Calder, John Lawrence

No.407 Private John Lawrence Calder - 28th Battalion

John Calder was born in Inverness Scotland in 1895 to Christina Calder. He was initially educated in Scotland but the family moved to Western Australia while John was still young and set up residence in Mary Street North Fremantle.

John worked as a shop assistant and had also spent three years with the 11th Garrison Artillery, based out of Fremantle.

On the 8th March 1915, John offered his services to the AIF.

He was passed as fit for service with the medical examiner recording his details as;

Height - 5 Feet 4 & 1/2 inches tall;

Weight - 130lbs;

Chest Measurement - 32-34 Inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Dark Brown

Religious denomination - Presbyterian;

Distinctive Marks - scars on forehead.

After his successful enlistment, John was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was initially assigned to No.11 Training Depot. After a short time here John was transferred to "C" Company of the newly forming 28th Battalion AIF.

The 28th Battalion trained in WA until the 9th June 1915 when they embarked from Fremantle Harbour on the HMAT Ascanius. The ship took John and his Battalion to Egypt where they undertook more training before being sent on to Gallipoli. 

On the 4th September 1915, John and the 28th Battalion arrived at Gallipoli. The unit were sent to part of the newly captured area around Rhododendron Spur.

John served on the Gallipoli peninsula for nearly three months when he fell badly ill. He was evacuated to a hospital ship where it was diagnosed that he was suffering from jaundice.

The Hospital Ship Gloucester Castle then took John to Malta where he was admitted to St Patrick's Hospital. John's condition was quite serious and he remained in the Malta Hospital till February 1916. He was then sent to another hospital in Egypt where his condition was assessed as good and he was returned to the 28th Battalion, who by this stage had returned to Egypt from Gallipoli.

The 28th Battalion soon embarked for France and through April and May 1916 were holding part of the front line near Armentieres. On the 2nd May 1916 while at the front John was hit by shrapnel from a shell that exploded close by him. The shrapnel piercing his left arm and side. The wound was very bad and he was rushed to the 7th Field Ambulance for immediate treatment and from there to the 8th Casualty Clearing Station. 

John was then sent to the Australian Volunteer Hospital at Wimereux. After a three week stay at Wimereux, John was transferred to England and was sent to Norfolk War Hospital.

Aftre a few month stay in Norfolk, John's wounds were deemed as serious enough that he would not be able to return to his unit so John was invalided home. On the 31st August 1916, John boarded the New Zealand Hospital Ship HMNZS Marama and set sail for home.

John arrived back in Fremantle on the 4th September 1916 and was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle where his wounds were assessed. John was discharged from the AIF on the 11th June 1917.

In the 1920's would later claim the 1914/15 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal for his service.

In 1921 John married Jemima Futcher in West Perth.

He then took up work as a Grocer for W Stammers markets on Canning Highway. He worked at this till 1934.

John retired to Busselton where he lived at 432 Geographe Road. In the 1960's he wrote to the Army authorities to claim his Gallipoli medallion. John Calder died in 1973.