Lance Corporal Michael John O’Brien, VX73345

Submitted by his daughter, Pat O’Brien

I was nearly four when my father died on the Centaur. It was also his birthday and his wedding anniversary. My mother had a nervous collapse and never recovered. My aunts reared my sister up and I, and for twenty years little was spoken about him.

Aunty Dell, a nurse, told me little bits like he hung around the hospital in Warrnambool where they all originally came from because he was rather fond of the nurses. He was a snappy dresser, wearing the latest in two-coloured shoes and had a car in which he was fined for driving too fast. He and a mate got a lift from Melbourne to Warrnambool on the Carlton United Brewery dray. It was fully loaded with kegs and pulled by draught horses. I think they had a good time.

He and his brother Jim enlisted in 1941 in non-combat units. Uncle Jim served as a carpenter and joiner and stayed close to headquarters in the Northern Territory and New Guinea. My father Mick enlisted at the Melbourne Town Hall aged 31 years and was placed into the field ambulance unit. Although he had a reserved occupation (butcher) he was released to serve at that relatively late age with the medicos.

Mick trained at Broadmeadows, and then entrained to Camp Hospital, Winnellie near Darwin, where he experienced the first Japanese raids in February 1942. I have photos from that time, where Mick is in a river with only his head showing. A few years ago I asked one of the Centaur survivors about the danger from crocodiles. “We were OK, we had a gun” he said. I don’t think they understood how crocodiles approached their victims! In January 1943, Mick and his Unit were moved to NSW. On the way Mick caught up with his brother Jim. It was to be the last time he saw his brother.

Mick’s unit was moved to Reidtown NSW to bolster the 2/12th Field Ambulance. The unit was transported on board the AHS Centaur leaving Sydney on that fateful journey, intended to disembark at the Atherton Tablelands Qld to join the 2 Australian Corps.

My only clear memory of my father comes from his pre-embarkation leave around April 1943. My mother, sister and I went with him to Anglesea, a Victorian coastal village. We were in a cabin on the river bank and my memory of him is the laughter and delight they showed toward each other. I was also told that he took me everywhere with him. He was very proud of us and I suspect that this has motivated me in my endeavours

Looking back now I don’t know what has been the stronger motivation in me: my aunts who lacked partners after the first world war but nonetheless fully expressed their remarkable talents and skills in work and play; my mother who could not look after us; or my father’s influence. However, I have always known that I had to be prepared to be independent. This carried me through three years of boarding school from the age of 7 years.

Grieving partners and children take many years to find a voice and express their sorrow. When the Centaur Association was formed just over 13 years ago it provided a place for the families to find courage in numbers. I am eternally grateful to the Centaur Commemoration Committee for deciding to build a monument in 1993 at Point Danger to commemorate the 50th anniversary. My sister and I attended the ceremonies, the reunion and formal lunch at Twin Towns Club and had the opportunity to meet the survivors and so many families.

I have been blessed with three children, Thomas 43, Sam 41, Caroline, 38. And the greatest thing is that by the 60th anniversary I was able to go on the Commemorative Journey with my three children and together we participated in all Services from Point Danger through Brisbane to Caloundra.

Since that time the support I have received has been a rare gift. Thomas joined the Centaur Association committee and was the President for over four years. During that time he presided over the incorporation of the Association, which had the happy and unplanned effect of putting the Association in a sound position for the later campaign for the search. He was at the helm when the committee began urging the governments to fund the finding of the Centaur. Sam has been making plans to  provide  the  small  Melbourne contingent with their own banner during the ANZAC March, as up until now we have always been welcomed by the AHS Wanganella contingent. My daughter Caroline and her husband, Pete, have b e e n w o r k i n g o n a w e b s i t e (www.centaur.org.au) which I’m sure will be a wonderful vehicle for more people to participate in the future.