11333
BUSHELL, John Waller
| Service Number: | 1945 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 November 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 9th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Fremantle, Western Australia, 5 March 1896 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Sturt Street School, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Shearer |
| Died: | Natural causes, South Australia, 12 March 1971, aged 75 years |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Nov 1915: | Enlisted | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Feb 1916: | Involvement Private, 1945, 9th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Warilda embarkation_ship_number: A69 public_note: '' | |
| 10 Feb 1916: | Embarked Private, 1945, 9th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Warilda, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Corporal, 1945 | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 1945 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by St Ignatius' College
John Waller Bushell
Before the war
John Waller Bushell was born on the 5th of March 1896 in Western Australia to Arthur John Bushell and Sarah Louisa nee Rollinson. He was a natural born British subject. John attended Sturt Street School, having transferred from a school in Broken Hill on the 13th of February 1906 with his younger brother Cyril Arthur Bushell (born 14th January 1898). Cyril also enlisted to the war in January 1916. Before he enlisted to the war John worked as a shearer. He travelled around Australia (mostly South Australia and Victoria).
When John enlisted, he was single with no children. His next of kin was his mother, Mrs Sarah Louisa Bushell. (born 1873) He lived on Nicholas Street Fitzroy, Melbourne, Victoria.
John was 5 feet 10 inches and weighed 142 pounds before enlisting. He had fair skin, grey eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was the church of England,.
During the war
John enlisted in the war on the second of November 1915 and joined the 9th Light Horse Regiment as a private. The Light Horse Regiment were part of the mounted rifles, firing at enemies from horseback. John embarked from Adelaide on the HMAT Warilda Ship number A69 on the 10th of Feb 1916.
Between April and September 1916, he was in the 53rd Battalion and then transferred to the 5th Division in France. It is likely that he fought in the battles of Somme, Verdun and Pozieres. These battles were key engagements in WW1, yet Australian soldiers suffered 23,000 casualties. John was a lucky and resilient soldier to have survived such intense battels.
In September 1916 he was on command at the second army trench mortar school to train in the 5th division. He rejoined his unit from training on the 1st of October.
The trenches were disease-ridden places and infections like pneumonia were common among soldiers. John was admitted to Hursley hospital with severe pneumonia in November. He then went to England in early December 1916 to another hospital for further recovery.
After spending months in hospital John was ready to return to war in France on the 5th of April.
John was a promoted from a Gunner to a Corporal, then went to cadet school on the 22nd of October 1917 for further training.
He rejoined the unit after training as a bombardier on the 16th of November 1917 after spending roughly 2 weeks at cadet school. A Bombardier’s job was to handle ammunition, place muzzles in cannons and prepare weapons for firing.
He was involved in the battle of Villers Bretonneux. (This battle was fought in April 1918 and saw Australian soldiers repel a German attack. In a latter battle the Australians retook the town in a well-planned night attack.
On the 14th of June 1918 he was admitted to the 2nd Eastern General Hospital, Brighton, England after suffering a gunshot wound to the ear. As a result of the German Spring Offensive. 10th Medium Trench Mortar Battery.
John continued on as a bombardier 5th divisional trench mortar brigade. 2nd July 1918.
For unknown reasons John was invalided out of the brigade on the 13th of June 1918. He spent the rest of his time overseas convalescing in the hospital before returning back to Australia on the 6 September 1919 on the HMAT Wahehe.
After the war
John married Eva Lydia Brown (1897 - 1982) on the 24th of December 1921 at Mitcham South Australia. His wife had previously married to Alfred Charles Lamphee, and they divorced in 1921. John and Eva lived at Lockleys, Hindmarsh in 1941, according to his census that listed his occupation as an electrical welder. John died of natural causes in South Australia, 12th of March 1971 aged 75. He is buried in Centennial Park cemetery, Pasadena, Mitcham city, South Australia.
Medals
John was awarded three medals including:
The 1914-15 Star Campaign Medal awarded to those who of the British and Imperial forces who served in the first world war against the central European powers, during 1914 and 1915.
The British War Medal, Issued 4/12 no. 11866. This medal was awarded to officers British and Imperial forces for their service in the First World War.
Victory Medal, issued 4/12 no. 11741. Awarded to servicemen and women who served in the allied forces during World War One. Commemorates the Victory and service.
Written By Estelle Turner
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