Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Henry Odell a bank manager, born 1857 in Leicester, and his wife Annie Aelaide, born 1862 in Gawler, South Australia. Oliver Henry Cecil was born in 1894 in Uppingham, Rutland, his siblings were, Daisie Irene, born 1892 and Kathleen May, born 1897, both his siblings were born in Uppingham, Rutland, in March 1901 the family home was at The Cottage, Adderley Street, Uppingham, Rutland. In April 1911 Oliver was a patient in the Oakham Public School Sanatorium, Rutland, his parents were residing in Preston, Rutland together with his siblings, Daisie, Charles Sidney, born 1904 and Annie Lilian, born 1906, the latter two siblings were both born in Uppingham, Rutland. Oliver was shown to have been a pupil at Oakham School, Rutland between 1907 and 1911, where he is recorded on the War memorial, he is also recorded on the 1914 – 1919 War Memorial in King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, under the heading, “Boys at the Choir School.” On the 28th August 1918 at Valcartier, Quebec, Canada he underwent an Army medical examination which showed him to be 5 foot 11½ inches in height, with a chest measurement of 33 to 35½ inches, his complexion was given as fresh, with brown eyes and blonde hair, it was noted that he had 3 vaccination scars on his left arm, he gave his religion as Church of England, he was pronounced fit for service and subsequently enlisted into the 14th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Royal Montreal Regiment) on the 22nd September 1914, he gave his date of birth as the 27th December 1894 and his trade or calling as insurance, he stated he was unmarried and gave his next of kin as Mrs Odell of Gretton, Kettering, Northamptonshire, England, he confirmed that he had served for one year with the O.T.C. and one year with the V.R.C. He embarked with his regiment for France where he entered the theatre of war on the 15th February 1915. He was gazetted as 2nd Lieutenant on the 15th October 1915 into the 3rd Battalion London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers). The War Diary records. 10/9/16. Battalion relieving the QUEEN VICTORIA'S RIFLES and the LONDON RIFLE BRIGADE in the front line in the area of LEUZE WOOD. 11/9/16. Battalion subjected to heavy shelling with 1 officer and 8 men killed, 2 officer's and 93 men wounded, 3 men missing. Oliver was killed in action at Ginchy, France. He was awarded the 1915 Star, British and Victory Medals.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
The following information was kindly submitted to the project by P Goult in 2016: "Oliver Henry Cecil Odell is also commemorated on Gretton War Memorial, Northamptonshire. His mother, Annie Odell was resident in Gretton."