Davey, John Hodges

21399 Sergeant John Hodges Davey - 6th Field Company Engineers AIF

John Hodges Davey was born on the 17th July 1885 in Adelaide SA to John and Catherine Davey. He was one of five siblings, with, Fred 1886, Albert 1888, Queenie 1890 and Percy 1897.

Circa 1895 the family moved to Western Australia and took up residence in Fremantle.

On 16th November 1906 their father John died in North Fremantle.

On the 2nd May 1913 John married Dorothy Rose Docking in Leederville and they had a daughter Queenie born in 1913, sadly their twins Dorothy and Vera both died at birth in 1916, then Dorothy was born in 1917.

John was a member of the Australian Permanent Forces with the Royal Australian Engineers. By the time of the Great War he was a military Engineer and was living with his family in John Street North Fremantle.

Despite wanting to serve overseas with the AIF, John had to remain on service with the Military Engineers on Fremantle. He was based around the military fortifications at Fort Forrest, Arthur Head and the Artillery Barracks.

On the 15th January 1918 John successfully enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force in Fremantle. The medical examiner who passed him as fit recorded his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 7 & 1/2 inches tall;

Weight - 144lbs;

Chest Measurement - 32-35 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Light Brown.

After his successful enlistment John was sent to New South Wales to the Engineer Depot at Moore Park. Due to being a member of the Permanent Forces, John was given the rank of Sergeant.

John was then assigned to a Special Reinforcement Group for the Field Company Engineers. This group embarked from Sydney on the 2nd February 1918 aboard the transport ship Wiltshire. The ship then set sail for England and arrived at Southampton England on the 20th April 1918.

Upon being disembarked the men were sent to the Engineers Depot at Brightlingsea. John remained here through to the 11th July 1918 when he was transferred to England. He spent a few weeks at the base depot but on the 29th July 1918 was taken on strength of the 6th Field Company Engineers.

When John joined them the 6th Field Company Engineers were based near Villers-Bretonneux. They were then making preparations for the large Amiens advance which was due to commence on the August 8th 1918. The advance was a large success and the field engineering companies followed up the infantry advance and helped to construct defences and positions against German counter attacks as well as assisting future attacks.

John saw action around Villers-Bretonneux, Harbonnieres, Proyart, then through to Raineville and Framerville. By late August 1918 the Australians had reached the Somme river at Peronne and John's unit assisted the infantry with their capture of Mont St Quentin.

On the 23rd September 1918 John was detached for duty with the 7th Field Company Engineers and he served with this unit through the actions at the Hindenburg Line at Montbrehain.

On the 10th October 1918 John was sent to hospital ill with appendicitis. Though John only spent four days away from his unit and returned to the 7th FCE on the 14th October 1918. He was then transferred back to the 6th Field Company on the 9th November 1918 and was with them when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918.

Once the Germans withdrew to behind their own borders, the Australians were sent into what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France. John remained with the 6th FCE until last December 1918. He was then transferred for duty to the Australian Motor Transport Section. John was initially with the 2nd Company AMT and was then transferred to the 3rd AMT. He was working with them in France till May 1919.

John was then transferred to England for further work with the Australian Motor Transport unit. John was working in England until the 4th October 1919. He then took his discharge from the AIF in England so he could attend the Royal Engineers school at Haslar Barracks Gosport.

John left England on the 17th April 1920 and then returned home to WA.

Soon after he had arrived home he had discovered his wife had moved in with another man so asked the courts for a divorce which was granted.

In 1925 John was working as an electrician and was living at Market Street Fremantle in the Princess Chambers. He then moved back to North Fremantle and was once again living at John Street North Fremantle. electrician

In 1937 John had moved to Geraldton and on the 29th September 1938 he married again to Florence Chorlton. John remained in Geraldton for the rest of his life.

John died 1st march 1976 in Geraldton aged 90.