JOSE, Wilfrid Oswald
| Service Number: | 38 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 August 1914, Morphettville, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Ningpo, China , 25 March 1895 |
| Home Town: | North Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | St Peter's College, Adelaide South Australia |
| Occupation: | Student |
| Died: | Killed In Action, Noreuil, France, 3 April 1917, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Noreuil Australian Cemetery, Picardie F.31 |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Adelaide University of Adelaide WW1 Honour Roll, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Hackney St Peter's College Fallen Honour Board, North Adelaide Christ Church Honour Board, North Adelaide Queens School Honour Board, North Adelaide St Peter's Cathedral WW1 Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 38, Morphettville, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 38, 10th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: "10\r" embarkation_place: "Adelaide\r" embarkation_ship: "HMAT Ascanius\r" embarkation_ship_number: "A11\r" public_note: '' |
|
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 38, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Adelaide | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 38, 10th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 26 Feb 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Corporal, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
| 17 Mar 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
| 3 Nov 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 50th Infantry Battalion, 'The Winter Offensive' - Flers/Gueudecourt winter of 1916/17 | |
| 2 Apr 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 50th Infantry Battalion, Noreuil, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 50 Battalion awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1917-04-03 |
Biography
Early Life
Wilfrid Oswald Jose was born on the 25th March 1895, at Ningpo, China, the second son of Revered Canon George Herbert Jose and Clara Ellen Sturt.
Wilfrid’s father, George, came to Australia in 1888 from Gloucestershire, England, he married Clara Ellen Sturt (d.1925) in 1890 and went with her to China as a lay missionary the following year. All three of the couple’s children were born in China. The family left China in 1899 after George was awarded the Davis Chinese Scholarship at Oxford for 1900. In 1903 George then brought the family to Adelaide where he had charge of several churches until in 1906 when he was appointed Rector of Christ Church, North Adelaide, where he remained until 1933. He was appointed a Canon of Adelaide in 1918 and Archdeacon of Adelaide in 1929. He resigned the incumbency of Christ Church to become Dean of Adelaide until his retirement in 1953.
Wilfrid’s siblings were Ivan Bede Jose (b 13 February 1893) and Gilbert Edger (b 1 November 1898).
Schooling
Wilfrid initially attended Queen's School, Barton Terrace, North Adelaide along with older brother Ivan before enrolling at St Peter’s College.
He attended St Peter's College from 1905 to 1913 and was a high achiever both academically and in sports.
In 1907 he was awarded the Form Ra prizes for Scripture and French (Set 4) and he passed the Primary Examinations in four subjects (English History, Latin, Algebra and Geometry). In 1908 he passed the Junior Examinations coming equal 34th in the general honours list. He passed eight subjects (English History, Greek, Latin, French, Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Inorganic Chemistry) gaining credits in both Arithmetic and Algebra.
Wilfrid passed six subjects in the Senior Examinations in 1909 (Modern History, Greek, Latin, Arithmetic and Algebra (credit), Geometry and Trigonometry). In 1910 Wilfrid again sat the Senior Examinations passing seven subjects (English Literature, Modern History, Greek, Latin, Arithmetic and Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry. He gained credits in Modern history and Geometry and was 23rd on the general honours list.
In 1911 Wilfrid passed three Higher Public Examinations (Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Inorganic Chemistry) and in January 1913 he passed the Senior Examinations in French. He undertook the Higher Public Examinations in 1913 coming 6th in the general honours list and passing five subjects (Algebra and Trigonometry, Geometry and Trigonometry, Applied Mathematics, Physics and Inorganic Chemistry). He gained a credit for Physics.
He was awarded the Allen Scholarship in 1908, Short Scholarship in 1909, Farrell Scholarship in 1910, Creswell Memorial in 1912, Young Exhibition in 1913 along with the Farr Scholarship and the first Bowman Scholarship.
Wilfrid was a school prefect in 1912-13 and the Head Prefect in 1913 and was on the library committee (1912-13), magazine committee (1912-13) and the games committee (1913).
While at St Peter’s College, Wilfrid was a Senior Cadet and in July 1913 he was promoted to Second Lieutenant.
Sport
He competed in the St Peter’s Sports in 1905 coming second in the 100 yards flat for Under 11s. At the 1912 St Peter’s Sports he came second in the half mile handicap race. He was then called upon to run in the mile race at the Inter-Collegiate Sports in May 1912. After a good start he failed to gain a place in the race. He was vice-captain of the Intercollegiate Sports team (1912-13).
Wilfrid played cricket for St Peter’s in the SACA B Grade competition in the 1910/11, 1911/12 and 1912/13 seasons.
During the 1911/12 cricket season Wilfrid played in the SPSC versus Old Scholars match and in the Inter-Collegiate matches against Prince Alfred College. He also played Inter-Collegiate cricket in 1912 (vice-captain) and 1913 (captain). He travelled with the St Peter’s cricket team to Melbourne in 1911 and 1913 where they played against Melbourne and Sydney Grammar Schools.
An all round sportsman, Wilfrid was a member of the Inter-Collegiate Lawn Tennis Team who competed against PAC in 1912 and 1913 (vice-captain).
Wilfrid was a member of the St Peter’s Inter-collegiate Football Team in 1912 (all eighteen members of that team went on to serve in WWI) and 1913 (vice-captain).
In 1913 he played football for St Peter's College which had entered a team in the recently formed (1911) Amateur League competition.
In 1913, St Peter’s College divided senior students into four teams known as "Districts" and Wilfrid was captain of North's District. That year they became the first winners of the School’s Tolley Cup.
In January 1914, Wilfrid was awarded the Angas Engineering Exhibition at the University of Adelaide.
University
Wilfrid commenced studying Applied Science (Engineering) at Adelaide University in 1914. He did not complete his first year of study as he was granted leave of absence to enlist in the Australian Expeditionary Forces. He attended the University Sports Association Ball in June 1914.
University Sport
Cricket
Wilfrid commenced playing A Grade cricket for the Adelaide University Cricket Club in January 1914. He also played in the match in April 1914 against a combined team from the north of SA at University Oval and in a match against Angaston at Angaston later that month. Despite having only played half a season for the AUCC, Wilfrid was listed in the leading averages for batsmen in the SACA A Grade competition for 1913/14.
Football
Wilfrid played football for the Adelaide University Football Club in the Amateur League competition in 1914. He was a member of the 1914 Intervarsity team who played against Melbourne University on Adelaide University Oval in August 1914. Adelaide University defeated Melbourne University for the first time in the 1914 match.
World War I
Wilfrid enlisted on 19th August 1914 with Service Number 38. He was 5’7” tall and weighed 140 lbs and had a fresh complexion, brown eyes and fair hair.
Wilfrid’s war service is well documented in the Published Biographies and some additional details, including newspaper articles and photographs are in the full document.
Wilfrid was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 17 March 1916. Wilfrid and his men of the 50th Battalion then deployed to France in June 1916. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 10 July 1916.
Death
Lt Wilfrid Oswald Jose was killed in action during the 50th Battalion’s attack on Noreuil, France on 3rd April 1917 (sometimes recorded as the 2nd). He is buried in the Noreuil Australian Cemetery. Wilfrid left an estate valued at £250.
Many moving tributes were published and some details of the battle which cost Wilfrid his life were recorded in a letter from Major Harry Seager (50th Battalion) to Mr Armitage (the father of Capt. Harold Edwin Salisbury Armitage who fell one day after Wilfrid).
The Adelaide Poet, Kenneth Scott, wrote a poem dedicated to Wilfrid.
The poem and some details on Wilfrid were included in the book ‘The Messages of Its Walls and Fields: A History of St Peter's College, 1847 to 2009’ by Katharine Thornton.
Wilfrid’s memory is honoured annually at St Peter’s College when the Wilfrid Jose Bursary is awarded.
Brothers
Wilfrid’s elder brother, Ivan Bede Jose graduated MBBS from Adelaide University in December 1915 and enlisted for WWI. He returned to Australia in September 1918.
His younger brother, Gilbert Edgar Jose enlisted for WWI but was still in Australia when hostilities ceased on 11th November 1918. He studied at Adelaide University and qualified as a medical practitioner in 1922.
Gilbert enlisted for WWII. Sometime later in 1941 Gilbert was posted overseas and was put in charge of the hospital on the racecourse at Singapore. He was last seen a couple of days before the fall of Singapore (8 to 15 February 1942) and his final letter to his wife was dated 9th February 1942. He was listed as missing in action and subsequently reported to have died of dysentery on 27th March 1942 while a POW of the Japanese in the Changi Prison. Gilbert is buried at the Kranji Military Cemetery, Singapore.
For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared by Beth Filmer for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (with assistance from Rob O'Shannassy & Janne Filmer) please see the document attached or the Adelaide University site AdelaideConnect at
https://connect.adelaide.edu.au/nodes/view/25712
Submitted 4 June 2025 by Eleanor Filmer
AUFC & AUCC - Anzac Day 2015
Extract from the Adelaide University Football Club and Adelaide University Cricket Club document honouring "The Fallen" Anzac Day 2015.
Wilfred played Intervarsity Football in 1914. He also played for AUFC in 1913 and 1914 and for AUCC in the 1913/14 season. He was an Applied Science student.
Wilfred enlisted on 19th August 1914 and joined the 10th Battalion and landed at Gallipoli. During the establishment of the 4th Division in March 1916, he and half of the 10th were transferred to the new 50th Battalion. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on 17th February 1916 and then Lieutenant on 25th July 1916. On 2nd April 1917 during the 50th’s advance on Noreuil, the barrage had failed to silence the garrison holding the town. As a result, a platoon of enemy with a machine-gun enfiladed the members of the 50th causing many casualties including Jose who was killed.
Submitted 15 May 2016 by Eleanor Filmer
Young Exhibition
Wilfrid Jose was the Young Exhibitioner at St Peter's College in 1913, this being the prize awarded to the outstanding student, academically, of that year. Less than a year later he was on his way to war.
Jose is an extremely common surname at St Peter's College. There have been very many boys with that surname go through the School over the years. It would be a fascinating, but probably very lengthy, exercise to try and discover how, and if, they are all related!
One also wonders why his name was spelt withan 'i' as opposed to the more usual Wilfred. A family matter, no doubt.
C. Roe
Manager AMOSA
Submitted 4 September 2014 by Christopher Roe
Biography contributed by Steve Larkins
JOSE Wilfrid Olswald : Service Number - Lieutenant/38 : Place of Birth - Ningpo China : Place of Enlistment - Morphettville SA : Next of Kin - (Father) JOSE G H Rev
Brother of (Sir) Ivan Bede JOSE, MC
Brother of Gilbert Edgar JOSE
Wilfrid Jose was a 19 year old student when War broke out in August 1914, and was one of the earliest enlistees into the 10th Battalion, his service number of 38 attesting to his 'position' in the enlistment queue. He had two older brothers both of whom enlisted.
He was assigned to A Company of the 10th Battalion and joined the 'Scouts'. He ended up in 1 Section with Arthur Blackburn and Guy Fisher, both law students, Tom Whyte, a champion rower, Eric Meldrum, John Gordon, Francis Stokes, Malcolm Teasedale-Smith and Phil Robin, a noted Australian Rules player from the Norwood football club.
After basic training at Morphettville Racecourse, he and his colleagues embarked for overseas service from Adelaide on 20 October 1914 aboard HMAT Ascanius.
After training in Egypt, Wilfid and his mates embarked on the Ionian for the island of Lemnos in the Aegean Sea. From here the landing at Gallipoli was to be mounted. The 10th Battalion Scouts were among the first ashore at Gallipoli, but the toll exacted on them was severe. Tom Whyte, who had volunteered to row his mates ashore, didn't even get out of the boat - he was wounded through the hips and died at sea whilst being evacuated. Within the next few days Francis Stokes, Phil Robin and Malcolm Teasedale-Smith were each killed. Wilfrid survived the initial onslaught and served throughout the rest of the campaign. He was promoted temporary Corporal late in the campaign in between suffering bouts of illness.
After the withdrawal from ANZAC and on return to Egypt Wilfrid was promoted to Corporal on 24 January 1916. He transferred to the 50th Battalion during the "Doubling of the AIF" to raise the 4th and 5th Divisions on 26 February 1916 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 17 March 1916. Wilfrid and his men of the 50th Battalion then deployed to France in June 1916. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 10 July 1916.
Wilfrid Jose missed the fighting at Pozieres / Mouquet Farm, as he had been evacuated to Britain with an eye condition. The 50th Battalion did not get committed to a major action until the second phase of the fighting near Mouquet Farm. The Battalion suffered heavy casualties at this time, so Wilfrid would have felt the loss of so many of his colleagues when he returned to the Battalion.
He endured the winter of 1916/17 in winter quarters near Guedecourt.
In March April 1917, the Allies mounted the Arras Offensive but were surprised by the withdrawal of the German front line south of Arras in order to remove a salient (a projection of land into the enemy’s lines which risked being outflanked and cut off).
The 50th Battalion mounted an attack on the village of Moreuil on 2 April, and Lt Wilfrid Jose was killed in action during its course. He is buried in the Noreuil Australian Cemetery.
The circumstances of his death are described in a number of letters, an extract of which appears as an attached Story.
Wilfrid Jose had two brothers. The eldest, (Sir) Ivan Bede Jose, was a medical student at the outbreak of war. He enisted and was appointed Sergeant in 1 Australian Stationary Hospital. He was discharged to complete his studies and later rejoined as as a Captain and served with distinction as a Regimental Medical Officer, winning a Military Cross along the way. He survived the war and went on to complete a distinguished medical career. He is one of 200 South Australian medical personnel whose service is addressed in "Blood Sweat and Fears" published in 2014.
The other brother, Gilbert Edgar, served as a soldier in WW1 and later completed his medical studies in 1924. He later died during WW2 as a prisoner of the Japanese in Changi Prison in Singapore.
See the Campaign entry "Hindenburg Line and Outpost Villages"
1914/15 Star 2927
British War Medal 4672
Victory Medal 4671
Commemorative Plaque 356145
The story of the men with whom Wildrid landed at Gallipoli is described in an article held in th SA State Library entitled "The Flowers of the Forest"; the men of this group were as follows:
Arthur BLACKBURN (/explore/people/930)
Guy FISHER (/explore/people/373586)
John GORDON (/explore/people/198723)
Wilfrid JOSE (/explore/people/173634)
Eric MELDRUM (/explore/people/55797)
Philip ROBIN (/explore/people/9135)
Francis STOKES (/explore/people/60171)
Malcolm TEASEDALE-SMITH (/explore/people/190689)
Thomas WHYTE (/explore/people/170704)
Steve Larkins May 2014
From the book Fallen Saints
Wilfrid Oswald Jose of North Adelaide South Australia was born on 25 March 1895 in Ningpo, China. He came to Australia as an eight year old when his father returned as the Anglican Dean of Adelaide.
Wilfrid (listed as Wilfred) received his education at a private school in Oxford, England, Queens School North Adelaide and the Collegiate School of St Peter (1905-1913).
While at the School, he gained honours in almost every examination he undertook and for his achievements won numerous scholarships and trophies. He was a member of the cadets and served on the library, games, and magazine committees; in 1912, he was a prefect and academic dux of the School. [i]
In 1913 he was School Captain, played intercollegiate tennis, was vice captain of the inter-collegiate football team and captain of the cricket team. He entered Adelaide University in 1914 to study engineering while there found time to follow is sporting interests as well as serve part time as a lieutenant in the 79th Infantry.
At the University he has already shown his cricketing prowess in the cricket eleven. He bids fair to hold a position equal to that of A.G. Moyes and C.E. Pellew, who were his predecessors as captain of the school cricket team, and are now members of the University eleven. [ii]
He enlisted at Morphettville on 19 August 1914 and was posted to A Company 10th Battalion. Private Jose landed at Anzac as a member of the covering force on 25 April and remained on the front line until admitted to 1st Field Ambulance on 26 August with severe diarrhoea. Within a week, he rejoined the battalion in the field and was made temporary Corporal but was reverted to lance corporal when evacuated to Alexandria with jaundice in December.
When the battalion was split in 1916, he was promoted to corporal and posted to the 50th Battalion where on 17 March he was appointed to second lieutenant and proceeded to France with the 50th Battalion on 5 June. He was promoted to Lieutenant in early July but soon after was diagnosed with Opthalmitis and evacuated to England for treatment.
During his absence from the battalion the 50th suffered heavy casualties at Mouquet Farm and when he rejoined the unit in early December he must have been shocked to find so many of his old friends had been killed or wounded.
After the attack at Noreuil Lieutenant Wilfrid Oswald Jose was listed as missing but this was changed when on 3 April it was reported he had been killed in action; he was 22 years of age.
Writing about Noreuil after the war, Charles Bean, specifically mentioned Jose in the official history.
... a platoon of the enemy with a machine gun, protected by a barricade, a steep bank, and some wire, enfiladed the advance and caused many casualties. Lieutenants Jose and Bidstrup – the latter after emptying his revolver into the Germans were killed, … [iii]
Justifiably proud of his son’s actions at Noreuil, Wilfrid’s father, when completing the circular for the Australian War Memorial’s Roll of Honour, wrote that his son had been in charge of the first wave of the 50th Battalion during the attack. He was also certain his son was the ‘young officer’ Bean had mentioned in his dispatch about Noreuil ‘as found lying between 2 machinegun positions with only 1 cartridge unfired in his revolver’. [iv]
In a letter to the father of Captain Harold Armitage who was also killed at Noreuil, the OC of B Company Major Harry Seager, referred to Wilfrid as ‘the gallant and loveable Lieutenant Jose.’ [v]
Wilfrid’s brother, Captain Ivan Bede Jose (OS) was recommended for the Military Cross and the Silver Medal for Military Valour (Italian). [vi]
He was awarded the Military Cross and mentioned in despatches. [vii]
During WWII, Wilfrid and Ivan’s younger brother Major Gilbert Edgar Jose died of illness while being held prisoner by the Japanese in Changi Camp, Singapore.
[i] Adelaide Advertiser, 13 April 1917
[ii] St Peter’s School Magazine - W K Thomas & Co, Adelaide, 1914
[iii] Bean, C E W, Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918, Vol IV, Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1933, p. 213
[iv] Australian War Memorial, Roll of Honour Cards 145, 1914-1918 War, Army - Jose, Wilfrid Oswald, viewed 29 October 2005
[v] Freeman, R R, Hurcombe’s Hungry Half Hundred, Peacock Publications 1991, p. 96
[vi] Australian War Memorial, Honours and Awards (Recommendations: First World War) - Jose, Ivan Bede, viewed 30 October 2005
[vii] ibid, (Gazetted) Database - Jose, Ivan Bede, viewed 30 October 2005
Biography contributed
Biography written by Sheryas Khanna, St Peter's College, SA attached as a document. Winning entry for 2019 Premier's Anzac Spirit School Prize.
Click images to start slideshow.