FAMILY LIFE

John Leo Fogarty was born at Echuca, Victoria in c1894 to parents John and Margaret (nee Banko) Fogarty. He attended a convent school in Berrima before his parents took their 8 children & settled at Doon-Doon near Uki in about 1910, where the family ran a dairy farm. His mother is listed on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district. His brother, Michael, also enlisted in November 1915. A farewell dinner and presentation were held for John by the Doon Doon community in late July, 1915.

ATTESTATION

He was single horse driver, eager to do his bit. He travelled to Brisbane on 21^1st July 1915 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his father, John, of Soon Doon. His medical showed John was 21 years 5 months, stood 6ft 5in (195.5cm) and weighed 175lbs (79kg) with blue eyes, dark brown hair, with a fresh complexion. His eyesight was good

The Examining Medical Officer stated that John “can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service.”  On the second page of the Attestation Paper, he made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, John Leo Fogarty, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War … SO HELP ME, GOD.” 

He was Roman Catholic and had 2 scars on his right left, calf & another on his throat.  He was enlisted as a private into the 2^nd Light Horse – 14^th Reinforcements with service No 2032. Unbelievably his older brother Michael, who enlisted in the same unit five months later in Cairns was allocated Regimental No 2033.

TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA

As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together

Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the men received their vaccinations for smallpox, rabies & plague, then a recruit had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave

Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.

This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training would take several months

The recruits were issued with their uniform: a khaki woollen jacket, heavy cord breeches and the famous slouch hat – turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge. A soldier’s equipment also included a dixie (mess tin), water bottle, mug, .303 Lee-Enfield rifle and bayonet.

VOYAGE OVERSEAS

Both brothers embarked for Egypt with their unit from Brisbane Qld on board HMAT A62 Wandilla on 31 Jan 1916.  The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. On-board, Officers organised rigorous training drills and exercise sessions for the men. They were expected to do their own washing, sweep the decks and carry out other chores

Attempts at breaking up the boredom, apart from the regular drill, varied. Shipboard activities included regular church parades and concerts. Troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection. Sports and recreation included boxing, deck quoits, draughts. Also, the commanding officer's morning inspection; kit inspections; submarine drill; recreation such as the on deck 'open air' library, deck billiards, pillow fighting and card games including Nap. As well, conditions on the ships were cramped and the risk of illness was constant. 

Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. Many of the troops experienced bouts of seasickness on the voyage. The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

HELIOPOLIS TRAINING CAMP 7^th MARCH TO 16^th APRIL 1916

The Wandilla arrived in Suez, Egypt, by 7 March 1916. From there, John & Michael would have travelled by train to the Australian Light Horse training camp at Heliopolis. The unit were engaged in final training and acclimatisation to desert conditions which included route marches, rifle practice, musketry drills, bayonet fighting, entrenching, and sandstorm readiness. Men were organized into specific reinforcement groups for their destined units & medical checks and equipment issue, including tropical kit suited for desert and Suez Canal zone service. Heliopolis, on the outskirts of Cairo, was relatively well-developed. The main camp was established on desert land near the Heliopolis Palace Hotel, which was converted into a hospital. While it had some infrastructure, soldiers experienced a mix of comforts and hardships:

·      Accommodation: Most men lived in large canvas tents in the open desert, often 10–12 to a tent. Nights were cold, days hot.

·      Heat and dust: The sun was relentless by March. Daytime heat climbed above 30°C. Fine dust got into clothing, food, and gear.

·      Water: Supplied in limited quantities; drinking water was often tepid and had to be chlorinated.

·      Food: Rations were basic — bully beef, biscuits, tea — supplemented occasionally with local bread or dates. Fresh food was rare.

·      Flies and hygiene: Flies swarmed everywhere, attracted by latrines and food waste. Sanitary arrangements were poor at times, contributing to dysentery outbreaks.

·      Discipline and boredom: When not training, soldiers were confined to camp or allowed limited leave to Cairo — which brought both relief and trouble (alcohol, brothels, crime).

·      Recreation: Some cricket, boxing, and concerts were organised, often by the YMCA or chaplains.

SERAPEUM TRAINING CAMP MID MARCH TO JUNE 1916

The unit was then posted at the Serapeum training camp mid March.

They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in the Egyptian training camp, the volunteers left their old lives farther behind. Serapeum, located on the western side of the Suez Canal (south of Ismailia), was a key defensive and training area for the AIF during 1916. The activities here included digging and maintaining defences along the Suez Canal Zone. Trenches, redoubts, and observation posts were being reinforced throughout this period. Field training in open desert conditions was undertaken — simulating battle situations, movement in formation, and responding to enemy raids. Fatigue duties and canal guard rotations — some men would have patrolled the Canal Zone or maintained telegraph lines and supply routes- occurred.

Reinforcement staging — Serapeum served as a final staging point before troops were shipped to France as part of the AIF's move to the Western Front.

·      Serapeum was even more remote — a hot, barren stretch of desert near the Suez Canal. The camp was strictly military, functional, and less forgiving than Heliopolis.

·      Isolation: No town nearby; just the canal and the endless desert. Leave was rare.

·      Accommodation: Again, men lived in tents pitched on the sand, exposed to the elements. Some used sandbags and canvas screens for wind protection.

·      Climate: Even hotter — days well over 35°C by May. Heat exhaustion and sunstroke were real concerns.

·      Sandstorms: Khamsin winds blew up powerful sandstorms that tore through the camp, filled tents with dust, and buried equipment.

·      Training demands: Marches through the heat, digging trenches, and mock attacks across soft sand took a physical toll.

·      Insects and illness: Flies, fleas, lice, and occasional outbreaks of diarrhoea and “sand rash” (a kind of heat rash or prickly heat) were common.

·      Morale: Many soldiers were eager to leave Egypt and get to France, which was seen as the “real” war

TRANSFER TO 4^TH AUSTRALIAN DIVISIONAL ARTILLERY- TAKEN ON STRENGTH 11th FIELD ARTILLERY BATTERY APRIL 1916 APPOINED GUNNER

While based at Serapeum Egypt, John and Michael were both transferred to the 4th Australian Divisional Artillery on 16 Apr and taken on strength with the 11th Australian Field Artillery Brigade as Gunners. They were both posted to the 11th Australian (Howitzer) Battery on 21 Apr 1916. John was appointed gunner

ARRIVAL IN FRANCE JUNE 1916

John embarked from Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Forces on 1 Jun 1916 and disembarked at Marseilles on 10 Jun 1916. The unit was transported north by train to the Armentières sector, near the Belgian border. This region was considered a "nursery sector" — a quieter part of the Western Front used to introduce newly arrived troops to trench warfare. Artillery units like the 11th FAB began establishing gun positions, registering targets, and supporting minor trench raids.

WESTERN FRONT & TRENCH WARFARE

John & his unit now found themselves fighting the Germans in trench warfare. On the Western Front in 1914–1918, both sides constructed elaborate trench, underground, and dugout systems opposing each other along a front, protected from assault by barbed wire. The area between opposing trench lines (known as "no man's land") was fully exposed to artillery fire from both sides. Attacks, even if successful, often sustained severe casualties. Trench warfare created a living environment for the men which was harsh, stagnant, and extremely dangerous. Not only were trenches constantly under threat of attack from shells or other weapons, but there were also many health risks that developed into large-scale problems for medical personnel. Apart from the inescapable cold during the winters in France & Belgium, trenches were often completely waterlogged and muddy, and crawling with lice and rats

The time soldiers spent in the trenches varied depending on factors like their army's rotation system and the intensity of the conflict in their sector. On average:

·      Front-line trenches: Soldiers typically remained here for about 4–6 days at a time. This was where the fighting was most intense and the conditions were the harshest.

·      Support and reserve trenches: After time on the front line, soldiers were rotated to these positions for around 6–12 days. These trenches were set further back and offered slightly better conditions.

·      Rest periods: Soldiers were then moved away from the trench system entirely for rest, training, and recovery, often lasting several weeks, depending on operational needs.

The rotation system helped prevent complete physical and mental exhaustion, but the constant dangers of trench life meant there was rarely any true respite.

JULY 1916 – SUPPORTING INFANTRY & PREPARING FOR THE SOMME

Throughout July, the 11th FAB provided defensive barrages and counter-battery fire, targeting German artillery. The brigade rotated through positions, likely firing 18-pounder field guns and 4.5-inch howitzers. They supported Australian and British infantry in holding the line, while also training for the expected shift to offensive action.

AUGUST 1916 – TRANSFER TO THE SOMME

In early August, the 11th FAB moved south to the Somme sector, as part of the I ANZAC Corps’ involvement in the ongoing Battle of the Somme. The Australians took over near Pozières, a small village that became the site of one of the most brutal battles the AIF faced.

The artillery supported the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Australian Divisions, delivering intense barrages ahead of infantry advances and defending against counter-attacks.

BATTLE OF POZIERES- AUGUST

The 11th FAB played a critical role in this battle, laying down creeping barrages, targeting enemy trenches, machine gun nests, and shelling German reinforcements. German counter-bombardments were relentless. Artillery units often worked under fire and suffered casualties. The town of Pozières was reduced to rubble; the battlefield was a moonscape of shell holes and unburied dead.

SEPTEMBER 1916 – BATTLE OF MOUQUET FARM

After Pozières, the brigade supported further attacks on Mouquet Farm, a fortified German position northwest of Pozières.

Fighting at the farm stretched into early September. The artillery continued to support infantry with barrage and suppression fire, but the terrain, mud, and enemy strength made gains difficult.

Losses were high, and the men of the 11th FAB were exhausted by this time

HOSPITALISED INFLUENZA- SEPTEMBER

For most of the remainder of 1916 and early 1917, John Fogarty was hospitalised, suffering from poor health including influenza and dental problems. In September he was admitted to the Field Ambulance with influenza. This was a dangerous disease to have in an area with a lot of people who would continue to spread the infection. Many people died with this disease which could cause trouble breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, seizures and/or severe weakness or muscle pain.

There was no effective medical treatment for Influenza. The Army Nurse Corps was critical for soldier’s care. Symptom management by skilled supportive nursing care was the best predictor of positive patient outcomes and decreases in mortality rates. This care consisted of duties such as administering medications, monitoring vital signs, fever control, providing hydration, rest, dressing changes, open-air therapy, bed baths, clean bedding, feeding, back and chest rubs with camphorated sweet oil, and cleaning the ward. He rejoined his unit on 2^nd October 1916

HOSPITALISED DENTAL TREATMENT DECEMBER 1916

John was hospitalised for dental treatment (no details) on 2^nd December. He re-joined his unit from hospital on 14 Dec 1916

HOSPITALISED LEG ULCER JANUARY 1917

John was hospitalised again on 16 Jan 1917, suffering from an ulcer on his left leg. He was admitted to the Base Depot in Rouen and eventually attached to the Australian General Base Depot (AGBD) which was a large staging, training, and administrative camp located just outside the town of Étaples on the northern coast of France.

AGBD FEBRUARY 1917

Here John would convalesce but continue with drilling & training as the technology and techniques were rapidly changing and soldiers had to be up to date when they were ready to rejoin their units.

ATTACHED TO BASE SALVAGE CORPS APRIL 1917

On 7^th April John was attached to the Base Salvage Corps. This was a logistics and recovery unit responsible for salvaging usable material (weapons, tools, wire, equipment, clothing) from the battlefield or abandoned depots and bringing it back to base for reuse or repair. He was not yet ready to rejoin the fighting

REJOINED UNIT MAY 1917

On 9th May 1917 John was classed as A which meant he was ready to rejoin his unit. He rejoined the 11th FAB in the Ypres–Messines sector of Belgium. This was a time of intense artillery activity as the AIF prepared for a major offensive. The gunners were moving into forward gun positions, often under cover of night. They were registering targets, setting up ammunition dumps, and preparing for barrage sequences & living in dugouts, bunkers, or open pits — often muddy and exposed.

BATTLE OF MESSINES JUNE 1917

On 7 June 1917, the Battle of Messines began with the detonation of 19 massive mines under German lines — one of the most powerful man-made explosions at the time. The 11th FAB supported the 3rd Australian Division and New Zealand troops, delivering creeping barrages ahead of the advancing infantry. They counter-battery fired to silence German guns with SOS barrages to repel counterattacks.

Artillery fire was constant, and German retaliatory shelling was heavy. Many artillerymen were killed or wounded in their gun pits.

The battle was a success — the ridge was taken — but casualties among the artillery were high.

KILLED IN ACTION 16^TH JUNE 1917

On 16 Jun 1917, Gunner Fogarty was wounded at Messines, Belgium and was moved to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station where he died the same day at the age of 23.

On 20^th October 1917 Base Records advised his father that John was killed due to a bullet wound to his head. However, letters received by the family from his brother Michael and from John’s commanding officer, Major P M Edwards, tell of the injury being caused by a shell landing in his vicinity, lifting him into the air, and causing a major injury to his leg. 

BURIAL

He was buried at Baillieu Communal Cemetery Extension France (Plot III, Row B, Grave No 247) on 17 Jun 1917.

FOR HIS SERVICE

John Leo Fogarty has been memorialised at the Australian War Memorial, Panel No 16 of the Roll of Honour and on the Murwillumbah War Memorial, Uki Tweed River South Arm War Memorial

Gunner Fogarty’s effects were returned to his father and consisted of a Fountain Pen, Pipe, Cigarette Holder, Purse containing Scapulars, Medallions, Rosary, Card Case, Safety Razor, Wallet, 5 Military Books, Book of Views, Pair Gloves and Semaphore Cards.

His father received his memorial scroll on 19th December 1921 and his Memorial Plaque on 30th Aug 1922. The victory medal was received on 3rd March 1923

If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.