Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland 

Died on this date – 2nd April…… Private John Cassidy was born at Elizabeth Street, Launceston, Tasmania on 3rd December, 1892.

He was sentenced in June, 1911 for 12 months’ imprisonment for shopbreaking.

John Cassidy enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 4th August, 1915 as a 27 year old, single, Labourer from Tasmania. No next of kin was listed. He stated on his Attestation Papers to the question “have you ever been convicted by the Civil Power?” that he had been charged with Housebreaking & Entering & served 12 months in 1910; drunkenness – 14 days & Larceny twice.

A reference was written on 12th August, 1915 by E. Phythian, Pitts Farm, Albert Road, Moonah which reads: “Dear Sir, In reference to yours of 10th Jack Cassidy was in my employ for eleven months (11). He was a reliable man for me and in every way what is __ a good man on the farm. I can only speak of him as he was with me both honest and reliable.”

Private Cassidy was transferred to Broadmeadows Camp, Victoria on 20th October, 1915. He was admitted to Clearing Hospital, Broadmeadows on 30th November, 1915 with a sore throat, transferred to Isolation Camp on 1st December, 1915 & was discharged to duty on 26th January, 1916.

On 26th January, 1916 Private Cassidy was posted to Depot Draft Company. He was transferred to 9th Reinforcements, 24th Battalion on 8th February, 1916 & was due to embark from Fremantle on HMAT Warilda.

He failed to embark from Fremantle, Western Australia on 16th February, 1916.

H.M.A.T. Warilda, was at sea on 17th February, 1916 & notified Base Records that 6 men of the 9th Reinforcements, 24th Battalion had deserted at Fremantle on the 16th – Private John Cassidy, Service number 4036, being one of them.

On 28th February, 1916 three of the soldiers reported to have deserted were apprehended, one of them being Private John Cassidy, & were sent to Camp at Blackboy Hill, Western Australia.

Private John Cassidy was transferred to 15th Reinforcements, 16th Battalion. His regimental number was altered to 4962. New Attestation Papers were completed with next of kin listed as his only brother – Mr Frank Cassidy of P.O., Launceston, Tasmania.

On 1st April, 1916 Private Cassidy embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia on HMAT Ulysses (A38).
He was transferred to 48th Battalion on 20th May, 1916.

Private John Cassidy embarked from Alexandria on 7th June, 1916 on Huntspill & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 14th June, 1916. He joined 48th Battalion in the Field in France on 18th July, 1916.

On 28th July, 1916 Private Cassidy was written up for a crime – Drunkenness in the field. He was fined 10/-.
Private John Cassidy was reported missing in action in France on 8th August, 1916 - possibly killed in action.
The Red Cross Wounded & Missing file for Private John Cassidy contains several unofficial reports from informants of sightings of Private Cassidy.

Private John Cassidy who was previously reported Missing in action on 8th August, 1916 was now reported not missing – apprehended Absentee on 17th May, 1917.

A Field General Court Martial was held on 27th May, 1917 concerning Private John Cassidy’s absence – “When on active service deserting His Majesty’s Forces from 6/8/16 to 11/5/17. The finding was Guilty. Private John Cassidy was sentenced to 15 years penal servitude from 27th May, 1917 and forfeited 294 days’ pay on 27th May, 1917. Number of days in arrest awaiting trial – 15.

He was admitted to No. 1 Military Prison at Rouen, France on 20th June, 1917. His sentence was commuted to 2 years imprisonment with hard labour on 14th July, 1917.

The unexpired portion of Private John Cassidy’s sentence was suspended on 17th June, 1918 & he was released from No. 1 Military Prison & discharged to duty. Private John Cassidy entrained for his Unit with 48th Battalion. The remainder of his sentence was suspended as from the date of release from Prison.
On 25th June, 1918 Private Cassidy was absent without leave from 48th Battalion in France. He was arrested on 17th July, 1918 & returned to 48th Battalion.

He was reported as an absentee on 1st September, 1918 & was apprehended at Havre, France on 14th October, 1918.

Private John Cassidy was escorted to A.C.S.C. Compound at Havre on 28th October, 1918. He was returned to 48th Battalion from AWL (Absent without leave) on 2nd November, 1918.

A Field General Court Martial was held on 5th December, 1918 in France regarding Private John Cassidy’s absence without leave from 1 pm on 25th June, 1918 to 11.45 am on 17th July, 1918 & again from 6pm on 1st September, 1918 to 10 pm on 12th October, 1918. Private John Cassidy was found guilty & sentenced to 2 years Imprisonment with Hard Labour on 5th December, 1918.

Private John Cassidy was absent without leave from 48th Battalion in France on 2nd January, 1919. A Court of Enquiry was held on 7th February, 1919 declaring that No. 4962 Private J. Cassidy had illegally absented himself from 48th Battalion on 2nd January, 1919 & was still absent on 7th February, 1919. He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment hard labour on 19th March, 1919 with a total forfeiture of 440 days’ pay. He was returned to his Unit with 48th Battalion on 27th February, 1919.

A Field General Court Martial was held on 19th March, 1919 concerning Private J. Cassidy being AWL from 2 am on 2nd January, 1919 until 3.15 pm on 26th February, 1919. He pleaded guilty. The finding of the Court was guilty & he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment hard labour. His sentence was to run concurrent with sentence from 1918.

Private John Cassidy was admitted to No. 10 Military Prison, Dunkirk on 5th May, 1919.

On 7th June, 1919 the No. 10 Military Prison revised Private John Cassidy’s sentences:
• 1st Sentence – 2 years I.H.L. awarded 27th May,     
   1917
• 2nd Sentence – 2 years I.H.L. awarded 5th                 December, 1918
• 3rd Sentence – 12 months I.H.L. awarded 19th
   March, 1919

1st Sentence suspended released 17th June, 1918. Unexpired portion of 1st Sentence put into execution and to run concurrently with 2nd & 3rd, dated 8th May, 1919.

Private John Cassidy disembarked at Folkestone, England from No. 10 Military Prison, Dunkirk, France & was marched in (under escort) to H. M. Military Prison at Oxford on 23rd July, 1919.
His sentence was suspended by Southern Command as from 1st October, 1919.

Private John Cassidy was admitted to Reading War Hospital, Berkshire, England on 7th October, 1919 with malignant Endocarditis.

The unexpired portion of Private John Cassidy’s detention for 2 years was remitted as from date of embarkation to Australia. Private John Cassidy was to return to Australia on Friedrichsruh with Tuberculosis (incurable). He did not return to Australia & was reported seriously ill on 19th February, 1920 in Reading War Hospital, Berkshire with no improvement. Private Cassidy’s condition was reported as stationery on 27th February, 1920.

Private John Cassidy died at 4.50 pm on 2nd April, 1920 at Reading War Hospital, Oxford Road, Reading, Berkshire, England from Phthisis.

He was buried in Reading Cemetery, Reading, Berkshire, England where 16 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.

Private Cassidy was buried in Plot 72. A Screen Wall Memorial now commemorates those buried in Plot 72 and those buried in other parts of the cemetery whose graves are not marked by headstones.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/reading.html