CWGC thanks Noonans Mayfair Ltd for this story.

Oscar Palmer was the son of Mr Frank William and Mary Palmer of Selwyn Road, Plaistow, Essex. He resided in Temora, New South Wales, Australia, and enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Cootamundra in September 1915. Palmer embarked for the Middle East with 1 Company, 1 Mining Corps in February 1916, and served with the 1st Tunnelling Company, Australian Engineers on the Western front from April 1916.

He distinguished himself during the tunnelling operations at Hill 60, Ypres and was awarded the Military Medal (M.M.) published in the London Gazette 25 May 1917. The original recommendation states:

‘Noises in the half-untamped Hill 60 gallery were heard and on April 5th, the Germans could be heard working a winch in some neighbouring shaft. Four days later the enemy raided the British trenches searching for mines, and blew in the entrances of some of the shallow infantry subways and captured five Australian tunnellers. The damage on the surface was extensive but, except for impeded ventilation the ‘deeps’ were intact. Twenty-five British infantrymen in one of the subways were asphyxiated by gas from the German demolition charges despite the fine efforts of Sapper Palmer and others to guide them clear. An Australian officer died as a result and several Australians were gassed in this rescue work.’

Palmer was on leave in the UK in January 1919, and re-joined his unit, 13 February 1919. He was admitted to No. 2 Australian Field Ambulance two days later, and transferred to No. 20 Casualty Clearing Station. Sapper Palmer died of Pneumonia, 24 February 1919, and was buried in Charleroi Communal Cemetery, Belgium.

Military Medal, G.V.R. (233 Sapr O. Palmer. 1/T’Lg: Coy Aust: E.); British War and Victory Medals (233 Spr. O. Palmer. 1 Tun. Coy A.I.F.).