John Henry SWAIN

SWAIN, John Henry

Service Number: 1760
Enlisted: 1 June 1915, Brisbane, Queensland
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 25th Infantry Battalion
Born: Brisbane, Queensland, 10 February 1886
Home Town: Toowong, Brisbane, Queensland
Schooling: Toowong State School & Brisbane Grammar School
Occupation: Cabinet maker
Died: Killed in Action, France, 29 July 1916, aged 30 years
Cemetery: Serre Road Cemetery No.2 Beaumont Hamel, France
Serre Road Cemetery No 2, Beaumont Hamel, Picardie, France
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Brisbane Grammar School Memorial Library WW1 Honour Board 2
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World War 1 Service

1 Jun 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1760, Brisbane, Queensland
20 Aug 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1760, 25th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: ''
20 Aug 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1760, 25th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Shropshire, Sydney
30 Oct 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1760, 25th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli
29 Jul 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1760, 25th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières

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Biography

"Mr and Mrs. J. W. Swain, of Augustus-street, Toowong, on Monday received a letter from their seventh and youngest son, Gunner P. Swain, attached to the Field Artillery, who has been awarded the Military Medal, and received a card from Major-General J. Monash, C.B., V.D., commanding the Third Australian Division, conveying his congratulation. The medal was awarded for gallant action in France on May 6, 1917. Gunner Swain was formerly a pupil at the Brisbane Grammar School, where he obtained the Lilley silver medal in 1911, and prior to enlisting was a surveyor's pupil with Mr. F. B. C. Ford (Deputy Surveyor General). He was under 21 years when he enlisted.

Gunner Swain is a brother of Private Robert Claude Swain, who enlisted in October 1916, and returned to Brisbane on Sunday last. Private Swain was wounded in the right hip in France and was in hospital in England for four or five months. Another brother, Private John Henry Swain, saw service in Egypt, Gallipoli, and France. He was in the battle of Pozieres on July 26, 1916, and was severely wounded. Two comrades dressed his wounds and then placed him in a German listening post. He was first officially reported as wounded, then as wounded and missing, and finally as dead. Private John Henry Swain was also an ex-pupil of the Brisbane Grammar School." - from the Brisbane Courier 31 Oct 1917 (nla.gov.au)

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