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Australia

John Oswald STEVENSON was born on 4th July 1876 in Oberon, New South Wales, one of nine children born to Susan (nee HUMPHRIES) and John STEVENSON.  He married Marion Emily CRANNEY at St Paul's Anglican Church, Emu Plains, NSW on 10th April 1907.

A 38 year old married grazier at the time, John was appointed as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Australian Imperial Force on 14th November 1914, having already served in the 2nd Light Horse Regiment (NSW Mounted Rifles), and 9th Light Horse Regiment (C.M.F.) for nearly ten years.  He was assigned to "C" Squadron of the 7th Light Horse Regiment.  Following intensive training at Liverpool and Moore Park, NSW, John embarked aboard HMAT Ajana with his Squadron from Woolloomooloo Wharf in Sydney on 19th December 1914, to sail via Albany WA, for active service overseas.  The rest of the Regiment embarked on other vessels, on the 19th and 20th December.

"C" Squadron of the 7th Light Horse Regiment (7th LHR), including 2nd Lt. John Oswald STEVENSON, disembarked at Alexandria, Egypt, on the morning of 1st February 1915.  They entrained that evening for Cairo, where they were then required to march the last 8 miles to their camp at Maadi, as the horses were considered to be too weak from the long voyage to ride.  The other two Squadrons of the 7th LHR arrived at the camp on successive days, after which a rigourous training syllabus was commenced without delay, although mounted training didn't begin until the 15th February, to allow time to build the strength of the horses' legs.

After news of The Landing at ANZAC Cove had been received in late April, the 2nd Light Horse Brigade Commander, Brigadier Granville RYRIE, called a conference of the Regimental Commanding Officers on 1st May.  It was decided to offer the services of the 2nd LH Brigade, dismounted (due to the Gallipoli terrain), to support the 1st Infantry Division at Gallipoli, who had suffered heavy casualties.  John Oswald STEVENSON was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant at this conference.

On 7th May, orders were received to prepare to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, for dismounted service at the front.  On 15th May, the 2nd LH Brigade, comprising the 5th, 6th and 7th Regiments, embarked at Alexandria aboard the HMT "Lutzow", arriving at Gallipoli on the 20th of that month.  The 7th LHR were placed under the command of the 3rd Infantry Brigade, on the right flank of ANZAC Cove, with Lt. STEVENSON's "C" Squadron supporting the 11th Infantry Battalion.

Apart from a minor operation to distract the Turks on 28th June, the 7th LHR were utilised in a defensive role in the trenches, allowing the Infantry an opportunity to rest.  As the weather became warmer, water supplies were diminishing and the rations of bully beef, hard biscuits and jam were inadequate to keep the men in good health.  Dysentery was becoming prevalent, and by late July the strength of the 7th LHR was seriously reduced by casualties and illness.

On 25th July, John was evacuated to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station, sick with diarrhoea.  He was subsequently transferred to Malta via the Hospital Ship Dunluce Castle, sick with dysentery, and was admitted to St Andrew's Hospital on 14th August.  On 15th September 1915, John embarked aboard the Hospital Ship Dover Castle, for transfer to England, where he was admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital.  Upon his discharge, he was temporarily placed on a supernumerary list of officers, before proceeding to Lemnos via the Hospital Ship Olympic on 22nd November.  He was again taken on strength with the 7th LHR at Gallipoli on the 8th December 1915, only to be evacuated with the rest of the allied forces later that month.

On 25th December 1915, John disembarked from the HMAT Beltana in Alexandria with the 7th LHR, who returned to the training camp at Maadi, to restore their efficiency as a mounted Unit.  They resumed intensive mounted drills, at both Squadron and Regiment level.  Becoming sick with gastritis, John was admitted to the 1st Australian General Hospital in Cairo on 12th January 1916, and then the ANZAC Convalescent Hospital in Helouan.  He was discharged to return to duty on 1st February.

After reorganisation following the Gallipoli campaign, the 7th LHR left camp at Maadi, and proceeded to Serapeum on 25th February 1916, as part of the allied defence of the Suez Canal.  Following that, they took part in the Sinai campaign, with John being promoted to the rank of Captain on 12th March 1916.  They fought in the battles of Romani and Katia in August.

John was seconded to the 2nd Light Horse Training Regiment, being taken on strength on 20th September 1916 at Moascar, as Officer Commanding "C" Squadron.  Here, he performed temporary duties as an instructor in the Isolation Camp until 1st October 1916, when he returned to the 7th LHR.

On 9th March 1917, the 7th LHR joined the ANZAC Mounted Division in Moascar, as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force for the Palestine campaign.  Following three weeks in Port Said Rest Camp, John returned to his Unit on 5th October 1917, and was involved in the Battle of Beersheba, on the 31st. 

Following the fall of Gaza on 7th November 1917, while leading a composite Squadron on a reconnaissance patrol to determine the enemy's strength, Captain John Oswald STEVENSON was wounded in action on 10th November near El Kustineh, sustaining a severe gunshot wound above his right knee, from a machine gun.  He was evacuated by the 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance to the 66th (British) Casualty Clearing Station in Moablaka, near Damascus, and subsequently transferred to the 14th Australian General Hospital in Abbassia, Cairo.  The wound was serious enough for him to be invalided out of the AIF.

John embarked aboard HMAT Ulysses in Suez on 15th February 1918 for return to Australia, arriving in Sydney on 18th March.  He was subsequently confirmed as medically unfit in 2nd Military District, Sydney, with his appointment terminated on 27th April 1918.  For his service, John was later awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.  On 17th September 1919, John was presented with a 9ct gold fob medallion by the residents of Ponto (49km South East of Dubbo), NSW, in recognition of his War service.

John and his wife later moved to Sydney, and on 10th September 1954, John died at his residence at 29 Augusta Road Fairlight, NSW, aged 78.  He was cremated the following day at Northern Suburbs Crematorium, North Ryde.  His wife Marion passed away in 1967.

Compiled by Karan CAMPBELL-DAVIS from historical records kept by the National Archives of Australia, Births, Deaths and Marriages NSW, "The History of the 7th Light Horse AIF 1914-1919" by Lt. Col. J.D. Richardson DSO, and various newspaper articles via Trove.