John Richard Lewis

Personal Information
Date of Birth	not known
Place of Birth	Williamstown, Victoria
Death	3-6 Nov 1916
Place of Death	The Maze Gueudecourt, France
Age at Enlistment	19 years, 3 months
Description	5'3¼" (1.61m) tall; weight 111 lbs (50.3kg); fair complexion, blue eyes, fair hair.
Occupation	horse driver
Religion	Church of England
Address	Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother Mrs Minnie Lewis
Military Information
Reg Number	3177
Date of Enlistment	26 Jul 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, 7th Reinforcements
Date of Embarkation	18 Jan 1916 - 16 Feb 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A7 Medic
Fate	Killed in Action 3-6 Nov 1916
Monument	Jarrahdale
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

Entered camp on 26 Jul 1915 and was allocated to the 7th reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion on 1 Nov 1915. Arrived in Alexandria on 16 Feb 1916 and departed for Marseilles aboard SS Oriana on 21 March, landing there on 27 Mar 1916. On 5 May 1916 he was posted to the 2nd Division's Base Depot.

On 6 May 1916 while in Étaples he was taken to the 26th General Hospital with pleurisy. Discharged from hospital on 5 May 1916, he was taken on strength by the 28th Battalion on 16 June 1916 and allocated to B Company. On 25 Sep 1916 he was charged with being absent from 9:00am to 9:30 am the previous day, for which he was awarded 24 hours fatigue duty.

On 3 Nov 1916 until the 5th the 28th Battalion was involved in an attack on enemy trenches near Gueudecourt known as 'The Maze'. In atrocious conditions of rain and mud the attack failed and the battalion took substantial casualties - 59 killed, 169 wounded, and 50 missing There is nothing in the war diary or John's individual records to give us an insight into how or where on the battle field he was killed.

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  Villers Bretonneux Memorial 2015 photo Linton reynolds
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  Part of the 28th Battalion panel Linton Reynolds photo