4347 Private John Thomas Hoare - 32nd Battalion AIF
John Thomas Hoare was born in Southern Cross WA in 1896 to John and Norah Hoare. He had six siblings, James (1885), Edward (1889), Patrick (1889), Mary (1891), Michael (1892), and Josephine (1904).
The family moved to Western Australian Goldfields in the 1890's and then moved to the coast in the early 1900's and took up residence in Victoria Avenue North Fremantle. John completed his education at St Anne's North Fremantle. The family were living initially near Rocky Bay and then Victoria Avenue North Fremantle. (later renamed as 115 Stirling Highway).
Two of John's older brothers, Patrick and Michael, had previously enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. John also wanted to serve and enlisted on the 25th June 1917. He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 9 inches tall;
Weight -134lbs;
Chest Measurement - 33-35 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Dark Brown.
Upon his successful enlistment, John was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 12th Reinforcements to the 2nd Pioneer Battalion. This group were then sent to Victoria to complete their training. On the 30th October 1917 John and his group departed from Port Melbourne on the transport ship HMAT Aeneas.
The ship then set sail for England, reaching Devonport on the 27th December 1917. The men were then disembarked and sent to the Pioneer Battalion training camp at Sutton Veny. John trained with this group for a month but on the 2nd January 1918 was transferred to the 15th Training Battalion Camp as he was now assigned to be joining the 32nd Battalion AIF. John trained here till the 12th March 1918 when he fell ill and was sent to hospital at Codford.
John was found to have cardiac issues and so after being released from hospital on the 27th March 1918 was sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth to await repatriation to Australia.
On the 17th June 1918 John boarded the transport ship Matatua which brought him back to Australia, arriving at Fremantle on the 8th August 1918. John was discharged from the AIF on the 5th February 1919.
John then returned home to Victoria Ave North Fremantle and resumed employment as a Clerk.
In the 1930's he moved to the Northwest of the State near Wyndham whre he worked as a labourer, before returning to North Fremantle in the 1950's.
He was then residing at 114 Stirling Hwy Leighton.
John died on the 12th November 1959 aged 63. He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery plot Roman Catholic CA 0329.
