FAMILY LIFE

John Hall was born 17^th July 1893 in Killarney, Queensland, son of Joseph Hall & Mary Doherty. According to www.findagrave.com 4 brothers 4 sisters were listed on the site. He married Helen Ford in 1915 and they had one child, James.

ATTESTATION

John travelled to Brisbane on 29^th August 1916 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was born in Killarney, Queensland, was, 23 years and 1 month old and a married man with one child. He gave his occupation as labourer. His next of kin was his wife, Helen, of Midginbil, Byangum.  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

John also agreed to allot three fifths of the pay payable to me from time to time during his service to the support of his wife and child

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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 Hall, 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

SO, HELP ME, GOD.” 

MEDICAL EXAMINATION

His medical showed he was 5ft 5 inches tall (1.65m), weighed 140 lbs (63kgs), with a medium complexion, blue eyes & brown hair.  His eyesight was good and was dentally fit. John was Church of England and had a scar on his left forearm

CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINATION

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

CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER

This is completed during the recruits training. John’s was completed at Enoggera on 25^th October 1916. He 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 to 9^th Infantry Battalion, 22^nd reinforcements with Service No 6762

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.

Australians 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 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 six shillings a day

VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM BRISBANE TO ENGLAND

On the 27^th October 1916 the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Marathon A74. 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.

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 the voyage, due to overcrowding, training was limited to mainly to lectures and a little physical training.

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

In early January 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. They disembarked at Plymouth on the January 1917

DURRINGTON TRAINING CAMP

After disembarking, John was sent to the vast Australian training system on Salisbury Plain in southern England. On 13 January he marched into the 3rd Training Battalion at Durrington and was taken on strength of the battalion before being posted to A Company. Durrington Camp was one of the major Australian training centres in England, established to prepare reinforcements for service on the Western Front. Here John would have undergone intensive military training designed to harden newly arrived men for trench warfare. Days were filled with route marches across the cold English countryside, rifle practice, bayonet fighting, grenade instruction, gas-mask drills and trench construction exercises. The winter conditions on Salisbury Plain were notoriously bleak, with freezing mud, rain and snow making camp life uncomfortable and contributing to widespread illness among the troops.

HOSPITALISED- PUO FEBRUARY 1917

Only a few weeks later, on 1 February 1917, John was admitted to the Military Hospital at Fargo, another large military camp area on Salisbury Plain. “PUO” usually meant “Pyrexia of Unknown Origin,” a common military diagnosis for persistent fever when doctors were uncertain of the exact cause. Many soldiers suffered respiratory illnesses during the English winter due to overcrowded huts, damp weather and exhausting training conditions.

HOSPITALISED APRIL 1917 PNEUMONIA

By 2 April 1917 John had recovered sufficiently to march back into the 3rd Training Battalion from Fargo Hospital, but his health troubles were not over. On 10 April he was again admitted to Fargo Hospital suffering from a severe cold, and the following day his condition was diagnosed as pneumonia. Pneumonia during the First World War could be extremely dangerous, particularly before the widespread use of antibiotics. Treatment mainly relied upon nursing care and supportive measures. John would likely have been confined to bed in a heated ward, given warm fluids, nourishing food and medications intended to ease fever and pain. Doctors commonly used mustard poultices, steam inhalations and stimulants such as brandy or digitalis to support breathing and circulation. Fresh air treatment was also popular, with some patients placed near open windows despite the cold. Recovery could be slow and exhausting, and many soldiers remained weakened for months afterward.

BATTLE GROUND PREPARATION-PERHAM DOWNS

JUNE TO AUGUST 1917

John remained under medical care for a considerable period and was not discharged to duty until 28 June 1917. His long recovery suggests the pneumonia had been serious. Once fit enough for service again, he resumed training. On 27 August 1917 he marched out to Perham Downs, another section of the Australian camps on Salisbury Plain. Perham Downs was heavily used for final battlefield preparation before men were sent overseas. Training there focused on practical combat conditions: live-fire exercises, trench assaults, gas defence, wiring parties and simulated attacks across open ground. Reinforcements were conditioned physically and mentally for the realities awaiting them in France.

MARCHED INTO WEYMOUTH AUGUST 1917

On 31 August John marched in from Perham Downs to Weymouth, one of the main embarkation ports for troops crossing the English Channel. Men often spent only a short time there awaiting transport. On 20 October he marched out to No. 1 Depot at Sutton Veny, a large Australian camp that acted as both a training and holding depot. Soldiers there were organised into drafts, medically inspected and prepared for overseas movement.

MARCHED INTO LONGBRIDGE DEVERILL NOVEMBER 1917

By 9 November 1917 John marched out to the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill. This camp specialised in giving reinforcements the latest battlefield instruction based on current conditions at the front. Veterans returning from France often lectured the men about German tactics, artillery bombardments, gas attacks and trench raids. Training had become increasingly sophisticated by late 1917 as the war evolved into highly organised modern warfare.

JOINED 9^TH BATTALION NOVEMBER 1917

On 27 November 1917 John finally left England for France, embarking through Le Havre, the great British reinforcement port on the French coast. Three days later, on 30 November, he joined the 9th Battalion (Australia) in the field. At that stage of the war the battalion was recovering from the terrible fighting around Passchendaele in Belgium and preparing for the coming German offensives of 1918.

WESTERN FRONT & TRENCH WARFARE

John now found himself 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

GERMAN SPRING OFFENSIVE

John remained with the battalion through one of the most dangerous periods of the war. During the German Spring Offensive of 1918, the 9th Battalion helped defend vital positions in northern France as the German Army attempted to break through before large numbers of American troops could arrive. By June 1918 the battalion was operating in the Hazebrouck sector near the Franco-Belgian border.

KILLED IN ACTION 20^TH JUNE 1918

STRAZEELE–MERRIS–HAZEBROUCK AREA

John was killed in action on 20 June 1918 and is buried at Borre British Cemetery. Given the location of his burial and the battalion’s movements, he was most likely killed during trench fighting and patrol activity around the Strazeele–Merris–Hazebrouck area in northern France. At that time the 9th Battalion was holding front-line trenches, conducting raids and enduring frequent shellfire as the Allies worked to contain German pressure in Flanders following the Battle of the Lys. Although June 1918 was quieter than the great offensives earlier in the year, casualties continued daily from artillery fire, sniping, trench mortar attacks and local fighting. John’s death came only months before the Allied advance that would finally end the war.

ADVICE OF BURIAL

On 27^th November 1918 Helen was advise that John was buried at Borre, France with Chaplain, the very Reverend S Beveridge officiating

MEMORIAL SCROLL

His memorial scroll was received by his wife on 14^th January 1922

MEMORIAL PLAQUE

His memorial plaque was received by his wife on 7^th December 1922

PENSIONS

Helen received a pension of 2pound per fortnight from 5^th September 1918. His son, James, received 1pound per fortnight from the same date

EFFECTS

His effects were packaged and forwarded to his wife and were received on 29^th January 1919. They included 3 discs, YMCA wallet, photos, cards, prayer book, religious symbol and letters

HIS WILL

John had prepared a will on the 22^nd July 1917 leaving his estate to his wife, Helen

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service John was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal. His name is recorded on the Roll of Honour in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Panel Number 54 among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War

BURIAL

John was buried in the Borre British Cemetery, Plot 11, Row B, Grave No 11

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