A question for our Australian specialists (Advice sought about researching John Oscar Stait - Probably that should be Oscar Ernest Stait!)

[Polar Bear]

So under lockdown I was pootling around various dusty corners of the interwebs looking in to anything related to my family when I came across something:

 

 

It is entitled John Oscar Stait and Margaret Edgar, married Lithgow, N.S.W

 

And what struck my immediately was the similarity between him and my great, great uncle (commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial). They could easily be brothers (they aren't) but they do share the same (fairly unusual) surname. Cousins perhaps? I do not know the link. Anyway as to my question. If this guy was from the UK I would know what I was doing but never having researched an Australian soldier before... umm... help? [It does look like he survived the war for thankfully I can't see a CWGC entry for him]

 

Where do I go? What resources are available? I've looked at The Long, Long Trail but I can't see anything (which may just mean I'm blind/ technologically challenged). Ditto for a quick search of this forum.

 

Any pointers would be immensely helpful.

 

Yours in appreciation of any assistance,

 

P

 

 

Image from Discovering Anzacz/ National Archives of Australia and Archives NZ

 

 

 

 

Edited 25 May , 2020 by Polar Bear
Spelling words correctly tends to help. Also making attribution of picture clearer

[davidbohl]

From Trove Newspapers, this must be the death of his father

Dave

 

DEATH OF AN OLD RESIDENT.

 

(From our own Correspondent.)

 

The death occurred on Tuesday at his re-

sidence on he Williewa, of Mr. John Oscar

Stait, a very old and highly respected resid-

ent. Deceased was a native of Parramatta,

where he was born on October 8, 1841, and

was married in Sydney in November, 1865.

Coming to Portland about 65 years ago he

resided for a time at Meadow Flat, from

which place he went to Sunny Corner, where

he worked for 25 years. He and his two

brothers were the founders of Sunny Corner

mines. It was here that deceased worked

a small farm, while his two brothers pros-

pected. Having had some success, they went

away for a few weeks, and on ltheir return

found their claim had been jumped by other

prospectors, and as they had been more than

14 days away, they lost their claim. One

brother is still living at Sunny Corner on

the farm. For many years before the con-

struction of the railway, he drove teams over

the mountains, and for some years was em-

ployed by Cobb and Co. His later life was

spent in the Portland district, having resid-

ed on the Williewa for about 41 years. Dur-

ing this period he was occupied in prospect-

ing and digging on the Turon and other

parts of the district. For the last years,

he has been an invalid. Deceased was an

interesting personality and could tell many

a good tale about the old times. He was

in Portland in the early days of the lime

industry, when lime was burned in small

square holes in the ground, and had to be

taken to 'Wang by teams. He has left a

widow and family of five sons and four

daughters, most of whom reside in Portland

and district. His two sons, George and Os-

car, reside in Lithgow, one daughter in

Newtown, and another at Emu Plains. His

grandchildren number 44, and great-grand-

children 7. The funeral took place on

Thursday, and was largely attended. The

remains were interred in the Portland ceme-

tery. Much sympathy is expressed for those

Fix this textbereaved.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Is he perhaps Oscar Ernest Stait?

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8093373

[Polar Bear]

7 minutes ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

Is he perhaps Oscar Ernest Stait?

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8093373

 

Certainly looks like it from the wifes name!

 

Looks like the website has it captioned wrong. Will amend title of thread accordingly. And thank you to both.

 

P

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

His attestation form makes interesting reading...

[Mark1959]

Oscar Ernest married Margaret Edgar 1916. Registered Portland NSW. Oscar died aged 95 in 1984.

[The Inspector]

Hi

Public Tree and loads of information here.....https://www.ancestry.co.uk/mediaui-viewer/tree/2407688/person/-1843756104/media/92f29025-d67a-4e8f-bfbe-f0a5564d8cca

Regards Barry

[Polar Bear]

5 minutes ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

His attestation form makes interesting reading...

 

I've just read that!

 

Q: Are you married?

A: No!

 

Q: Next of Kin?

First Answer: (Looks to be a relative. His Father?)

This is then corrected in pen to his wife, Margaret! Though in light of what Mark1959 has jsut posted perhaps he was correct when he originally wrote it, but then the situation changes...

 

His service record makes grim reading though: Gassed... Twice, later caught 'Out of Bounds', Salisbury!

 

And thanks to Mark and Dai... also The Inspector.

 

P

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Just now, Polar Bear said:

Q: Are you married?

A: No!

I think it was something like:

"Are you married?"

"What are the choices?"

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

The Inspector's link to the tree does give a possible way to link to the Thiepval soldier, via John Oscar Stait's father, who got to Australia, and not with Qantas...

[Mark1959]

OE’s dad was John Oscar. This JO is the brother of the father of another John Oscar (1993-64) who married in same locality in 1917. 

[WhiteStarLine]

The AIF Project is always useful for quick lookups.

 

Oscar Ernest Stait

 

Regimental number	2986
Place of birth	Portland New South Wales
Religion	Church of England
Occupation	Carrier
Address	Portland, New South Wales
Marital status	Married
Age at embarkation	26
Next of kin	Wife, Mrs Margaret Stait, c/o J Edgan, Hill Street, Lithgow, New South Wales
Enlistment date	25 July 1916
Rank on enlistment	Private
Unit name	54th Battalion, 7th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number	23/71/4
Embarkation details	Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on 25 October 1916
Rank from Nominal Roll	Private
Unit from Nominal Roll	53rd Battalion
Fate	Returned to Australia 9 March 1919

[Polar Bear]

Grateful thanks to all who have replied.

 

P