Battle of Cocos Island 1914
ABLE SEAMAN OSWALD RICHARD JEFFERY 1718 RAN.
Oswald Jeffery was born in Bendigo Victoria in June 1986, the eldest son of Edith and Richard Jeffrey. Richard passed away in 1911, which may have been the reason that Oswald enlisted in the RAN, the following year as a Boy Seaman in the first intake on HMAS Tingira.
Oswald was advanced to Boy 1st Class in June 1913 and to Ordinary Seaman 2nd Class in October of that year when he joined the Light Cruiser HMAS Sydney. He served on Sydney until September 1917, including in the famous battle against the SMS Emden at Cocos Keeling Islands. He was advanced to Ordinary Seaman 1st Class on his 18th birthday and to Able Seaman in March 1917.
In September 1917 he was repatriated to Australia to serve at HMAS Cerberus. Whilst at Cerberus a warrant was issued for his arrest for desertion, however this was clearly a mistake as his SC has no record of this and his “Character” remained assessed as “Very Good”.
He later served in HMAS Brisbane, Sydney, Australia, the Naval College yacht Franklin before discharging from HMAS Tingira in June 1921 “End of Engagement”. Whilst in Sydney he was sentenced to 21 days in detention, wholly suspended.
On leaving the RAN, Oswald returned to Bendigo working as a labourer. He married Edith Thomas in 1927 and the couple lived in Preston in Melbourne for the remainder of their lives.
Oswald Richard Jeffery passed away on the 14th of May 1960. His body was cremated, and his ashes interred in the Fawkner Memorial Park, Garden of Remembrance 3 Wall Niches, Section 6, Wall A Niche 13. His wife Edith passed in 1971.
