Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Jack Clarence Mumford was born on the 26th of April 1898 in Fremantle, Western Australia to James and Alice Mumford. Before enlisting to fight in World War One, Jack lived with his father in Willunga, South Australia and worked as a store assistant. Jack was single, with grey eyes, weighed 135lbs, had brown hair, was 5 feet 5 and a half inches tall and was part of the Church of England religion.

On the 27th of August 1917 in Mitcham, Jack enlisted to fight in World War One. Jack was just 19 and four months at the time and was a Private in the 10th Battalion, 25th Reinforcement.

On the 30th of October, on board the HMAT A60 Aeneas, Jack embarked on his journey from Melbourne, Australia to Devonport, England.

On the 26th of December 1917, once Jack arrived in England, he was admitted to the 4th Southern General Hospital in Plymouth, England as he had mumps. On the 15th of January 1918, after being in hospital for just under a month, Jack was discharged. Jack was then sent to Sutton Veny for training prior to being sent to France. On the 6th of February Jack was admitted to the Sutton Veny Military Hospital with measles. Jack was then discharged 16 days later.

From the 20th of March 1918 until 5:45 am on the 21st of March Jack was absent without leave. As a consequence, was fined the equivalent of three days’ pay.

After more training at Sutton Veny, Jack travelled across to France via Dover, England and started to fight on the Western Front from the 13th of April.  

Only one month and nine days after arriving on the Western Front, Jack was seriously wounded in action, in the chest and arm. Due to these wounds, he was sent back to England and was admitted to the Horton Hospital, Epsom. He was then transferred to a hospital in Weymouth for further medical help.

On the 22nd of February 1919, Jack was discharged and returned to Australia due to being classified as medically unfit. Therefore his service abroad totalled one year and 74 days, while his total service totalled one year and 189 days.

Throughout Jack’s time fighting at the Western Front he was awarded twodifferent medals. These were the British War medal and Victory medal. The British War medal was a campaign medal given to all Imperial Forces soldiers for service. The Victory medal was also given to all men as a campaign service.

Once arriving home, Jack joined the ‘Willunga Cheer Up Society’ in 1920. This society helped to support soldiers in the First and Second World Wars. War survivors often found it difficult to return to former employment due to mental and physical conditions not allowing them to function in a workplace. The high levels of unemployment after the war also made this situation worse.

Jack later died from natural causes and is now buried at Centennial Park Cemetery in Mitcham, South Australia.

Bibliography:

Australian War Memorial n.d., Australian Imperial Force unit war diaries, 1914-18 War, accessed 24 March 2019, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/AWM4/>.

Australian War Memorial n.d., Private Clarence Jack Mumford, accessed 24 March 2019, <https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search>.

Australian War Memorial 2019, Dawn of the Legend: The Anzac spirit, accessed 24 March 2019, <https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibitions/dawn/spirit>.

Cheer Up Society Honour Roll 1920, Photograph, Monument Australia, accessed 24 March 2019, <http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/disaster/display/103081-cheer-up-society-honour-roll>.

Cowdrey, N 2016, Clarence Jack Mumford, accessed 24 March 2019, <https://www.geni.com/people/Clarence-Mumford/6000000016695551543>.

Makepeace, M n.d., Horton County of London War Hospital Epsom, Photograph, Makepeace, accessed 24 March 2019, <https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/62491-horton-county-of-london-war-hospital-epsom/>.

MITCHAM ARMY CAMP 1918, Photograph, A World Away, accessed 24 March 2019, <http://southaustraliaswar.com.au/places/mitcham-army-camp/>.

MITCHAM ARMY CAMP 1919, Photograph, Australian War Memorial, accessed 24 March 2019, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/D00445/>.

National Library of Australia 2019, accessed 24 March 2019, <https://trove.nla.gov.au/result?q-field0=&q-type0=all&q-term0=MUMFORD%2C+CLARENCE%2C+JACK+&q-field1=title%3A&q-type1=all&q-term1=&q-field2=creator%3A&q-type2=all&q-term2=&q-field3=subject%3A&q-type3=all&q-term3=&q-year1-date=&q-year2-date=&l-advformat=&l-advformat=&l-advformat=&l-advformat=&l-advformat=&l-availability=&l-discipline=&l-language=>.

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The AIF Project 2016, Clarence Jack MUMFORD, accessed 24 March 2019, <https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=217579>.

Troops prior to boarding HMAT Aeneas (A60) 1916, Photograph, Australian War Memorial, accessed 24 March 2019, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/PB0008>.

Pearson history S.B 2012, Rachel Ford, Melbourne, Victoria.

Search For A Person 2019, accessed 24 March 2019, <https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search/people?people_preferred_name=MUMFORD%2C+CLARENCE%2C+JACK+&people_service_number=&people_unit=>.

State Library of South Australia n.d., Private Clarence Jack Mumford, accessed 24 March 2019, <http://www.catalog.slsa.sa.gov.au/search/X>.

Sutton Veny n.d., Photograph, Sutton Veny, accessed 24 March 2019, <https://suttonveny.co.uk/1st-world-war/individual-stories-one/>.

Sutton Veny - 1st World War 2019, accessed 24 March 2019, <https://suttonveny.co.uk/1st-world-war/>.

Virtual War Memorial Australia 2019, Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia, accessed 24 March 2019, <https://vwma.org.au/explore/cemeteries/8>.

1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medals n.d., Photograph, DCM Medals, accessed 24 March 2019, <http://www.dcmmedals.co.uk/1914-15-star-british-war-medal-victory-medal-9/>.

ANZAC Spirit:

The ANZACS were seen as people with great courage, humour, discipline, determination persistence and mateship. Courage was shown through risking their own lives to fight for their country. The ANZACS were seen as people with a great sense of humour that helped to lighten the mood in the trenches. Discipline was shown through obeying every command that was given. Determination was shown by fighting hard against their enemy and not giving up. Lastly, the ANZACS showed strong mateship, which helped to create a more positive sense of community within the trenches. These qualities that were shown by the ANZACs were later named the ‘ANZAC Spirit’(Australian War Memorial 2019, Dawn of the Legend: The Anzac spirit, accessed 24 March 2019, https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibitions/dawn/spirit).

Jack showed great ANZAC Spirit and in particular persistence, courage and determination. Jack showed great courage by signing up to fight for his country, fighting on the front line and also being seriously injured but still managing to stay alive. Jack also showed great persistence and determination through his two sicknesses while he was still training, as well as giving one year and 189 days of his time to fight for Australia.