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 – 3rd May.... Private John William (Jack) Lyons was born at Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW in 1891. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 4th August, 1915 as a 24 year old, single, Railway Porter from Little Coogee, Sydney, NSW.
Private Lyons embarked from Sydney, NSW on 2nd November, 1915 with the 2nd Infantry Battalion, 11th Reinforcements & disembarked at Egypt (no date recorded). He was transferred to 53rd Battalion & joined them at Tel-el Kebir on 16th February, 1916.

Private Lyons proceeded from Alexandria on 19th June, 1916 & arrived in France on 28th June, 1916. He was detached for duty with 4th Divisional Signal Service in France on 11th July, 1916 & rejoined 53rd Battalion in France from detachment on 11th January, 1917.

Private Lyons was On Leave to England from 29th May, 1917 & rejoined 53rd Battalion from Leave on 11th June, 1917.

[Note: There is no record in the Service Record file of Private John William Lyons of his movements between 12th June, 1917 & 27th February, 1918.]

Private Lyons proceeded On Leave to UK from 28th February, 1918 & rejoined from Leave on 20th March, 1918.

Private John William Lyons was wounded in action (Gas) on 17th April, 1918 at Villers-Bretonneux. He was admitted to Field Ambulance then transferred to Hospital at Rouen, France. Private Lyons was transferred to England on 21st April, 1918 & admitted to Military Hospital, Fovant, Wiltshire on 22nd April, 1918 – Gassed (wounded).

Private John William Lyons died at 9.45 am on 3rd May, 1918 at Military Hospital, Fovant, Wiltshire, England from Broncho Pneumonia (following Gas Poisoning).

Private John William Lyons was buried at 2.30 pm on 7th May, 1918 in London Road Cemetery, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England where 8 other WW1 Australian Soldiers are buried.

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

John William LYONS (Service Number 3344) was born on 26th May 1891 at Surry Hills. He began working in the Traffic Branch of the NSW Government Railways as a night gate keeper at Fairfield on 1st April 1908 at the age of 16. By 1910 he had progressed to be a junior porter in the Metropolitan District, becoming an (adult) porter on his 21st birthday in 1912. It was from this role that he was released to join the Expeditionary Forces on 16th August 1915.

Lyons enlisted at Warwick Farm the next day. He was not marriied and gave his uncle, Thomas Lyons of Little Coogee, as his next of kin. He embarked HMAT ‘Euripides’ on 2nd November 1915 at Sydney and sailed to Egypt. He was allotted to the 53rd Battalion, and after four months further training embarked ‘Royal George’ at Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force through Marseilles.

In July Lyons was detached for duty with the 4th Division Signal Service and stayed there until January 1917. 

In May 1917 he had leave in England and did the same in February 1918.

On 17th April 1918 Lyons was wounded by gas, requiring admission to the 55th Field Ambulance, the 12th Casualty Clearing Station, the 9th General Hospital at Rouen and to the Military Hospital at Fovant, England, which he reached on 22nd April. The damage to his lungs by the gas developed into pneumonia and he died at Fovant on 3rd May 1918.

Lyons was buried in the London Road Cemetery, Salisbury, England with full military honours. His brother Sergeant Reginald Lyons (3345) attended the funeral as did his cousin Private William Rossiter (3405). The Lyons brothers had clearly enlisted together as they held consecutive service numbers in the same Battalion. Rossiter enlisted at Warwick Farm the same day as his cousins.

‘The deceased soldier was buried with full Military Honours. The Band of a Training Brigade preceded the funeral which was attended by a Firing Party, Pallbearers and two Officers also a Platoon of men from an Australian Training Battalion. A wreath from deceased’s comrades and a cross of flowers from his late ward mates were placed on the grave.

Deceased was very popular with both Officers and men and his loss as a soldier and comrade is very keenly felt.’

The unnamed Matron of Fovant Hospital wrote:

‘Pte Lyons was admitted to the hospital, one of a convoy of wounded, admitted 23-4-18. He was suffering from broncho pneumonia, following a gas poisoning. He was very ill from time of admittance and was put on seriously ill list at once.

He seemed to recover a little the first few days after admittance, but the improvement did not last, and he became worse and died on 3rd May 1918.

The Sister who had charge of him tells me did not express any wish with regard to his relatives – except the one so often expressed by our poor overseas lads, that they were only nearer “Aussie” and the dear friends there. He suffered very much at times but bore the suffering very patiently. He was very much liked by his nurses, one of whom, a little night nurse, he named “little fairy”. Any little remark of those gone is valued, and I often wish we could keep in memory for friends the remarks one so often hears in the course of the nursing.’

- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board