VETERAN OF 102.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1920, Page 4

VETERAN OF 102.

DEATH AT NEW PLYMOUTH. SOLDIER OF MANY CAMPAIGNS. A remarkable career was brought to a close by the death at New Plymouth last night of Mr. Michael O'Donnell, who had reached the age of 102 years. For the past sixteen years Mr. O'Donnell hud resided with his son at Tongaporutu, but recently he came to New Plymouth. The career of this centenarian veteran is a picturesque one, and a few details available show that Mr. O'Donnell had all the remarkable experiences of the older generation of British soldiers. He joined the Imperial Army early in life, and the extent of liis campaigning may be gathered from the fact that he held the British medal (with three clasps), the Balaclava, Sebastopol, Inkerman, and the Turkish medals, while later on his soldiering brought him to New Zealand, and he received the New Zealand medal. The Maori (War brought the late Mr. O'Donnell to Taranaki, and he was engaged in the fighting around New Plymouth, notably at Sentry Hill. When the war ended Mr. O'Donnell decided to settle in New Plymouth, and though all his life had been devoted to soldiering he started business as a bootmaker. Some forty, years ago he established a small shop in a lane which then used to run across the vacant, site in Devon Street where the Theatre Royal stood, and he carried on the business 'of bootmaking here for twenty years. Then Mr. O'Donnell moved to ■ Tongaporutu, but. he still made very good boots, and he made his last pair when he was nearing his hundredth birthday. A man of vigorous constitution Mr. O'Donnell enjoyed good health until two or three years ago, when he began to fail, but until then his remarkable vitality did not disclose his very advanced age. It was only about five years ago that he had to resort to glasses to read with. Four of the deceased's grandsons served in the recent war—Harold, James, Leonard, and Michael O'Donnell.