Gunnyon, John Robert
4433 Private John Robert Gunnyon - 48th Battalion AIF
John Robert Gunnyon was born in Stawell Victoria on the 10th March 1899 to James and Martha Gunnyon. He had a brother James born 1888, Edith in 1890, Esther born in 1893 and Walter in 1895. The family then moved to Fremantle after John's birth, and a daughter Jessie was born in Fremantle in 1903.
The family initially lived at 69 Skinner Street Fremantle and John was educated at Fremantle Boys School. He was good at sports and did well at Swimming competitions.
John had served in the Naval Cadets and after leaving school John found employment as a Grocery store packer. During this time John also was a member of the Royal Australian Navy Reserve, having signed up on the 26th February 1913.
In 1914 his sister Edith married Oliver Plowman Harris at Scots Church Fremantle.
In 1915 his brother Wally went overseas with the Siege Artillery Reinforcements and on the 24rd July 1916 his father James died in Fremantle. Martha Gunnyon then moved with the family to 17 Barnett Street Fremantle.
John was doing service with the Royal Australian Navy Reserve but he wanted to follow his brother overseas. On the 11th February 1917 John enlisted into the AIF. The medical examiner passed him as fit for service, and recorded his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 9 inches tall;
Weight - 156lbs;
Chest Measurement - 32-36 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Dark Brown;
John was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 10th Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion. On the 1st March 1917 he was then transferred to the 20th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion. He trained with this group in WA for the next few months but on the 7th July 1917 was discharged as medically unfit.
However this did not deter John as on the 16th July 1917 he re-enlisted and was again accepted as fit for service. He was then sent to camp and assigned to the 11th Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion AIF. He trained with this group for several weeks but on the 12th September 1917 was transferred to the 12th Reinforcements to the 2nd Pioneer Battalion.
John was sent to Victoria to complete his training and on the 30th October 1917 he departed with his group from Port Melbourne aboard the transport ship HMAT Aeneas. After the long sea journey the ship arrived at Devonport Harbour on the 26th December 1917. John and his group were then disembarked and sent to the Pioneer Training battalion Camp at Sutton Veny.
John only had a few days at this camp as he was now re-assigned to join the 32nd Battalion, so in preparation he was sent to the 15th Training Battalion at Codford. He spent the first three months of 1918 in camp at Cordford, but on the eve of going to France he was now reassigned to join the 48th Battalion.
On the 1st April 1918 John left England and went to France. After a few more days in the Divisional Base Depot he was taken on strength of the 48th Battalion on the 16th April 1918.
The 48th Battalion were then in the Villers-Bretonneux sector and it wouldn't be long before he saw his first action at Monument Wood on the 3rd May 1918.
On the 19th May 1918 John was sent to the 13th Field Ambulance and then the 55th Casualty Clearing Station for dental work, rejoining his unit on the 6th June 1918.
The 48th Battalion remained around Villers-Bretonneux and Hamel through June and July 1918 and then took part in the August 8th advance which broke through the German lines.
From August 8th to September 18th the 48th Battalion continually advanced and they saw their last action at Le Verguier. They were then pulled out of the line for a well deserved rest. When the Armistice was signed on November 11th 1918, the 48th Battalion were still out of the line.
After the Germans surrender, the Australian units went into what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France and they would remain here for the next few months.
On the 6th January John was hospitalised for a few days with tonsilitis, but remained with his unit until May 1919 when the 48th Battalion was dissolved.
On the 9th May 1919 John was sent to England and was sent to No.4 Command Depot Camp to await a transport ship home. On the 12th July 1919 John boarded the transport ship City of Exeter and set sail for home. John arrived back in Fremantle on the 16th August 1919.
John was discharged from the AIF on the 16th September 1919. He then returned home to 17 Barnett Street and took up work as a storeman/warehouseman.
As with his brother Wally, John was a good football player. However John played for East Fremantle while Wally had played for South Fremantle. Unfortunately the brothers didn't face each other across the football field as by this stage Wally was playing in Victoria for St Kilda. John played for East Fremantle in the WAFL league team in 1923 to 1925 and also for the East Fremantle B Grade reserves. According to the WAFL statistics John had his best year in 1924 when he played 15 games and kicked 8 goals.
John lived at 74 Finnerty Street Fremantle through the late 1920's and early 30's.
On the 6th February 1932 John married Catherine Mulchinaugh at St Patricks Church West Perth. They then resided at 109 Glyde Street East Fremantle (now 61 Glyde), before moving to Money Road Melville in 1943.
John died in Melville on the 1st March 1968 aged 68 and was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery