TASSIE, John
| Service Number: | 3015 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 July 1916, Adelaide, SA |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 43rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Glenelg, South Australia , 1885 |
| Home Town: | Keith, Tatiara, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Scotch College, Perth, Western Australia and Roseworthy Agricultural College, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France , 25 April 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Bonnay Communal Cemetery Extension Grave ref. B28 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Glenelg Congregational Church Roll of Honor, Keith War Memorial, Roseworthy Tassie Memorial Library, The South Australian National War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Jul 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3015, 43rd Infantry Battalion, Adelaide, SA | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Jun 1917: | Involvement Private, 3015, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
| 23 Jun 1917: | Embarked Private, 3015, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Borda, Adelaide | |
| 25 Apr 1918: | Discharged Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), 3015 |
Help us honour John Tassie's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Daryl Jones
Son of John and Esther Mary TASSIE, 10 Sea Wall, Glenelg, South Australia
Private John Tassie.
On Saturday last Mr. John Tassie, of the Sea Wall, received notification that his son, Private John Tassie, had been killed in action in France on April 25. The deceased soldier was well known in Glenelg, where he resided for the best part of his life. He was 33 years of age, and was educated at Mr. Smart's St. Leonards' Grammar School. He was a fine athletic fellow, possessing good qualities, which made him extremely popular among his fellows.
Private Tassie enlisted about two years ago, and before he offered his services was engaged in farming pursuits in the South-East. He was not married. He was for many years connected with the Glenelg Congregational Church.
Biography contributed by Richard Turnbull
Contribution by Richard Turnbull RDA 1969
John Tassie was a soldier of the Great War who was killed in action on Anzac Day 1918. He was one of the deep thinkers only signing up towards the end of the war and refused promotion more tyhan once. He was a graduate of Roseworthy Agricultural Cellege. His name appears on the large ornate WW1 honour in the foyer of Roseworthy Hall and on the bronze hour roll in the College Chapel. In his memory his family donate a library to the college, which was opened by the Governor in December 1920.
On 25th April 2015 the nephew of John Tassie and family members were invited to Roseworthy to inspect the newly restored Tassie Memorial Library. This John Tassie was the son of Tassie's much younger brother born several years after the war and named in honour of his dead uncle. On the occassion John Tassie gave a short oral presentation on the life of his uncle, who the family called Jack. He also presented the Vice Chanacellor, Professor Warren Bebbbington with an old text book "The Points of a Horse", which was the prize Jack received in 1906 for coming second in his final year at Roseworthy. The book is now in the historical section of the Veterinary School library at Roseworthy.
He also showed this author the few personal items of jack's the army returned to his family in 1918, included amongst these were several pictures of his farm at Kieth and a photo of a very hansome young women. On the back of the photo she wrote "Bon Voyage! Agreat time. ? A safe return!" The photo was dated June 22, 1917, four days before Jack embarked for Europe. The family did not know who this person was and had no contact from her after the war. However they did speculate it may have been the start of a budding romance.
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