Private John Robinson Brooks
Service #: 453
Summary
BACKGROUND
John Robinson Brooks was born in Kangaroo Valley on the 30th August 1887, son of Richard & Mary Brooks. According to NSWBDM he had 5 brothers & one sister. One of his brothers, George, enlisted in May 1918
John travelled to Brisbane on the 21st March 1916 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was a single man and gave his occupation as fairy farmer. His next of kin was his father, Thomas Brooks, of Murwillumbah
Item 11 asks-Do you now belong to, or have you ever served in His Majesty’s Army, the Militia, the Militia Reserve, the Territorial Forces, Royal Navy or Colonial Forces? If so, state which, and is not now serving, state cause of discharge. John answered he had been with the Northern Rivers Light Horse and had resigned.
HOME MILITIA
During WWI, Australia’s home militia was known as the Citizen Forces. Under the Universal Service Scheme, military training was compulsory for young men. While strictly confined to homeland defence, the militia served as the backbone of early deployments and a vital training ground for the oversea
Enacted in 1911, it mandated military training for males aged 12 to 26. This included Junior Cadets (12–14), Senior Cadets (14–18), and the Home Defence Militia (18–26).
No Overseas Service: By law, members of the Citizen Forces could not be deployed to fight overseas. To fight in Europe or the Middle East, militiamen had to volunteer to join the separate Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Up to 50,000 militiamen enlisted in the AIF during the war.
John then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia
PAGE 2
CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER
On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following; “The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him”
OATH
He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, John Robinson Brooks, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law
He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia
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MEDICAL EXAMINATION
John was 25 years 7 months old. He stood at 6ft 1 ½ inches tall (1.84m) and weighed 157lbs (71kgs). He had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. He was dentally fit and his eyesight was good. He had a scar on his right elbow, left knew, left shin and right knee. John was Methodist
CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER
The medical examiner certifies I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -
Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.
He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service
CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER
This is completed during the recruits training. The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him a private with the 5th reinforcements, 10th Machine Gun Company with service number 453
MARIBYRNONG GUNNER TRAINING CAMP, VICTORIA
Although it is not stated on his records, Maribyrnong training camp was the main artillery training depot in Australia during WWI and I assume that is where he trained as he left from Melbourne for overseas. The camp was located in Melbourne’s north-west, along the Maribyrnong River
GUNNERS IN THE INFANTRY
Gunners manned a large field gun in a gun crew of 6–10 men, supporting infantry operations with indirect fire from behind the lines. Recruits underwent:
· Gun drill with 18-pounders and 4.5" howitzers
· Horse handling and harness work (for horse-drawn guns)
· Loading, aiming, and firing the gun
· Range finding and signalling
· Ammunition transport and gun maintenance
· Discipline, fitness, and marching
DAILY LIFE AT THE CAMP
Recruits were housed in wooden huts, canvas tents, or basic barracks. Conditions varied depending on the time of year — cold and wet in winter, dusty and hot in summer. Latrines were shared, and hygiene was basic but regimented. Reveille (wake-up) was at 5:30–6:00am, followed by roll call and breakfast.
TRAINING ROUTINE
Training days were long and physically demanding:
|
Time |
Activity |
|
Morning |
Drill, gunnery theory, fitness |
|
Midday |
Gun drill with 18-pounders, horse work |
|
Afternoon |
Firing exercises, harnessing, and limbering |
|
Evening |
Maintenance of weapons, lectures on discipline |
Horse work was constant: gunners had to care for and control teams of horses used to haul field guns.
Live-fire exercises were sometimes done at nearby Flemington rifle range or in the open paddocks near the camp.
RECRUITS' EXPERIENCE
Soldiers often described it as gruelling but effective training. Mud and rain in winter led to bogged wagons and miserable marches. Complaints included blistered hands, sore backs from hauling gear, and monotony of drill. However, many also remembered strong camaraderie, especially among the gun crews and horse teams.
SANITATION AND HEALTH
The camp had a permanent medical facility (including quarantine for illness). Outbreaks of measles, influenza, or skin infections were common due to close living conditions. Physical training instructors monitored hygiene, including kit inspections and foot care.
FOOD AND RATIONS
Food was basic but adequate: bread, tinned meat ("bully beef"), porridge, and tea. Canteens provided extra treats at soldiers’ own cost (e.g. jam, condensed milk, cocoa). Fresh food was sometimes brought in from Melbourne markets.
Life at Maribyrnong was tough, disciplined, and demanding, especially for artillerymen learning to operate heavy guns and manage horses. But it was also a place of teamwork and preparation for the even harsher conditions of the Western Front.
INNOCULATIONS
All recruits were given a range of inoculations while in camp. The most important jab was to protect against smallpox and typhoid – indeed, having this was an essential precondition of enlisting.
THE UNIFORM
The recruits were issued with their uniform- service dress jacket was made of Australian wool and its loose fit gave the wearer more allowance for movement. The four large pockets were very useful. A unique feature designed for comfort was the pleated back, which provided a double thickness of cloth down the back that the pack rubbed against. Breeches were corduroy worn with wool wrap puttees. The famous khaki felt slouch hat or early service cap is probably the most distinctive part of the uniform. turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge.
SOLDIER’S KIT
Australia's World War I soldiers went to war weighed down by almost 30 kilograms of clothes, weapons, tools and kit.
· Breeches: made from khaki woollen cord fabric, with side pockets and button flies. Soldiers were issued with two pairs of breeches, plus a pair of dungarees. The breeches ended above the ankles and the gap was filled with puttees.
· Braces: worn with breeches.
· Puttees: The men wound these strips of woollen cloth, almost three metres long, upwards from the ankle to just below the knee. Soldiers disliked the puttees, probably with good reason: the tight binding restricted circulation and might even have contributed to the high incidence of trench foot. Mounted troops wore leather leggings.
· Shirt: Soldiers were given two grey, collarless, flannel shirt, plus a military shirt.
· Ankle boots: brown and lace-up.
· Socks: Made from wool or cotton. Soldiers were issued with three pairs.
· Greatcoat: the khaki woollen coat (which weighed about 3kg) often doubled as a soldier's bedding and was his chief protection against the cold and wet. The coat came into its own when snow hit Gallipoli in November 1915 and also on the Western Front.
· Jersey
· Singlets: Soldiers were issued with 2 woollen singlets.
· Cotton "drawers" (underpants): Soldiers were issued with two pairs.
· Abdominal belts: a sort of cummerbund that was issued to keep soldiers warm and supposedly ward off disease.
· Backpacks and webbing: The main backpack was a rectangular sack measuring about 15 inches x 13 inches, closed at the top by a folding cover secured by two straps. The webbing included a web belt, cartridge pouches, small haversack, bayonet frog, an entrenching tool holder (plus another holder for its handle), and a water-bottle holder.
· Identity disc: Soldiers were initially issued with one medal "dog tag" on a cord, but later in the war they were given two tags, made of compressed fibre.
· Soldiers were also issued with a "housewife" - a sewing kit containing such items as needles, thimble, thread, wool and button so they could carry out running repairs.
· Also in their kit were a short-magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, a rifle sling, a bayonet and scabbard, and an "entrenching tool" (they were "diggers" after all). This came in two parts, with the helve (handle) separate from the spade part.
· Soldiers were issued with eating equipment (knife, fork, spoon, an enamel mug, water bottle (with two-point capacity), and a mess tin with carrier.
· They also had a clasp knife (with marlin spike, tin-opener and lanyard), razor, shaving kit, soap, comb, two towels, field dressing (carried in the tunic's inside pocket), and a hold-all, in which they could pack their private possessions.
· No item was probably looked after more carefully than their service pay book: privates were paid five shillings a day.
VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM MELBOURNE TO ENGLAND DECEMBER 1916
On the 22nd December 1916, the recruits left Melbourne, sailing upon the HMAT A34 Persic. Alongside his comrades, John marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.
SLEEPING & LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.
Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.
DAILY ROUTINE
Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic—drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.
MEALS
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. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.
HEALTH & SANITATION
Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.
THE VOYAGE EXPERIENCE
Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. In an attempt to keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.
The 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
CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY
The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.
SIGHTS AT SEA
On the way to Egypt, where the ship would refuel & take on supplies, the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.
SECURITY
By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes. The danger was greatest in the Western Approaches near Britain, where U-boats patrolled choke points like the English Channel and Irish Sea.
EGYPT
After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. They could only wonder at the sights and sounds they could see as they watched the ship being refuelled and goods taken on board
ENGLAND
About a fortnight later the men finally saw the green shoreline of England. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the training grounds of England, preparing for what lay ahead.
GRANTHAM MACHINE GUN TRAINING CAMP MARCH 1917
John arrived in England on 3 March 1917 and was sent the following day to the Machine Gun Training Centre at Belton Park, near Grantham in Lincolnshire. Belton Park was one of the Australian Imperial Force's principal machine-gun training establishments in Britain. The camp occupied the grounds of a large country estate and contained extensive tented and hut accommodation, training ranges and parade grounds. Here John underwent intensive instruction in the operation and maintenance of the Vickers machine gun, range estimation, map reading, fieldcraft, signalling, trench warfare and tactical deployment of machine-gun teams. Training was demanding, as machine-gun companies were expected to provide sustained fire support for infantry attacks and defensive operations on the Western Front.
HOSPITALISED MUMPS APRIL 1917
During this period John was admitted to the camp hospital suffering from mumps on 22 April 1917. Mumps was a common and highly contagious viral illness in military camps where large numbers of men lived in close quarters. Treatment consisted primarily of isolation, bed rest, a soft diet, fluids and measures to reduce fever and discomfort. There was no specific cure, and soldiers generally remained in hospital until the risk of infection had passed and they had recovered sufficiently to resume training.
FRANCE MAY 1917
Having completed his training, John proceeded overseas from Folkestone on 21 May 1917, crossing the English Channel to France. Three days later he marched into the Australian Base Depot at Camiers, near Étaples. Newly arrived reinforcements were normally held at such depots while administrative formalities were completed and while they received further instruction in battlefield conditions. During these weeks John would have undertaken refresher training, route marches, weapons practice and lectures designed to prepare reinforcements for the realities of front-line service.
TAKEN ON STRENGTH JUNE 1917
On 13 June 1917 he was posted to the 10th Machine Gun Company and officially taken on strength three days later. This means a soldier was officially assigned to and accounted for in a specific military unit's nominal roll. It meant they were integrated into the unit for daily operations, including food, discipline, equipment, and frontline duties
At that time the company was serving with the 10th Brigade of the 3rd Australian Division in the Ypres sector of Belgium. The division was preparing for the great offensive that would begin at Messines in June and continue through the battles around Ypres later that year. Machine-gun crews spent much of their time establishing gun positions, carrying heavy ammunition supplies forward, constructing defensive strongpoints and providing supporting fire for infantry operations.
The battle for Messines was initiated by the detonation of five-hundred tonnes of high explosives placed in 19 tunnels dug by the British, including Australian, tunnellers under the German fortifications along the Messines Ridge.
The resultant explosion, the largest ever in the world to that date, was clearly felt and heard in London. The Battle for Messines was the first time the new reinforcements were subjected to Phosgene Gas. This gas had previously been delivered by hand grenade and being subject to wind and how far it could be thrown was not all that popular with the enemy. Later the Germans perfected artillery and mortar shells which delivered the gas into the back of the enemy lines.
This gas had previously been delivered by hand grenade and being subject to wind and how far it could be thrown was not all that popular with the enemy. Later the Germans perfected artillery and mortar shells which delivered the gas into the back of the enemy lines
The primary objective of this battle was to secure the strategically important Wytschaete Messines Ridge, the high ground south of Ypres which in turn would benefit the allies to launch a larger campaign east of Ypres. The Australian involvement came under Lieutenant General Sir. Alexander Godley’s II Anzac Corps, which included the 3rd Australian Division. This Battle was launched on 7 Jun 1917 and exemplified tactical success through careful planning and firepower. The Battle of Messines was a meticulously planned operation aimed at capturing the Messines Ridge in Belgium.
On the June 17, 1917, the Australians were withdrawn from the Battle of the Somme to the battle for Messines which was initiated by the detonation of five-hundred tonnes of high explosives placed in 19 tunnels dug by the British, including Australian, tunnellers under the German fortifications along the Messines Ridge.
HOSPITALISED PUO AUGUST 1917 MEDICALA CHAIN
John's first period at the front was cut short when he became ill on 6 August 1917 and was admitted to the 4th Australian Field Ambulance suffering from PUO (Pyrexia of Unknown Origin), a term used when a soldier had a significant fever but the exact cause could not immediately be determined. Medical staff monitored his temperature, provided rest, fluids and supportive treatment, and when his condition failed to improve, he was evacuated to the 2nd Casualty Clearing Station. Casualty Clearing Stations were large medical facilities situated several miles behind the front line where doctors could conduct more detailed examinations and treatment than was possible at a Field Ambulance.
NEPHRITIS AUGUST 1917
On 8 August he was transferred to the 1st Canadian General Hospital. General hospitals were substantial institutions capable of treating serious illnesses and conducting extensive investigations. It soon became apparent that John was suffering from nephritis, an inflammation of the kidneys that was relatively common among soldiers exposed to cold, wet conditions, infections and physical exhaustion. Symptoms often included fever, swelling, pain, fatigue and the presence of blood or protein in the urine.
EVACUATED TO ENGLAND AUGUST 1917
Because nephritis could become serious, John was evacuated to England on the hospital ship Pieter de Coninck on 15 August and admitted to the military hospital at Eastbourne. Treatment in 1917 centred on prolonged bed rest, careful monitoring, restricted diets, warmth, fluids and management of symptoms while the kidneys recovered.
After several weeks of treatment, John's condition improved sufficiently for transfer to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital on 19 September 1917. Auxiliary hospitals were used for recovering soldiers who no longer required intensive medical care but were not yet fit for active service. On 27 September he was granted furlough until 11 October, giving him a welcome period of leave away from military routine after many months of training, illness and hospitalisation.
Following leave, John reported to the Command Depot at Weymouth on 11 October 1917. Command Depots were rehabilitation centres for soldiers recovering from wounds or illness. Here he underwent medical assessments, physical conditioning and graduated training designed to restore fitness and determine whether he could return to active service. Men participated in exercise programmes, route marches and light military duties while medical officers monitored their progress.
On 22 October John was transferred to Sutton Veny, another major Australian training and rehabilitation centre on Salisbury Plain. Sutton Veny housed many soldiers recovering from illness or injury and awaiting further postings. There he continued his recuperation and military training while being assessed for eventual return to overseas service.
His recovery was evidently lengthy. On 6 June 1918 John was transferred to No. 1 Command Depot at Hurdcott, one of the principal Australian rehabilitation depots in England. Hurdcott specialised in rebuilding the fitness of soldiers who had been absent from duty for extended periods. Men undertook medical examinations, physical training, route marches, drill and specialist instruction while awaiting a decision on their future employment.
Three weeks later, on 27 June 1918, John was posted to the Overseas Training Brigade at Sutton Veny. This organisation prepared recovered soldiers and reinforcements for return to France. Training concentrated on current battlefield tactics, weapons handling and the lessons learned from recent fighting on the Western Front.
TRAINING JULY 1918
On 19 July 1918 he was transferred to the Machine Gun Training Centre at Longbridge Deverill, near Warminster, and simultaneously recorded as having marched in from the Overseas Training Brigade at nearby Parkhouse. Longbridge Deverill provided specialised refresher training for machine-gun personnel. John would have renewed his proficiency with the Vickers gun, practised indirect fire techniques, coordinated machine-gun barrages and learned the latest tactical developments that had emerged during the intense fighting of 1918.
ALLOCATED TO 3RD MACHINE GUN BATTALION JULY 1918
Around this time, he was allocated to a reinforcement draft destined for the 3rd Machine Gun Battalion, reflecting the reorganisation of Australian machine-gun units into battalion-sized formations.
FRANCE SEPTEMBER 1918
Having successfully completed his training and been declared fit for active service once more, John proceeded to France via Folkestone on 12 September 1918. He arrived two days later, marched in from England and on 15 September was posted to his unit in the field. He rejoined the Australian forces during the final phase of the Hundred Days Offensive, when Allied armies were steadily driving the German Army back towards the Hindenburg Line and ultimately towards defeat. By this stage John had endured training, disease, a lengthy battle with nephritis, many months of rehabilitation and retraining, and was finally ready to return to operational service on the Western Front.
THE HUNDRED-DAY OFFENSIVE (OPERATION MICHAEL)
MARCH TO JULY 1918
In March 1918, the new Bolshevik government of Soviet Russia ended its role in the First World War by signing the Brest-Litovsk Treaty with the Central Powers.
This had a significant impact on the war in Western Europe, giving rise to the German Spring Offensive, also known as the ‘Kaiserschlacht’ (the Kaiser’s battle).
The Russians had been beaten by the Germans in a number of battles early in the war, but they had also inflicted substantial defeats on the Ottomans, Germans troops and Austrian-Hungarian forces.
With the signing of the treaty, however, the Germans ‘freed up’ their forces on the Eastern Front, reinforced their army on the Western Front, and raised it to 206 Divisions.
In response, the Allies raised 172 Divisions on the Western Front, including a growing number of Americans, which provided sufficient impetus for the Germans to mount their Spring Offensive.
Erich Ludendorff, the commander of the German Army on the Western Front, believed if Germany did not act, the Allies would achieve ascendancy.
The Germans were aware the balance of power was shifting and, while they held a superiority in numbers, this would soon change if they did not strike a decisive blow.
The German offensive was spearheaded by Operation Michael and supported by operations Georgette, Gneisenau and Blücher-Yorck, supported by smaller operations to deal with battlefield contingencies.
Operation Michael began with a devastating barrage of nearly 10,000 artillery pieces and mortars. The attacks were spearheaded by path-finding ‘Stormtroopers’, followed by immense numbers of infantry.
The German attack worried Australia’s diggers as much as those in high command, with soldiers bitter about the German successes.
Barwick though was aware this was the German’s ‘last throw of the dice’ and he was supremely confident the Australians would check the German advance.
Operation Michael seemed a success in terms of captured territory, prisoners and equipment, but it did not deliver an over-arching strategic blow to the Allies.
It did not destroy the British Army nor drive a wedge between the British and French forces.
Michael, along with the other German Spring Offensive operations, failed to achieve the desired aim of bringing the Allies to their knees.
After the Spring Offensive finished in July 1918, the initiative crossed to the Allies who — with the addition of American troops — brought Germany to its knees in a number of subsequent battles.
Germany surrendered less than six months after the last operation in its Spring Offensive
Shortly after rejoining his unit, John remained with the 3rd Machine Gun Battalion during the closing weeks of the war. The Australian Corps was heavily engaged in the final stages of the Hundred Days Offensive, pursuing the retreating German Army across northern France. Although the Armistice was only days away, machine-gun battalions continued to play a vital role, providing supporting fire for advancing infantry and helping secure newly captured ground.
HOSPITALISED INFLUENZA NOVEMBER 1918- MEDICAL CHAIN
On 3 November 1918 John was admitted to the 10th Field Ambulance suffering from influenza. The influenza pandemic of 1918 was sweeping through military camps and battlefields across Europe and could be a serious, even fatal, illness. Initial treatment at the Field Ambulance consisted of bed rest, warmth, fluids and close observation. Because influenza often led to complications such as pneumonia, he was transferred to the 3rd Australian General Hospital for more comprehensive care. There doctors and nursing staff would have monitored his temperature and breathing, prescribed rest and nourishment, and treated symptoms as they arose. As antibiotics did not yet exist, treatment focused on supporting the patient while the body fought the infection.
By 10 November 1918 John had recovered sufficiently to be transferred to the 1st Australian Convalescent Depot at Le Havre. Convalescent depots provided a transitional stage between hospital and full military duty. Men gradually rebuilt their strength through light exercise, medical supervision and rehabilitation programmes.
WAR ENDED NOVEMBER 1918
The following day, 11 November 1918, the Armistice came into effect, ending the fighting on the Western Front.
PREPARING TO GO HOME
On 29 November 1918 John was discharged from the convalescent depot and returned to the Australian Base Depot. During this period thousands of Australian soldiers were awaiting decisions about repatriation, leave, occupation duties and unit reorganisation. At the base depot John would have undergone medical inspections, administrative processing and routine military duties while awaiting further instructions.
On 6 December 1918 he was posted to the Machine Gun Battalion Depot and the following day marched into the depot at Camiers. With the war over, the depot's role had changed from supplying reinforcements to preparing men for either occupation service or eventual return home. Training continued, but much of the work involved administration, equipment accounting, physical training and maintaining military discipline while the enormous task of demobilising the Australian Imperial Force was organised.
John rejoined the 3rd Machine Gun Battalion on 10 December 1918. During the months that followed, the battalion was no longer engaged in combat operations. Instead, the men occupied camps in northern France and Belgium, undertook training, sports, educational programmes and routine military duties. A great deal of time was devoted to cleaning and returning equipment, preparing records and determining priorities for repatriation. Many soldiers also took advantage of educational courses offered by the AIF to prepare them for civilian life.
On 2 April 1919 John was marched out for demobilisation. By this stage the Australian Government was steadily returning soldiers home according to a points system based on factors such as length of service, age, marital status and family circumstances. Demobilisation involved medical examinations, completion of service records, settlement of military accounts and preparation for embarkation.
John left France and crossed to England on 7 April 1919, disembarking at Southampton the following day. Like thousands of other returning Australians, he spent several weeks in England awaiting available transport home. During this period soldiers underwent final medical inspections, attended briefings, drew outstanding pay and equipment allowances, and enjoyed recreational activities while waiting for a troopship.
GOING HOME MAY 1919
On 10 May 1919 John was marched out under the Officer Commanding Troops at Tilbury and embarked for Australia aboard the transport Wahehe. The voyage home was undoubtedly a much happier journey than the one that had carried him to war more than two years earlier. The ship travelled through the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal and across the Indian Ocean before reaching Australia.
CLOTHING AND NECESSITIES GIVEN TO SOLDIERS FOR SOLDIERS PROCEEDING TO AUSTRALIA FOR DEMOBILISATION
Badges Hat Badges Collar (2) Bags kit universal
Bags kit sea Braces (pair) Brush, shaving
Brush, tooth Breeches M.S (Military service)
Cap comforter (warm cap) Comb, hair
Disc identity with cord Drawers (2 pairs)
Great Coat Hat, Khaki fur Hat, white
Holdall Housewife (compact sewing kit)
Jackets Cardigan Jackets S.D (service dress)
Leggings 1 pair Laces, leather 1 pair
Puggarees, small (a traditional Indian head wrap, worn in warm conditions
Puttees, 1 pair (cloth bandages worn by soldiers, to provide support and protection
for the lower leg)
Razor Shirts, flannel (2) Socks, 3 pairs
Singlets (2)
Strap chin Soap piece Suit, working
Towels, hand (2)
Titles “Australia” (4)- Australian soldiers and non-commissioned officers wore an “Australia” title at the base of their shoulder straps. Each serving soldier also wore unit titles above this which indicated the units to which they belonged
DISCHARGE JULY 1919
John disembarked in Sydney on 1 July 1919. After processing and final administrative procedures, he returned to civilian life and was formally discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 9 August 1919.
John's military service had taken him from machine-gun training camps in England to the battlefields of France and Belgium. Along the way he endured mumps, nephritis, influenza and lengthy periods of hospitalisation and rehabilitation. Despite these setbacks, he returned to active service during the final months of the war and remained with his unit until the great task of demobilising the Australian Imperial Force brought him safely home to Australia in 1919.
For his service John was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Dungay Public School WW1 Honor Roll
DEATH AND BURIAL
John died on the 22nd September 1957, aged 70, in Alstonville. He is buried in Alstonville Cemetery, Plot Baptist Section A Lot 1
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
Dungay Public School WW1 Honor Roll.
Buried Location
Alstonville Cemetery, Plot Baptist Section A Lot 1
