Rifleman, Pvt. Patrick O’Shaughnessy #36882 – 100 Years of WW1 Commemoration:
Rifleman, Pvt. Patrick O’Shaughnessy #36882 – NZ Rifle Brigade: Otautau War Memorial, where Pvt. Patrick O'Shaughnessy is remembered Born probably in August 1877, in Ballylin East, Craughwell, County Galway, Ireland. Patrick later immigrated to NZ and settled at Wrey’s Bush, working as a labourer for the Wallace County Council. According to a letter in his war file, a brother John and two sisters, remained in Ireland, with Patrick’s mother having died and been buried in Ballymana Parish, in Ireland. In all the documents I’ve seen, there is not one mention of his father, or his father’s name. Although there's mention in the war file of his mother being Mrs J. O’Shaughnessy also of Wrey’s Bush, I have seen no corroborating evidence of this, indeed I have found quite the opposite. Interestingly on further investigation, it appears the woman from Wrey’s Bush claiming to be Patrick’s mother after he died (a Mrs. J.D. O’Shaughnessy – seen below), was labelled ...