Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

PRIVATE J. H. RANSOME.
FIRST RECRUIT OF THE
SPRING HUNDRED.
A painful sensation was caused in Mudgee on Monday evening when it became known that news had been received of the death at sea of Private John Henry Ransome, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ransome, of Market-street, Mudgee. According to the brief particulars supplied by the official intimation, made in a telegram to the Rev. Canon Dunstan the death occurred on October 17, from heart failure; following on pneumonia. Private J. H. Ransome was the first recruit of the Spring Hundred.
He enlisted at the end of May (having been successful in satisfying the doctors on the last of eleven tries). He sailed from Australia as one of the 16th New South Wales General Service Reinforcements on September 4. The deceased soldier, who was 29 years, of age, was a native of Coolah, but had lived on and off in Mudgee for 21 years. He was, a painter by trade, and the work of his calling took him all over the district and as far north as Queensland, where his first and earlier attempts to enlist were made.
He was an enthusiastic and active member of the Mudgee Labor League, by the members of which, as well as by the people of the town and district generally, he was held in very high esteem. He was always an industrious worker in the Labor movement, and was prominent in the last No Conscription campaign. Besides his secretaryship of the Mudgee branch of the Labor League Private. J. H. Ransome was secretary of the Mudgee Builders' Association, and one of the secretaries of the Mudgee Bicycle Club. He was also actively identified with other sporting organisations and public institutions, including the Mudgee Amateur Swimming Club, to which he left a gold medal to be competed for at any carnival the club might hold this coming season. He was before leaving farwelled by a combined gathering of the Swimming and Bicycle Clubs. The Swimming Club, immediately upon hearing of Private Ransome's death, sent a message of condolence to his parents. Private Ransome had the distinction of being the recruit insured by the Mudgee Parents and Citizens' Association in pursuance of the plan formed in connection with the recruiting of the Spring Hundred. The deceased soldier, who was unmarried, leaves besides his parents two brothers, Mr. Stanley Ramsome, of the 'Guardian' office and Private Bruce Ransome (also formerly of the 'Guardian' office), at present in hospital in England recovering from trench fever, and four sisters, all unmarried. He was an exceptionally fine young man,  exemplary in his life, genial in manner, and kindly in disposition, and was greatly beloved by all who knew him. By them and by all his death will be very greatly regretted. The 'Guardian' joins with the universal sympathy that will be felt for the bereaved family.
The Mudgee Labor League on meeting on Monday night were at once advised of the tragic fate of their secretary, and immediately adjourned for a fortnight. It is a striking as well as a melancholy coincidence that the Mudgee Labor League has now lost and in immediate succession, two of its secretaries in the war, Sergeant Tom Musgrove and Private John Henry Ransome.