Military History: The War in Ukraine - An Australian's Perspective

Maurice O'Connell is an Adelaide resident with a background in finance and banking and earlier in his career as a junior officer in the Irish Guards (UK).

Now retired, he was so moved by what he saw on television of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he went to Ukraine earlier in the year as a self-funded volunteer and spent five months working with a local Ukrainian NGO in Odesa, providing welfare assistance to Internally Displaced People, remote communities, and related humanitarian projects. He is going back in March. Odesa is a city on the front line of this appalling affront to humanity driven by the twisted re-imagining of history by Putin and his cronies.. 

In this address, Maurice will relate how his military background influenced both why he went to Odesa and his role whilst there. He will describe life in a city and community on the front line, and where conditions have considerably worsened with the onset of winter and the deliberate destruction of civil infrastructure by the Russians.

His observations will also relate to life in a city and community at war, enduring constant drone and artillery attacks by day and night. He will also offer some observations about the Ukrainian people and their reactions to what has happened to them, including very recent reports of the impact of the Russian attacks on key Ukrainian centres such as Odesa and Kyiv, where people are getting by with no electricity reticulated water or gas. Worst of all is the impact on communications.

Maurice will share insights into the Ukrainian Military…. “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” gleaned from personal contact and the observations of former US Marine trainers who Maurice became acquainted with, along with an Irish officer in the 'International Foreign Legion' who joined the Legion in early March and has served in the Kharkiv area since.

GUEST SPEAKER: Maurice O'Connell

Time: 1830 lecture begins: 1930 dinner

Members Price: $70.00: $15.00 lecture only

Non-Members: $80.00: $15.00 lecture only

Dress: Jacket and Tie

RSVP: By 5pm, Monday 30th January 2023

CANCELLATION POLICY - Bookings cancelled after the RSVP will incur a 50% charge