Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From

https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/ewen-john-carr-6126

John Carr Ewen (1892-1951), farmer, soldier and businessman, was born on 25 October 1892 at Didsbury, Manchester, England, son of Frederick William Ewen and his wife Marion Eastwood, née Carr. After attending Cheadle Hulme (Warehousemen and Clerks) School, he worked for the marine superintendent of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway at Fleetwood. He was a keen cricketer and served for six months with the Territorial Army. In 1912 he migrated to Australia and became a farmer at Bellingen, New South Wales.

Ewen enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 21 October 1915 and next January embarked for Egypt with reinforcements for the 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column. From there he went to France in March as a gunner in the 22nd Howitzer Battery. In May he transferred to the 105th Howitzer Battery of the 5th Field Artillery Brigade, and during the fighting at Pozières on 3 August displayed gallantry and self-sacrifice by mending and keeping open two lines of communications under constant enemy fire. For this action he was appointed bombardier on 23 August and awarded the Military Medal. Promoted corporal on 24 November 1916 and sergeant on 17 March 1917, Ewen won the Distinguished Conduct Medal at Bullecourt on 30 April for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. After heavy shell-fire had caused many casualties in his battery and wounded all the officers, he took command and completed the task of bringing the guns into position. In June he was sent to the Royal Artillery Cadet School at St John's Wood, London, and on 30 November was commissioned.

He arrived back in France in December 1917 and joined the 11th Battery of the 4th Field Artillery Brigade; he was promoted lieutenant on 28 February 1918. At Herleville in August he was in charge of the communications of an observation party when the forward observing officer was killed. Ewen immediately took his place, and for sending back valuable tactical information of enemy batteries engaging Australians holding a newly captured position, he received the Military Cross. The award of this honour made his combination of decorations for individual bravery extremely rare. Wounded on 3 October, he was evacuated to England and did not rejoin his unit until the end of March 1919. On 10 April he left for Australia and his A.I.F. appointment ended on 24 July.

On 30 October 1919 Ewen married Gladys Hamson at St Peter's Anglican Church, Neutral Bay, Sydney. He started a pest control business in Sydney about 1925 and later expanded into building renovations and contracting. He volunteered for service during World War II and in June 1941 was appointed to the militia field artillery in New South Wales as a temporary captain. He transferred to the A.I.F. in 1942 and was promoted captain in the 17th Australian Field Regiment in September. After great insistence he was sent to New Guinea, where he commanded the 53rd Battery with rank of major. He returned to Australia in 1943, serving in training appointments in Queensland, and was finally placed on the retired list in August 1951.

Ewen spent a period of time after the war re-establishing his building business, J. C. Ewen & Co., before returning to farming at Moss Vale. Survived by his wife, twin sons and two daughters, he died of cancer at the Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, on 20 November 1951 and was cremated.

Extract from the AWM- https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1275549  accessed 4th Aug 2018

John Carr Ewen was born at Didsbury near Manchester, England in October 1892, and was working with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway and serving with the Territorial Army when he emigrated to Australia in 1912.
He owned a share of a horse and dairy property on the Bellinger River in northern New South Wales, and was working there when he enlisted in the AIF on 21 October 1915. After initial training he was assigned to 2 Divisional Ammunition Column as a gunner with the service number 11615.He embarked with his unit at Sydney, on 15 January 1916, aboard RMS Osterley. After completing further training in Egypt he was posted to 22 Howitzer Battery, sailing for France and service on the Western Front in March. In May he was transferred to 105 Howitzer Battery, part of 5 Artillery Brigade. Ewen served at the battle of Pozieres during August where he was awarded the Military Medal. He was subsequently promoted to bombardier. 

In a letter to Gladys Hamson dated 18 October 1916, Ewen discussed his award; 'I won my medal at the beginning of August and I haven't told them at home about it yet for I suppose it would give them an idea I was in a bit of danger sometimes and I tell them yarns I'm never in any, in fact, they think I'm having a good holiday so they don't worry too much.'
Ewen was promoted to corporal November 1916, then to sergeant in March 1917. He served at Bullecourt on 30 April and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions.
In June 1917 he was sent to the Royal Artillery Cadet School in London for officer training, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 30 November. Ewen returned to France in December and was posted to 11 Battery of 4 Field Artillery Brigade. He was to promoted to lieutenant at the end of February 1918.
Ewen was serving with his unit when the Germans launched their Spring Offensive in March 1918, and when the Australian counter offensive began in August. His brigade supported the infantry during this period as I Australia Corps moved through areas east of Amiens, where Ewen was awarded the Military Cross (MC) at Herleville.
The recommendation for the MC reads: 'Near HERLEVILLE on the morning of the 23rd August, 1918, this Officer was in charge of the communications of the F.O. [forward observation] Party. The Forward  Observing Officer was killed and this officer at once took his place. Throughout the day under heavy hostile fire Lieut: EWEN moved around the newly captured positions sending back important information as to our Infantry positions, bearings of hostile batteries which were shelling our new positions and which was at once engaged.
Throughout the day this officer displayed an utter disregard for personal safety and much information of tactical importance was received from him.'
On 3 October he sustained a gunshot wound to his left hip, which saw him evacuated to England. Ewen was convalescing when the armistice was signed, and did not rejoin his unit until March 1919. He embarked for his return to Australia on 10 April and was discharged from the army on 24 July.
Ewen married Gladys Hamson in October 1919. He established a pest control business, which expanded into building during the interwar years. When the Second World War broke out he volunteered for service, and was appointed to the militia field artillery in June 1941 as a temporary captain.
He transferred to the AIF in 1942 and was posted to 17 Australian Field Regiment. Ewen was promoted to captain in September. After repeated requests for an operational posting he was sent to New Guinea, where he commanded 53 Battery with the rank of major, returning to Australia in 1943. His work with this unit was acknowledged by the battery sergeant major in a letter to Ewen on his departure; 'Since coming under your direct command I have found in you, a man to whom my devotion in action or otherwise would be untiring...you have unselfishly imparted.. a wealth of knowledge. May we sir fulfil the high standard of efficiency for which you so hard endeavoured to attain within the Battery.'
On his return to Australia Ewen fulfilled several training roles in Queensland. He remained in service after the war ended and retired from the army in August 1951.
Ewen returned to his building business before acquiring a farming property near Moss Vale, New South Wales. Declining health in 1951 meant that he was unable to attend the Anzac Day march in Sydney, so the next day the men from his unit visited him, one of whom stated 'If John Ewen cannot come to us we will go to him'. He died later the same year.