Cpl. Bernard Gabriel Joseph Sarsfield O'Shaughnessy

Bernard Gabriel Joseph Sarsfield O'Shaughnessy was born at Halswell, a suburb of Christchurch in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island, on 25 March 1895 (reg. 1895/15297). His parents were William O'Shaughnessy (1862-1896) and Jane Theresa O'Shaughnessy (nee McDrury), who had married at Kaiapoi in the Waimakariri District of the Canterbury region on 31 May 1887. William died at their home in Clothier Street, Linwood, on 25 January 1896 after a short illness. He was 33 years of old, and was buried in Linwood Cemetery (Area 2, Row H, Plot 1336.). Linwood is a suburb of Christchurch. Bernard joined the Canterbury Infantry Regiment during World War I (Service No. WWI 7/2116 & WWI 7/2216). He was killed in action by a German sniper at the Somme in Northern France on 1 October 1916. Bernard was buried in the Caterpillar Valley Cemetery (XXIV. K. 8.), and is also remembered on the O'Shaughnessy family memorial at Linwood Cemetery (bio by Debbie McCauley, 9 July 2022).

Sources

1. Cenotaph: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/...
2. New Zealand and World War One Roll of Honour: http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~sooty/genealogy/nzefrohO.html / Ref 13.4.2021