Oswald James Shaw

SHAW, Oswald James- – – SPC 1907-1913

DoB:- – 1896 Talbot, VIC

Father:- – James Cleland Shaw, Barrister

Mother:- – Ellen, nee Sharp

Oswald Shaw was a day student at St Patrick’s College. He sat the Junior Public exam in 1912, and passed in Algebra, Geometry, English, French, History, and Latin. He was also a keen sportsman, enjoying cricket and athletics. In 1913, he was vice-Captain of the 1st XVIII, and was considered -‘-¦ one of the ablest workers on the football field’.

Service No:- 6929

Rank:- – Corporal (Military Staff Clerk)

Unit:- – 24th Battalion

Oswald Shaw enlisted on 26 March 1917, a single man aged twenty-one years and three months. He was five feet, nine and three quarter inches tall, with a medium complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His occupation was military clerk. He nominated his mother as his next of kin, care of Miss Stewart, Rialto Buildings, Sturt Street Ballarat.

Corporal Shaw embarked from Melbourne on 11 May 1917, aboard the Ascanius, disembarking at Devonport, England on 20 July. He marched in to the 6th Training Battalion at Folkestone, then later that month, was transferred to Headquarters in London at the Military Stores. On 4 September 1917, he proceeded overseas to France for duty as a Military Staff Clerk.

He returned to Australia on 15 November 1919, aboard the Ypiranga.

Oswald settled in the Melbourne suburb of Albert Park, and married Lysle Phyllis Jacobs in 1924, at the age of 28. They had two children, one of whom was already deceased at the time of Oswald’s death. Oswald died on 19 April 1953, aged 57. He had been suffering from Diabetes for many years. He was buried at the Melbourne General Cemetery, in Carlton.