GREEN, John Bruce
| Service Number: | 1053 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 9th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Watervale, South Australia, Australia, 1889 |
| Home Town: | Watervale, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Watervale Public School |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | 13 July 1964, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Drouin Public Cemetery, Victoria |
| Memorials: | Watervale Public School Roll of Honour WW1 |
World War 1 Service
| 26 Aug 1915: | Involvement Private, 1053, 9th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: RMS Morea embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Aug 1915: | Embarked Private, 1053, 9th Light Horse Regiment, RMS Morea, Adelaide |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by St Ignatius' College
John Bruce Green was born in 1889 in Watervale, the son of Martin Denis (Denny) and Edith Marion (Jones) Green. He grew up with 13 siblings.
His Attestation documents indicate that he belonged to the Methodist faith. Before enlisting had worked as a Labourer. His attestation records his complexion as fair, his eyes as blue, and his hair as snow white. Standing at 5 feet 5½ inches tall and weighing 140 pounds.
Green enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 23rd November 1914, aged 25 years and 3 months. [VC2] Green completed his initial training in South Australia before embarking overseas with his regiment in 26 August 1915, on the HMAT Morea.
Taken on strength in the regiment in December 1915, he was attached to various Light Horse regiments during his first months in 1916. On 6 March 1916, he was transferred to serve in the 3rd Light Horse Reserve Regiment, and on 29 April, taken on strength in the 5th Divisional Ammunition Column. His record during this time also records his disciplinary trouble: on 12 June 1916, absent without leave for two and a half hours, for which he was given seven days in confined barracks and lost one day's pay. Despite these complications[VC4] , he proceeded to serve in the Light Horse through their campaigns in Egypt and in the Near and Middle East, being exchanged between regiments as needed by manpower demands. As part of the reorganization of the AIF to go to France, Bruce was sent away from mounted duties, and his Light Horse career came to an end and his time in the Cyclist Battalions commenced in May 1916.
After beginning transferred into the Cyclist Corps, his record shows both active service and several disciplinary setbacks. On 8 May 1916, he was awarded seven days of Field Punishment No. 2 and lost twelve days’ pay, and shortly afterwards, on 12 May, he was transferred to the 5th Division Cyclist Corps. By 25 May 1916 he was formally taken on strength of the Australian Cyclist Company from the 5th Divisional Ammunition Column, before being awarded a second punishment on 22 June, this time 120 hours of Field Punishment No. 2. On 14 June 1916 he joined the 1st Anzac Cyclist Battalion from the 2nd Anzac Cyclist Battalion, where he was placed on surplus personnel and promoted to Corporal. A few weeks later, on 12 August 1916, he was detached for duty with the 5th Australian Division Headquarters, a role that demonstrated the flexibility of cyclist units. After returning to his battalion on 13 June 1917, he was attached the next day to the 1st Australian Division Signal Company, where cyclists were increasingly used as signal senders and messengers on the Western Front. His rank continued to rise, and by late 1917, he was serving as a Sergeant in the Anzac Army Cyclist Corps, while still rotating through signal detachments, such as in December 1917 with the 1st Anzac Corps Signal Unit. His final transfer came on 25 January 1919, when he moved to the 1st Signal Company from the Australian Corps Cyclist Battalion, shortly before embarking for return to Australia in April 1919. He was discharged 27 July 1919
He married Emma Pearce 25 November 1924 at Methodist Church Exeter, together they had 6 children. John Bruce Green died 13 July 1964 in Victoria and is buried at Drouin Cemetery.