Headland, John Henry
1929 - Driver John Henry Headland - 51st Battalion AIF
John Henry Headland was born in Fremantle WA in 1892 to Frederick and Dorothea Headland. He was one of five siblings born into the family, but the only one to live past childhood.
His father died in 1903 leaving Dorothea to bring up John. The family had been living in Bannister Street Fremantle. John was educated at CBC Fremantle.
By 1914 he was living at Walker Street South Fremantle and was working as a Labourer.
In 1914 John married Clarice Vagg and they lived at 190 Lefroy Road South Fremantle. A son John was born in 1914.
On the 20th February 1916 John enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was passed as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 3 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 110lbs;
Chest Measurement - 31-33 inches;
Complexion - Fair;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Dark Brown.
After his successful enlistment, John was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp and was assigned to No.56 Training Depot. He was then taken through the basics of infantry work for the next few weeks.
On the 4th April 1916, John was transferred into the 3rd Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion AIF. He would train with this group in WA for the next few months. On the 18th July 1916 John and his group entrained to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Seang Bee and set sail for England, arriving at Plymouth on the 9th September 1916.
After being disembarked John was sent to the 13th Training Battalion. He had a few weeks here but was then transferred to join the 44th Battalion who were then training in England. He trained with them for the next two months.
Just prior to the 44th battalion embarking for France, John fell ill and was sent to hospital. He ended up being in hospital until the 29th December 1916. He was then transferred to the 11th Training Battalion and John would spend the next three weeks in England.
On the 24th January 1917 John was sent across to France and went to the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples. He only spent a few days there and on the 29th January 1917 was taken on strength of the 44th Battalion AIF.
The 44th Battalion were then in the Armentieres sector of Northern France. He was assigned to the transport section of the 44th Battalion and was given the rank of Driver.
In April 1917, the 44th Battalion moved to the Ploegsteert sector in Southern Belgium. As he was a Driver in the Transport section for his Battalion, John was spared many of the front line duties, however he had to keep the horses well as well as the wagons in a serviceable condition. Also the roads he was brining the supplies along were often under heavy German shellfire.
With the Messines offensive taking place in June 1917, John would have been kept busy keeping the Battalion supplied with ammunition, food and other supplies. The 44th Battalion were in the Messines sector till August 1917.
In September 1917 the 44th Battalion moved up to Ypres where they would take part in actions at Zonnebeke, Broodseinde Ridge and Passchendaele through October and November 1917. The conditions were horrible and muddy and John had to take his transport wagon through places such as Menin Road and Clapham Junction which were under severe German shellfire. He survived the Ypres campaign unscathed.
From December 1917 to March 1918 the 44th Battalion held the line in Belgium south east of Ypres between Hollebeke and Messines. On the 15th January 1918 John was given a fortnight's leave to England. However while he was in London he got into trouble for using offensive language at a NCO and was fined 14 days pay.
He returned to his unit in Belgium on the 29th January 1918.
As a result of the German offensive on March 21st 1918 which broke through the British front line further south, the Australian Divisions were sent to the Somme to help stop the German advance. The 44th Battalion were sent to an area near the Somme River at Sailly-le-Sec and Sailly Laurette. The 44th Battalion advanced till they met the Germans in the field near Sailly Laurette and though the German fire stopped the 44th from advancing, the Germans were also stopped.
John and the 44th Battalion were in this sector for the next few months. On the 4th July 1918 the 44th Battalion took part in the successful capture of Hamel village. John came through this action unscathed.
On the 8th August 1918 the 44th Battalion took part in the successful advance from the Villers-Bretonneux front and they took their objectives. The 44th Battalion advanced continually for the next several weeks, seeing action around Bray, Clery and Peronne. By the 29th September 1918 the 44th Battalion were at the Hindenburg Line defences. John's transport section were kept busy with keeping up with the advance.
The 44th Battalion was involved in the attack in the Hindenburg Line for the next few days but again John came through safely.
The 44th Battalion were then withdrawn for a rest period and they were still out of the line when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918. John had just returned to his unit when the Armistice was announced. On the 2nd November 1918 he was evacuated ill, suffering from influenza. He spent a few days at the 3rd Australian General Hospital at Abbeville but rejoined the 44th Battalion on Armistice Day.
When 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 44th Battalion for the next few months, leaving France on the 7th April 1919. He then returned to the UK and was sent to No.3 Group Camp at Codford. He spent several weeks here and on the 1st June 1919 boarded the transport ship Somali and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 8th July 1919.
John was discharged from the AIF on the 22nd August 1919.
In 1919 his Mother dorothea died, though that sad news was followed by better, as further children were born, Clarice in 1920, Arthur in 1925 and Barry in 1929.
After the Great War John and the family moved to Stock Road Hamilton Hill. They lived in Hamilton Hill till the 1950's
Sadly in World War Two, his son Arthur died. He was serving in the 26th Battalion CMF with the regimental number WX22674. He was killed in action on Bougainville on the 21st May 1945. He was buried at Port Moresby Bomana War Cemetery.
His other son Peter Headland also served (W24514) during World War Two. He was in the transport units, based in Australia and survived the conflict.
John Headland died on the 14th March 1958 aged 65. He was buried at Fremantle Cemetery plot Romand Catholic MON C4 0606.
John's wife Clarice died 1973.