SYME, John William
| Service Number: | 279 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 August 1914, Enlisted at Randwick, NSW |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 4th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Waregah Island, New South Wales, Australia, 27 December 1891 |
| Home Town: | Penrith, Penrith Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Holdsworthy Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Locomotive Fireman |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Gallipoli, Turkey, 5 May 1915, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Panel 23, Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 279, 4th Infantry Battalion, Enlisted at Randwick, NSW | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 279, 4th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 279, 4th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Sydney |
Help us honour John William Syme's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Son of Duncan McInnes Syme and Margaret Syme of Waregah Island, NSW.
Brother of Peter McInnes Syme who died of wounds on 26 December 1918 having been gassed on the 1 October 1918 while serving with the 56th Battalion and is buried in the Cross Roads Cemetery, Fontaine-au-Bois Plot 11, Row I, Grave 20.
Also brother of Duncan Leslie Syme who was killed in action on 25 July 1916 while serving with the 2nd Battalion and has no known grave. His name appears on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.
It is possible that he had another brother, James Syme of Nambour, QLD
Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Also served with the senior cadets and the Militia Reserve. Member of the Penrith Rifle Club
Biography contributed by John Oakes
John William SYME was born on 27th December 1891. on Waregah Island, North Arm, Clarence River (near Maclean) in northern NSW. He went to Holdsworthy Public School near Liverpool, NSW. He was one of four sons of Duncan McInnes and Margaret (Maggie) Syme (née Postlethwaite). She married at Katoomba in 1890. The other three sons were James Syme (birth registered 1890 at Katoomba), Peter McInnes Syme (birth registered 1893 at Maclean) and Duncan Leslie Syme (birth registered 1896 at Helensburgh). The family’s move from Maclean to Helensburgh took place after Duncan (the father), described as a fruiterer, was declared bankrupt at Maclean in 1894. Duncan left his wife and children in NSW and went to the goldfields of Western Australia seeking ‘his fortune’. He returned to NSW in 1898.
John’s parents divorced in 1899 (due to adultery by Margaret). His father took custody of the children but died (intestate) in an accident in Western Australia in 1908, leaving them orphans. John and Peter, at least, were subsequently taken in by William Brand and his wife Isabella (née Syme), one of their father’s sisters, then living at Lithgow. Duncan (brother) was taken in by another of their father’s sisters, Mrs Margaret Knight, who was living in Hampstead Rd, Auburn in Sydney.
On 25th April 1912, John joined the NSW Government Railways and Tramways as a cleaner (casual) in the Locomotive Branch based at Penrith. His position was made permanent on his 21st birthday, 27th December 1912. On 6th January 1913 he was promoted to fireman, based at Penrith. He transferred briefly to Werris Creek, from 15th December 1913 to 7th January 1914. Then he returned to Penrith. On 17th August 1914 he was released to join the Expeditionary Forces.
John enlisted in the AIF on 18th August 1914. He was allocated to the 4th Infantry Battalion with the rank of Private (Service Number 279). He initially nominated his brother Peter, then living at Cowra, NSW, as his next of kin but after Peter also enlisted in the AIF John’s next of kin was changed to William Brand, and then to Isabella Brand. By this time the Brands had moved to Graham St, Auburn in Sydney.
John embarked with the Battalion for Egypt aboard HMAT A14 ‘Euripides’ at Sydney on 20th October 1914. Records for the Battalion show that it left Sydney in October 1914. After a stop in Albany, WA, disembarked in Egypt on 2nd December 1914. The Battalion left Egypt for the start of the Gallipoli campaign in early April 1915. After an interval in Greece, it took part in the Anzac landings of 25th April 1915 as part of the second and third waves. It then took on a role in defending the beachhead. It was during this operation that John was killed in action on 5th May 1915.
He was buried in Shrapnel Gully but clearly the site of his grave could not be identified later as he is commemorated at the Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey. His place of association is Penrith, Sydney, NSW.
John’s brothers Peter and Duncan were also killed in the Great War.
Private Peter McInnes Syme (Service Number 2830) of the 56th Infantry Battalion was killed on 26th December 1918, officially while employed on traffic duty. A deposition from Lieutenant E J Craker in Peter’s Red Cross enquiry file describes what was thought to have happened:
‘The above-named soldier was killed as a result of a bombing accident at Catillon on 26.12.18. In company with a French civilian he was out bombing fish – a practice forbidden by Army Standing Orders – when presumably a premature explosion took place resulting in the death of both Syme and his companion.’
His grave is in Cross Roads Cemetery, Fontaine-au-Bois, Nord Pas de Calais, France. His place of association is Lithgow, NSW.
Private Duncan Leslie Syme (Service Number 4270A) of the 2nd Infantry Battalion was killed at Pozières on 25th July 1916. As the site of his grave is unknown he is commemorated at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Nord Pas de Calais, France. His place of association is Lithgow, NSW (where he worked for the local newspaper before he enlisted).
When the time came to distribute war medals for the three brothers there was some dispute between the two aunts and the oldest son James, who was living near Nambour in Queensland, as to who should receive them. The Army decided to give one set to each of the three parties.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sysney Central Station Honour Board.
Click images to start slideshow.