The story behind 'Newfoundland's most bereaved mother of WW II'

Within the span of two years during the Second War World, a mother from St. John's lost four sons.

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A large rock with a big black anchor and chain sits in O'Brien Park on Signal Hill Road, as a monument for Margaret O'Brien and her four children who died during the war.

Engraved in the plaque are the names and dates of death of all four men Maurice, Michael, James and David and the name of their mother, who was recognized as "Newfoundland's most bereavedmother for World War Two."

Maurice O'Brien was the first of the four brothers to die, when the convoy he was on theHMSForfar sunkin December 1940.

For the next two years after that, three other O'Brien brothers would die.

Their father, Maurice O'Brien Sr., also died in 1942, leaving behind his wife and their surviving son, Denis.

David O'Brien died while working aboard the HMS Frisky a tug boat that worked in St. John's harbour in October 1942.

Michael O'Brien went down on theS.S.Eastleain March 1941.

"James [O'Brien] is a complete mystery," said Gary Green of theCrow's Nest Officer's Club."I could find nothing on him anywhere."

The BroadcastHost JaneAdeyenlisted Green's help to piece together the history of the family.

Green said information on the family, whose sacrifice to the Second World War ismemorialisedin downtown St. John's,wasn't readily available.

Hewould like people with information on theO'Briensto come forward todocument their history.

"We have talkedto numerous veterans over the years who tell incredible stories none of which appear in the history books," Green said.

"This is just an incredible story about sacrifice that a family gave, but [also]thesacrificeof this woman."

Mrs. O'Brien didn't die until 1963, and by Green's research, the woman was well into themid-80s.

"She had lived a long, full life and for a number of years afterward carryingall of this with her."