JOHNSTON, Sidney (Sydney) St Maur
| Service Number: | 295 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 27 October 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 10th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Perth, Western Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Perth, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Sheep Overseer |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 27 Oct 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 295, 10th Light Horse Regiment | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Feb 1915: | Involvement Private, 295, 10th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Mashobra embarkation_ship_number: A47 public_note: '' | |
| 17 Feb 1915: | Embarked Private, 295, 10th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Mashobra, Fremantle | |
| 18 Aug 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 10th Light Horse Regiment |
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NOTE: First Given Name incorrectly spelt on Embarkation Roll. Verification Source - Service Record - First Given Name, spelling SIDNEY. The record on this website has been amended to accord with the Service Record. RSL Virtual War Memorial Chief Moderator, May 2016.
Sidney Johnston was 2 months shy of his 26 birthday when he enlisted on 27 October 1914. Following a period of training he embarked for service on 17 February 1915 knowing that as part of the 10th Light Horse he and his mates were heading to Gallipoli.
Trooper Johnston embarked for Gallipoli from Alexandria on 16 May 1915 and ten days later was admitted to hospital having sustained a General Sharpnel Wound to his right forearm. He was evacuated to Lemnos and then Malta for treatment. Official advice by cable to his family indicated he was wounded but not seriously. He returned to Gallipoli for active duty on 9 August 1915 and was promoted to Lance Corporal on 19 August 1915. How shocked he must have been to learn that just two days before he rejoined his regiment had during the Charge at the Nek suffered 138 casualties, 80 of whom were killed.
A short time later (September 1915) he was admitted to Hospital (Heliopolis) suffering Dysentery. Whilst receiving treatment for Dysentery he developed "eye trouble", recorded eventually as Myopic Astigmatism & Conjunctivitis during one period of treatment. The nature of the eye trouble seems to have caused permanent damage to his eyes and resulted in his Embarkation back to Australia for Discharge on 3 March 1916.
In a letter (on file) applying for the ANZAC Commemorative Medallion in March 1967, Sidney Johnston indicates that he was in the Battle on Hill 60 when he was wounded and this injury lead to him being unfit for active service. The 10th Light Horse Regiment played a significant role in the Battle of Hill 60 (/research/home-page-archives/hill-60-gallipoli).
Cable of 23 June 1915 - News of his Father's death conveyed by cable during hospitalisation.
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