Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Early Life

John Leslie (Jack) was born on the 3rd of May 1896 at Ovingham, SA, the son of Nicholas Joseph Power and Ellen Mary (nee Hamill) of "St. Anthony's", Hill Street, North Adelaide, SA. Jack was the eldest in a family of seven children; his siblings were Hilda (b 1897), Laurence James (b 1898), Dorothy Mary (b 1900 - d 1901), Cornelius Patrick Lewis (later known as Lewis Bertrand (Bert b 1905), Lancelot Nicholas (Lance b 1909) and Raymond Fitzroy (b 1913). Jack's father was a coach and carriage trimmer for the Railways at the Islington Workshops. The family were living at Toronto Street, Ovingham in 1901 when baby Dorothy passed away.

Schooling

Jack attended Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) where he passed his Primary Examinations in English, Arithmetic, Geography, English History, Latin, French, Algebra and Geometry in 1909. He passed his Junior Examinations in 1911 coming 6th on the General Honours List. In 1912 Jack passed his Senior Examinations and in December 1913 he passed his Higher Public Examinations. He was Dux of the College in 1913. In 1914 Jack completed further Higher Public Examinations and finished equal third in the General Honours List and qualified for a Government Bursary to attend Adelaide University for four years. He was the first boy from a Catholic school in SA to win a Bursary to University.

While at CBC, Jack became known for his sporting prowess. He came second in the Senior Cup at the CBC Sports in 1913 and finished first in the 220 yards Senior Championship in 1914.

Jack was a member of the First Eleven (Cricket) and First Eighteen (Football) from 1911-14 and he ultimately captained both teams.

Adelaide University

Jack commenced studying for a Bachelor of Arts at Adelaide University in 1915. In December 1915 the Roby Fletcher Prize for Logic and Psychology was awarded to Ian Buttrose and John Leslie Power (equal) and the Barr Smith Prize for Greek was awarded to John L. Power.

University Sport

Football
Jack played football for Adelaide University in 1915 playing matches in the A Grade (Amateur League) and B Grade (Adelaide Students’ Association).

Cricket
Jack played cricket for the Adelaide University A Grade and B Grade in the 1915/16 season.

World War I

Jack was working as a Law Clerk while undertaking his university studies and this would have continued in 1916 if not called for duty to King and Country. He enlisted in Adelaide, SA on the 11th of May 1916, (aged 20) and held Service Number 2622. This meant his studies were put on hold.

Jack was assigned to the 50th Battalion with the rank of Private. He had been a Senior Cadet at school and was a member of the Citizens’ Forces at the time of his enlistment. His mother Ellen was listed as his next-of-kin. Jack was 5’ 7½“, 134 lbs, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and fair hair.

Jack attended the Mitcham Camp and for the next six months underwent training (Bomb School, Musket School and NCO School) before embarking as a Corporal (Pro) onboard the troopship Berrima on the 16th of December 1916 and disembarking at Devonport, England on the 16th of February 1917.

Jack was with the 15th Training Battalion and then the 13th Training Battalion at Codford before being transferred to the Bombing School at Lyndhurst.

He was at various times, an Acting Lance Corporal, an EDP Corporal, but later Jack was reduced to the rank of Private again after a brief period AWOL in January 1918.

Jack proceeded overseas to France on the 23rd of January 1918, where he was taken on the strength of 50th Battalion. He served in France & Belgium and was injured twice. On the 25th of April 1918 Jack was wounded in action (Shell Shock) at Villers Bretonneux, but returned to duty on 27th of June 1918.

On the 18th of August 1918 at Brieux, Jack received gunshot wounds to the right arm and leg and on the 22nd of August, was invalided to the UK where he was sent to the Edgbaston Auxiliary Hospital, Birmingham. Later, the 12th of December 1918, Jack was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford.

Finally, he returned to Australia on the hospital ship HMAT A61 Kanowna and arrived home on the 26th of February 1919.

Post War Life

After WWI, Jack returned to University in 1920 where he studied law and was an active member of the University Law Students’ Society. A fine sportsman before the War, there is unfortunately little evidence of him playing football or cricket for University on his return; however he may have played a B grade game against St Peter's College in the 1921/22 season. Having been severely wounded, it may have limited his participation. He was either articled to G and Downer or Mr F. A. Tennant (see conflicting newspaper articles below). Jack completed his law degree in three years and graduated LLB in December 1922. In April 1923 his application to the Full Court for admission as a legal practitioner in the State of South Australia was presented by Frank Villeneuve Smith K.C.

Mr F. A. Tennant (Fred) was Jack’s uncle, having married the sister of Jack’s mother. After practicing law in the city with Fred (trading as Tennant, Power & Co) from 1923 to 1926, Jack bought the practice of Mr. W. Raymond Kelly at Yorketown, SA, in early 1927.

Shortly after his arrival in Yorketown, Jack joined the local RSL. On the 24th of May 1927, Jack married Eileen Thelma Walsh, the daughter of Mr and Mrs P.J. Walsh, at St Raphael’s Church, Young Street, Parkside.

While Jack’s injuries possibly prevented him from returning to serious football and cricket after the war, he was well enough in December 1927, to be involved in a one-off cricket match at Yorketown, where the “Gentlemen” played the Yorketown Cricket Club. Jack was bowled for 3 runs and took 2 for 11 in the match. Jack became involved in the Yorketown Racing Club and was Deputy-President of the Southern Yorke Peninsula Football Association in 1928.

After just over three years at Yorketown, Jack returned to practice in the city with Messrs Tennant, Power and Co. On the 23rd of August, at Memorial Hospital, Jack and Eileen’s son, Barry Patrick Power was born and just under two years later, on the 11th of July 1933, at the Sister Lowe’s Hospital, Wakefield Street, their daughter Catherine P. Power was born.

Unfortunately, Jack was seriously ill in late 1934 and was admitted to Calvary Hospital. After getting out of hospital in late November, he went to stay with Mr and Mrs F.A. Tennant at Glenelg and his health was said to be improving.

Jack’s brother, Lewis Bertrand (Bert) Power, also studied law at Adelaide University and in 1928 was awarded a Blue for Cricket. Three other younger brothers also played A Grade cricket. Laurence and Lance played A Grade cricket with North Adelaide while Ray played for Adelaide and Glenelg Cricket Clubs.

Laurence James Power became a world-renowned opera singer under the stage name Lorenzo Poerio. In April 1935, he married fellow opera singer Annunciata Garotto, an American, at St Patrick’s Cathedral, New York. The couple had first met when Laurence was studying in Milan and they sang together at a performance in a small Italian town. Laurence also was a talented A Grade cricketer for North Adelaide and had played a first-class match against the Englishmen. However, he abandoned his promising cricket career for his singing.

Jack’s parents were living at Hill Street, North Adelaide when his brother Lance married in 1938, but had moved to Glenelg by the time his brother Bert married in 1939.

In 1940, the now famous Laurence was visiting the family after a tour of the continent. Tragically, during Laurence’s visit, on the 14th of June 1940, Jack’s youngest brother, Raymond Fitzroy Power sustained fatal injuries in a car accident which occurred between Berri and Renmark. While the photograph below was not published in the Southern Cross newspaper until November 1947, it must have been taken prior to 1940 as Ray is named among the members of the family who were present.

In November 1947 Jack’s mother was ill and Laurence made a brief visit from America to see her. Laurence returned to America in late January 1948. Sadly for the family Jack’s mother, Ellen, passed away, aged 77 in September 1948.

Death

Sadly, on the 19th of June 1950, aged only 54, Jack passed away at his home at 40 Foster Street, Parkside. Jack was buried at the West Terrace Cemetery.

Jack’s father, Nicholas, passed away on the 22nd of November 1952, having been predeceased by two sons (Jack and Ray) and a daughter (Dorothy).

Family Legacy

Catherine P Power attended St Aloysius College where she won the prize for English in 1950.

Barry Patrick Power attended Sacred Heart College. He wrote a number of “Letters to the Editor” which were published in 1946 and again in 1951. The letters related to defending ‘democracy and freedom’ against the threat of Communism. He was interred at Centennial Park Cemetery on the 7th July 1987, aged 54.

Jack’s widow, Eileen Thelma Power, was still living at Parkside when she passed away in December 1989, aged 91 years; she was interred at the West Terrace Cemetery on 20th December 1989.


Author EE (Beth) Filmer

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (in the period 2015-2019) please see the document attached.
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