John Henry Ward

John Henry Ward

Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown 1868
Place of Birth	Tenterfield, New South Wales
Death	25 Oct 1929
Place of Death	Kelmscott, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	49 years old
Description	5' 8" (1.73m) tall ; 140 lbs 63.503 kg ; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; fair hair
Occupation	Miner
Religion	Church of England
Address	'Sea View Orchard', Kelmscott, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Martha Eliza Ward
Military Information
Reg Number	7725
Date of Enlistment	3 Apr 1917
Rank	Sapper
Unit/Formation	Tunnelling Company, April 1917 Reinforcements transferred to 3rd Pioneer Battalion
Date of Embarkation	8 Aug 1917 ‒ 2 Oct 1917
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A68 Anchises
Date of Return	17 Jun 1918 ‒ 8 Aug 1918
Ship Returned On	SS Mahana
Fate	Returned to Australia (medical)
Monument	Kelmscott War Memorial (South panel)
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

On 21 Oct 1896 John married Martha Eliza Chipper (1876-1951) in Perth. Electoral Roll entries -1903 - 1906 farmer in Kelmscott; 1910 - 1917 market gardener. Miner given as occupation on enlistment.

War Service

Soon after entering camp John was allocated to the reinforcement draft for the Tunnelling Companies. Perhaps at this point he was transferred to Sydney as it was in Sydney that he embarked for England along with 167 other tunnellers. Intermediate stops for the voyage were Colon in Panama 2 Sep 1917, and Halifax Nova Scotia, 18 Sep 1917. On arrival in Liverpool on 2 October they entrained for Tidworth in the south where they undertook specialist training. John spent a month training before proceeding overseas to France from Southampton on 4 Nov 1917.

On 24 Nov 1917 John was taken on strength by the 3rd Pioneer Battalion, but on 13 Dec 1917 he was transferred to the 1st Anzac Corps Depot. John suffered chronic bronchitis and was seen by the 7th Field Ambulance on 17 Dec 1917. They held him until 23 Dec 1917 when was assessed by the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station who transferred him to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station where he spent Christmas and Boxing Days before being admitted to the 26th General Hospital in Étaples. On 31 Dec 1917 John was evacuated to England aboard the HS Ville de Liege for medical treatment and was admitted to the Kitchener Military Hospital in Brighton.

A fortnight later on 14 Jan 1918, John was released to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Harefield where the combination of being over age and suffering with bronchitis resulted ultimately in him being sent home. Granted furlough from 18 Jan 1918 until 1 Feb 1918, he was then discharged to the No.2 Command Depot on 18 Jan 1918. It took almost another five months before he was placed aboard a ship for home. His Medical discharge was granted on 4 Sep 1918.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1925 - 1928 he had returned to market gardening in Kelmscott. Martha remained in Kelmscott until about 1943. 1943 - 1949 Martha was at 5 Clive road Maylands, and she died on 1 Apr 1951 in Mt Lawley aged 82. No children found.

"WARD.-The friends of the late Mr. John Henry Ward, Orchardist; of Kelmscott, formally of the 3rd Tunnellers, AIF, are respectfully informed that his remains will be interred In the Church of England portion of the Karrakatta Cemetery at 2.25 o'clock TO-MORROW (Monday) AFTERNOON. The Cortege will move from Messrs. Donald J. Chipper and Son's Funeral Home, Hay-street (corner George-Street). Perth, at 2 o'clock. Friends wishing to attend the funeral may proceed by the 2:05 o'clock -train from Perth.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial

For further details relating to the 3rd Tunnelling Company, visit their website [1]