WEBSTER, John
| Service Number: | 11 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 August 1914, Broadmeadows, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Royal Flying Corps |
| Born: | Lowestoft, Norfolk, England, 1895 |
| Home Town: | Sorell, Sorell, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Launceston Church Grammar School, Tasmania and Geelong Grammar School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Student |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Palestine, 21 September 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Jerusalem War Cemetery Jerusalem Memorial, Panel 55 |
| Memorials: | Geelong Grammar School Community Members Who Served, Launceston Church Grammar School WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 11, 4th Light Horse Regiment, Broadmeadows, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 11, 4th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Wiltshire embarkation_ship_number: A18 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 11, 4th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Wiltshire, Melbourne | |
| 18 Apr 1915: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 11, 4th Light Horse Regiment, Granted commission in the West Yorkshire Regiment. | |
| 19 Apr 1915: | Involvement British Forces (All Conflicts), Second Lieutenant, The Prince of Wales Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) | |
| 6 Aug 1915: | Involvement British Forces (All Conflicts), ANZAC / Gallipoli, Second Lieutenant, Suvla Bay, 9th (Service) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment | |
| 22 Aug 1915: | Wounded British Forces (All Conflicts), ANZAC / Gallipoli, 9th (Service) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, GSW chest and shoulder | |
| 26 Aug 1916: | Honoured Military Cross, For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in action at Contalmaison in July 1916. At a critical moment he organised and lead a counter attack, which drove cak the advancing enemy. In doing this he was wounded. Soon after he lead another counter attack, in which he was again wounded, but again drove back the enemy. | |
| 14 Mar 1917: | Transferred British Forces (All Conflicts), Royal Flying Corps | |
| 21 Sep 1918: | Involvement British Forces (All Conflicts), Royal Flying Corps, Lieutenant, No. 14 Squadron, Battle of Megiddo |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Michael Silver
The son of English couple Dr John Arthur Webster (1857-1919) and Sophie Kirkwood (1868-1907), John Webster was born in Norfolk, England in 1894. The family (two daughters from his father's first marriage and his sister, Rowena) migrated to Australia shortly after his birth, with his father establishing a medical practice in Launceston, Tasmania. His mother died in 1907 and his father six years later relocated to Hobart and remarried before returning to England in May 1916 and working at the Brook War Hospital treating war casualies.
John Webster began his education at Launceston Church Grammar School and then attended Geelong Grammar where he excelled as stroke of the school’s eight and captain of the football team. He was one of four Geelong Grammar students who enlisted in the AIF at the outbreak of war in August 1914. He left Australia with the 4th Light Horse Regiment but subsequently was offered a commission in the Imperial Army in early 1915 whilst training in Egypt. He then sailed to England where he joined the West Yorkshire Regiment and was commissioned as Second Lieutenant.
He landed at Gallipoli in August 1915 and soon after was wounded in the chest and shoulder and returned to England; it was the first of three woundings he was to suffer.
Second Lieutenant Webster was recommended for the Military Cross early in 1916, and later at Contalmaison in July 1916 it was awarded 'for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in action' during two counter-attacks, which he led despite being wounded.
He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, certainly a no less dangerous role in early 1917, and was posted to France and then to Palestine with No.14 Squadron. He and his navigator were shot down by ground fire on 21 September 1918 during the Battle of Megiddo. Both men were buried with full military honours at Ain Shibleh and he was commemorated on the Jerusalem Memorial.
Reference: http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/search/veterans_result_detail/196774?person_id=98003
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