesting nonetheless.
Heres another picture Geoff .... wonder if theres anymore of yours in these sets ? B.A. McConnell DFM, 1944, Australian War Grave, Brookwood on Flickr - Photo Sharing! MCCONNELL, BRIAN ALPHONSUS Service Royal Australian Air Force Service Number 412021 Date of Birth 22 Feb 1922 Place of Birth MACLEAN, NSW Date of Enlistment 21 Jun 1941 Locality on Enlistment Unknown Place of Enlistment SYDNEY, NSW Next of Kin MCCONNELL, JAMES Date of Death 6 Jan 1944 Rank Flying Officer Posting on Death 107 Squadron WW2 Honours and Gallantry Distinguished Flying Medal Prisoner of War No Roll of Honour CLARENCE RIVER Theres a few there that maybe of interest to Kyt also ......
I did have them all except McVicar however I was hoping for the two Aussies listed as UK. REYNELL, RICHARD CAREW WHITE, FREDERICK BEN
In Memory of Flight Lieutenant RICHARD CAREW REYNELL 32091, 43 Sqdn., Royal Air Force who died age 28 on 07 September 1940 Son of Colonel Carew Reynell and May Reynell; husband of Enid Marjorie Reynell, of West End, Surrey. Test Pilot, A.F.R. Ae. S. Remembered with honour BROOKWOOD CEMETERY This is his Mum and Dad ........ With ANZAC Day upon us this month, it is fitting that we include something in memory of the fallen. We will hold a brief service at our April meeting in honour of those who gave their lives in war time. But here, we will tell the story of an exceptional woman, Mrs. May Marion Reynell, who followed her husband to war, providing comforts for the soldiers under his command. Marion May Reynell was the daughter of Douglas John Byard, the former head of the Hahndorf College. When war broke out in 1914, her husband went off to the front with the 9th Light Horse Regiment, of which he was the commanding officer. Mrs. Reynell stayed at home for a short time, where she was instrumental in the beginnings of several local branches of the various Comfort Funds. In particular, Mrs. Reynell was a founding member of the South Australian based League of Loyal Women. She spent much of her time raising funds for the purposes of providing comforts for the men of the 9th Light Horse. The various Comfort Funds, raised money from within the communities in Australia and used the money to provide the men abroad with socks, soap and stationary items. These items were then packed up and shipped to the staging camps at the front, from where they were distributed to the soldiers by volunteers - such as May Reynell. Leaving her children behind in Australia, Mrs. Reynell followed her husband to the middle east, where she set up a small café at Heliopolis in the deserts of Egypt adjacent to the Light Horse training camp and staging grounds (the location to which our soldiers went immediately prior to being trans-shipped to Gallipoli). From the modest tent, Mrs. Reynell dispensed tea, biscuits from home, and other comforts to the Australian Soldiers at the front, but in particular to those men of the 9th Light Horse under the command of her husband Carew Reynell. While Mrs. Reynell was serving tea and sympathy to the men, her husband was leading his men into battle against the “Turk” on Hill 60 at Gallipoli. He was killed in action on the night of 28 August 1915 and lies buried in an unmarked grave on the hill side. Part of the Cemetery Register at Hill 60 bears the words “Lieutenant Colonel Carew Reynell, 9thLight Horse. Husband of May Reynell, of Reynella, South Australia. Son of the late Walter and Emily Reynell, aged 32.” May Reynell returned to Australia and died at McLaren Vale in 1967 at the age of 85 and is buried with other family members at the O’Halloran Hill Cemetery. Page 6 http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~safpfhg/pdf/Vol12No2.pdf Looks like he's remembered at the family plot Geoff ! REYNELL Carew 29 March 1905 Husband of May, father of Richard Lt Col, died Gallipoli REYNELL Carew 28 August 1915 Lieut Col 9th Light Horse AIF, twice mentioned in despatches, died Hill 60 Gallipoli. Further details on plaque. REYNELL Emily B 1851 1 March 1905 Wife of Walter, mother of Lenore, Emily, Gladys, Carew & Rupert REYNELL John 15 February 1905 REYNELL Lenore B 10 April 1878 29 September 1959 REYNELL Lydia B 1844 18 March 1905 Sister of Walter, aunt REYNELL Mary 9 February 1905 REYNELL May B 1882 20 May 1905 Wife of Carew, mother of Richard (only son) REYNELL Richard 23 April 1905 Only son of Carew & May F/Lt, died Battle of Britain REYNELL Richard Carew 7 September 1940 RAF No 43 Fighter Squadron Battle of Britain REYNELL Una Mary B 1890 8 June 1905 Wife of Walter Rupert REYNELL Walter B 27 March 1846 10 February 1919 REYNELL Walter Rupert B 1884 1 May 1905 Husband of Una Mary Born 1884 Reynella, DM FRCP, died London http://www.ozgenonline.com/aust_cemeteries/sa/onkaparinga/ohalloranhilldata.htm
Fantastic info Annie! His mother was a marvellous woman by this story. 1905 seemed a very numerous year for the family.
I forgot to add this .... In Memory of Lieutenant Colonel CAREW REYNELL Mentioned in Despatches 9th, Australian Light Horse who died age 32 on 28 August 1915 Son of the late Walter and Emily Reynell; husband of May Reynell, of Reynella, South Australia. Of Reynella. Remembered with honour HILL 60 CEMETERY
Reynell, Carew (1883 - 1915) Biographical Entry - Australian Dictionary of Biography Online May's father ...... Douglas Byard, an Oxford Master of Arts and Anglican lay preacher, had arrived in Australia in 1884. Under his leadership, the 'Hahndorf College' again flourished and became even more widely recognised. With its tradition of scholastic excellence students were attracted from far afield from all over Australia. Some came from cattle stations in Queensland's Gulf country, while others travelled by wool barge down the Darling River from Wilcania in New South Wales. Unlike Boehm's 'Academy', Byard's 'Hahndorf College' was for boys only. Men who became prominent in medicine, law and commerce were products of the 'Hahndorf College'. The Hahndorf College played a leading role in the Adelaide Hills, and its records include names such as Bonython, Downer, Resch and von Doussa. Sir Douglas Mawson's polar expedition was joined by old scholar Cecil Madigan. The large linden-tree behind the College was planted by Mr Byard in 1908. In 1912, the closure of the college marked the end of its long standing role as an educational institution. Mr Byard returned to England in 1916 and lived in retirement at St. Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex. He died in 1946 at the age of ninety. AcademyHistory - The Hahnwiki
Will have to check the name of the suburb and their name. Seems too close to be a coincidence. I was there in March staying with my friend who lives in old Reynella. There is also a Reynell road! Could be one of the "old" families.
Just keep checking the Australian Dictionary of Biography Online ... quite a few of the family there !! The first European settler was John Reynell after whom the township is named. He planted grapes as early as 1838 and laid out the township in 1854. It is said that Thomas Hardy, one of Australia's most famous winemakers, worked for John Reynell. It is worth remembering that Reynella Farm covered 450 acres and that only 15 acres were ever under vines. The railway reached Reynella in 1916 and in the 1950s, as suburban Adelaide moved south, it became an important centre connected to Port Stanvac and Port Noarlunga. Reynell, John (1809 - 1873) Biographical Entry - Australian Dictionary of Biography Online
Thanks Annie, I use it all the time however never had a chance after the post as my lids were becoming very heavy. I pulled a good number of pilot death biographies from there. Cheers Geoff
