John Hobbs

Personal Information
Date of Birth	28 Oct 1893
Place of Birth	Bidderford, Devonshire, England
Death	29 Aug 1918
Place of Death	Albert, France
Age at Enlistment	22 years, 5 months
Description	5'5¾" (1.67m) tall; weight 136 lbs (61.7 kg); dark complexion, brown eyes, dark hair
Occupation	farm labourer
Religion	Presbyterian
Address	'Mill Lane Farm', Beenup, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father Mr Thomas Heard Hobbs
Military Information
Reg Number	451
Date of Enlistment	8 Mar 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, C Company / 7th Brigade, 2nd Division
Date of Embarkation	9 Jun 1915 - 30 Jun 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A11 Ascanius
Fate	Wounded in Action 3 May 1917 2nd Bullecourt Wounded in Action 4 Oct 1917 Broodseinde Wounded in Action 24 Apr 1918 Villers-Bretonneux Killed in Action 29 Aug 1918 Flaucourt, France
Monument	Armadale (Beenup panel)
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

1915 Electoral Roll entry - farm hand at "Mill Lane Farm" Beenup.

War Service

Served on Gallipoli Peninsular from early September to the evacuation in December, then to France via Marseilles in Mar 1916.

At Bullecourt John would have been engaged in fighting along the OG1 and OG2 trenches using grenades (bombs) as his unit repeatedly bombed their way along trenches capturing them, only to be pushed back by strong counterattacks. This happened 5 or 6 times. He was evacuated to England from Rouen aboard the HMT Aberdonian, and was admitted on 21 May 1917 to 1st Southern General Hospital at Stirchley for treatment till 5 Jun 1917 to a severe wound to his left shoulder.

He remained in England for the best part of 4 months. While waiting to go back to France at Perham Downs he was AWOL for 16 days and awarded 28 days detention and forfeited 48 days pay. He rejoined the 28th Battalion rear detail via the HMT Aberdonian on 20 Sep 1917 while the battalion was involved in the Battle for Menin Road.

John was wounded in action for the second time on 4 Oct 1917 at Broodseinde with a GSW to his thigh, when he was one of the day's heavy casualties (6 Officers wounded, 42 ORs KIA, 85 WIA, and 5 Missing). No detail relating to treatment is included in John's records so it might be assumed he stayed on duty.

On 24 Apr 1918, a "dry but dull day" although in the reserve lines near Villers-Bretonneux, John was WIA for the 3rd time by a retaliatory German artillery barrage, suffering a severe shell wound to his right knee and abdomen wall. He was again evacuated to England, this time on HMHS St Patrick, and was again admitted to 1st Southern General Hospital.

He rejoined the 28th Battalion on 17 Aug 1918, and on the 29th August 1918 his luck finally ran out when he was Killed in Action near Biaches Wood at Flaucourt during the advance up the Somme River. The Battalion War diary entry for the day includes "The casualties were exceedingly light on our side."

Notes

1917 Feb-Mar edition - no detail.