John, Harry & John, Alan
No.2344 – L/Cpl Harry John – 43rd Battalion AIF & 20023 Gunner Alan John - 8th Field Artillery Brigade
Harry John was born in Fremantle WA in 1892 to Thomas and Margaret John. The family lived at 84 Lilly St South Fremantle at a property called 'The Anchorage' (later renumbered to 38 Lilly) and Harry was educated at Beaconsfield Primary School and also had some private tuition.
After leaving school Harry took up a four year apprenticeship with Richardson Smith in Fremantle after which time he qualified as a Chemist. In 1916 his address was listed as Thomas Street Cottesloe Beach.
On the 1st May 1916 Harry went to the Fremantle Drill Hall and enlisted in the AIF.
Harry was found to be fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 11 & ½ inches tall;
Weight - 134 lbs;
Chest Measurement - 32-34 inches;
Complexion - Dark;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - brown.
His religious denomination was Church of England.
After his successful enlistment, Harry was initially sent to the training depot at Belmont Camp though on the 20th June 1916 he was assigned to the 7th Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion. He trained with this group in WA for the next few months; however of the 5th September 1916 he was transferred to the 4th Reinforcements to the 43rd Battalion AIF.
The 43rd Battalion was originally a South Australian unit but it did take a few reinforcement groups from WA. Harry trained with this group in WA for the next seven weeks when orders for their embarkation came through. On the 28th October 1916 Harry and his group boarded the transport ship H.M.A.T. “Port Melbourne” in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for overseas.
After the long sea voyage their ship arrived in Devonport England on the 28th December 1916. The men were then disembarked and were marched into the 11th Training Battalion on the Salisbury Plains. Harry would train here for the next three and a half months during which time he was also given leave to see the sights of England. On the 19th April 1917 Harry was in a draft of soldiers that proceeded to Folkestone Harbour. The following day they arrived in France where they were marched into the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot in Etaples.
Harry only stayed at the Depot for three days, as he then marched out to join the 43rd Battalion. He was taken on strength of his unit on the 24th April 1917. The 43rd Battalion were then in the vicinity of Ploegsteert and were preparing for the upcoming Battle of Messines by participating in trench raids. The actual Messines Offensive took place on June 7th 1917, with the 43rd Battalion tasked with securing the latter objectives. By this stage of the assault the Germans had recovered their initial surprise from the detonation of the mines and were offering a tough defence. The 43rd Battalion were not helped by their artillery firing on the positions they were holding. However the objectives were eventually secured, with Harry coming through the assault unscathed.
The 43rd Battalion continued to hold the line in this vicinity in the next few months. On the 11th August 1917 Harry was sent to the Divisional School for a period of instruction but returned to the Battalion eight days later. On the 19th August 1917 Harry was appointed Lance Corporal. The following month the 3rd Division made their way north where they would take part in the Third Battle of Ypres. The first Australian infantry assaults took place on September 20th, though the 43rd Battalion’s first assault in this sector was to be on the 4th October 1917 during the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge.
As the men formed up in No Man’s Land the Germans opened up a bombardment which caused numerous casualties however the advance went ahead on time with the 43rd Battalion securing their objectives. Unfortunately L/Cpl Harry John was killed in the advance. He was buried at Zonnebeke at map reference 28NE D21 b.c.d.
After the war when war graves parties came through, Harry’s resting place could not be located and he is therefore commemorated on the 43rd Battalion panel on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres. Only five out of the thirty nine 43rd Battalion men killed in this advance have known graves.
Harry’s Brother Alan (Reg No.20023) also served in the Great War. Alan had been born in Busselton WA but when the family moved to Fremantle he was educated at Fremantle Boys School.
He lived with his family at 84 Lilly Street South Fremantle and then Cottesloe Beach (Mosman Park) and after leaving school he took up work as a hairdresser.
On the 26th October 1915 Alan enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording Alan's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 9 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 116lbs;
Chest Measurement - 31-33 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Dark Brown.
After his successful enlistment Alan was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the Artillery reinforcements. As the Artillery was being trained in Victoria, Alan and the other recruits were sent to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded a transport ship to take them to Port Melbourne.
Upon arrival in Victoria Alan and the other artillery recruits were sent to Maribyrnong Camp. On the 8th April 1916 Alan was assigned to the 31st battery of the 8th Field Artillery Brigade.
On the 20th May 1916 this unit left Port Melbourne on the transport ship HMAT Medic. The ship then set sail for England, arriving at Plymouth on the 18th July 1916. The unit was sent to Larkhill Camp on the Salisbury Plains. Due to a few bouts of ill health while in England, Alan did not embark for France until January 1917.
He then joined the 31st Battery in February 1917. They were then situated near Armentieres but would soon be moved to near Ploegsteert in Belgium. The 31st Battery participated in the Battle of Messines in June and July 1917. On the 18th July 1917 at Wyschaete Ridge Alan was buried by a German shell explosion. Fortunately he was dug out and was not wounded but it had a marked affect on his health.
A week later on the 24th July 1917 he was sent to hospital with 'debility' whereas in all likelihood he was suffering from shell shock. He was sent to Etaples where he was admitted to the 7th Canadian General Hospital. He remained there till the 30th August 1917 and as there was no improvement in his condition Alan was shipped to England.
On arrival Alan was sent to the Beaufort War Hospital in Bristol. After a few days here he was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. The medical authorities assessed his health as such, that he be returned to Australia.
On the 17th September 1917 Alan was sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth to await his return home.
On the 31st October 1917 Alan boarded the transport ship and set sail for Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 22nd December 1917. He was then sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in Fremantle for further medical tests.
On the 18th January 1918 Alan was discharged from the AIF.
In 1921 in Cottesloe Alan married Olive Grave Heitmann. He continued to work as a hairdresser in the Cottesloe regions through the 1920's, 30's & 40's.
Alan died in 1958 in Perth aged 63. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery