John William Shackleton

John William Shackleton

Personal Information
Date of Birth	28 Jul 1917
Place of Birth	Armadale, Western Australia
Death	8 Mar 1977, aged 60
Place of Death	Subiaco, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	22 years old (CMF)
Description	5'5¾" (1.68m) tall ; 138lbs 62.596 kg ; dark complexion ; grey eyes ; dark hair ; scar on right hand and chin
Occupation	Butcher
Religion	Methodist
Address	8 Orange avenue, Perth, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr. Ellis Shackleton
Military Information
Reg Number	W232594 & WX27006
Date of Enlistment	3 Nov 1939 (CMF) 10 Aug 1942 (2nd AIF)
Rank	Staff Sergeant
Unit/Formation	2/188th Supply Depot Platoon
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	12 Jul 1944 ‒ 18 Jul 1944
Transport Details	HMT Duntroon Brisbane to Wewak
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	1 Dec 1945 ‒ 7 Dec 1945
Transport Details	HMT Duntroon Wewak, PNG to Brisbane
Post War Details
Fate	Returned to Australia

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries: 1937 at 245 Carr street, Leederville, butcher; 1943 at 5 Cross street, Subiaco, butcher.

During 1941 John married Phyllis Rudrum in Perth. Phyllis died on 20 Jan 1981, aged 62 in Subiaco.

War Service

John enlisted in the CMF on 3 Nov 1939 at Claremont (W232594) and his records indicate that he was allocated to the 13th AASC Supply Depot at Karrakatta on 6 Nov 1939 where he was graded as a Trade Group 3 Butcher. From 5 - 15 Sep 1940 he was sent home on sick leave. On 11 Oct 1940 John was promoted to Corporal, and on 25 Jul 1941 he was promoted Sergeant. During 1941 John married Phyllis who was now his NOK in place of his father. On 16 Oct 1941 he was transferred to the Western Command Meat Depot (5th Australian Field Butchery). John was admitted to the 110th Australian Base Hospital on 16 Dec 1941 , returning to his unit on 22 Dec 1941. John enlisted in the 2nd AIF (WX27006) on 10 Aug 1942, and from 23 Aug 1942 until 9 Sep 1942 he attended the AASC School of Instruction to undertake a short course.

He remained with his unit until 3 Apr 1943 when he was sent to an Officers Training School at Salter Point during which time on 21 Mar 1943 he had been promoted Acting Staff Sergeant. John did not pass the corse and so he returned to his unit on 15 May 1943. On 1 Jul 1943 his rank of Staff Sergeant was confirmed. On 10 Mar 1944 the designation of John's unit changed from the 5th Australian Field Butchering Company to the 12th Australian Field Butchering Platoon. On 28 Aug 1944 John was transferred to the 13th Australian Field Butchering Platoon until 18 Mar 1945, when he was sent to Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot for reallotment.

Four months later, on 7 Apr 1945 he departed Perth for NSW where on 16 April he joined the 1st Australian Base Depot Personnel. On 2 May 1945 he was charged with using indecent language and seems to have spent a day in confinement awaiting trial where he was fined 10/- ($1), and forfeited a days pay. His next posting was to the Australian Reinforcement Training Battalion (Jungle Warfare) at Canungra (3rd Battalion), before embarking on HMT Duntroon in Brisbane on 12 Jul 1945 for Wewak on the northern New Guinea coast. He disembarked on 18 Jul 1945 and joined the 2/158th Australian Supply Depot Platoon on 19 Jul 1945. On 30 Nov 1945 he was transferred to the 2/5th Australian Infantry Battalion until he embarked on the HMT Duntroon in Wewak on 1 Dec 1945 for Brisbane, disembarking on 7 Dec 1945. On 28 Dec 1945 he was transferrd to Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot to prepare for discharge, which then followed on 4 Jan 1946.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries: 1949 - 1977 at 5 Cross street, Subiaco, butcher.