MCDOWELL, John Ambrose
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Major |
| Last Unit: | 33rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Glebe, New South Wales, Australia, 9 July 1888 |
| Home Town: | Coogee, Randwick, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | St John's Grammar School, Parramatta, New South Wales |
| Occupation: | Local Government Clerk |
| Died: | Natural causes, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia, 4 February 1932, aged 43 years |
| Cemetery: |
Botany General Cemetery, New South Wales |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1 | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 May 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, 18th Infantry Battalion | |
| 25 Jun 1915: | Involvement Captain, 18th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Jun 1915: | Embarked Captain, 18th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Sydney | |
| 22 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Captain, 18th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 12 Dec 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Captain, 18th Infantry Battalion, HT Star of England, Portland for invaliding to Australia suffering shell concussion | |
| 2 May 1916: | Embarked Captain, 34th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Sydney | |
| 2 May 1916: | Involvement Captain, 34th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 15 May 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Major, 34th Infantry Battalion | |
| 26 Oct 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Major, 36th Infantry Battalion | |
| 12 Apr 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Major, 36th Infantry Battalion, Shell wounds to left leg, forearm and scalp (severe) | |
| 30 Apr 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Major, 33rd Infantry Battalion, 36th Infantry Battalion disbanded | |
| 3 Aug 1918: | Embarked AIF WW1, Major, 33rd Infantry Battalion, HT Karoola for invaliding to Australia - disembarking Sydney 6 September 1918 | |
| 7 Apr 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Major, 33rd Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour John Ambrose McDowell's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Michael Silver
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on 6 February 1932 the passing of Major John Ambrose McDowell, who died at the Randwick Military Hospital, at the age of 43 years. Major McDowell served throughout the Great War with the Australian Imperial Forces.
He was a member of the original expedition to Rabaul. On returning to Australia he received a commission as a lieutenant, and left by the 'Ceramic' for Gallopoli in June, 1915. He suffered shell concussion, and after a period in hospital in England, returned to Australia to recuperate. He re-embarked for active service in May, 1916 and for the remainder of the war was in France, rising to the rank of Major.
On 12 April 1918 at 1.10 pm he was seriously wounded in action, suffering multiple wounds to scalp, left forearm & both legs when the 36th Battalion headquaters, near Hangard Wood, was hit by a 5.7 inch howitzer shell. The blast killed the 36th's commander Lieutenant Colonel Milne, the Adjutant Captain Macnee, the Adjutant to the West Essex Regiment and three other ranks, whilst four others were wounded. As a consequence of his injuries Major McDowell returned to Sydney unfit for further service.
For some time past he was an employee of the Manly Municipal Council and also served as the Deputy Town Clerk of Katoomba Municipal Council.
Following the war he briefly entered private enterprise and then headed the Vocational Training Scheme for returned soldiers, managed by the Commonwealth's Repatriation Department. Later he became the industrial officer for the Federal Capital Commission responsible for the the planning and development of Canberra.
He was survived by his widow Nadia (nee Butters) and a son. His eldest son predeceased him.
References:
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28034947
Carmichael's 1000: A History of the 36th Battalion AIF - Margaret A. Clark 2014
Click images to start slideshow.