SHEEHAN, John Gregory
| Service Number: | 3930 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 17th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Moruya, New South Wales, Australia, 8 October 1893 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Tram Cleaner |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 3 May 1917, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Commemorated at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial in France. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Leichhardt War Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 3930, 17th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 3930, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Runic, Sydney |
Help us honour John Gregory Sheehan's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by John Oakes
John Gregory SHEEHAN (Service Number 3930) was born on 8th October 1893 in Moruya. He commenced his career in the Sydney Tramways on 19th February 1912 as a cleaner at Rozelle Depot in the Electric Trams Branch. He worked with the Tramways for just over three years before was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces on 15th August 1915. He was 21 when he enlisted.
He left Australia through Sydney aboard HMAT ‘Runic’ on 20th January 1916 and disembarked at Alexandria (Egypt)on 26th February. A month later, on 27th March 1916, he proceeded to join the British Expeditionary Forces in France. He was taken on strength at Etaples on 4th April 1916. Very shortly after, he was admitted to hospital in France for Influenza on 30th April. He remained in hospital until 12th May 1916. Then he was taken on strength of his Battalion again.
On 26th June 1916, he marched out with the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion.
On 3rd May 1917 he was killed in action in France.
A few weeks after his death, on 22nd May 1917, he was awarded the Military Medal for ‘bravery in the field’. The citation for that award is:
‘For conspicuous gallantry when the enemy attacked on the morning15th April near NOREIUL. He was a stretcher bearer and went out with 3 others to bring in a wounded man who was seen trying to crawl in. Finding other men there needing attention, he sent two of the bearers in with a case, while he and Private BUCKRIDGE stayed behind and dressed the rest of the men. All of this was within a 100 yards of the enemy, and when HUCKRIDGE was killed while dressing a wounded man, SHEEHAN coolly finished the job and remained until the bearers came back. Most of the other bearers had been either killed or wounded but Sheehan carried on until all the wounded had been brought in.’
He has no known grave and is commemorated at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial in France.
Following his death, his sister was sent some of his personal items, including a wallet, a letter, photos, and cards. She also received his war medals – the British War Medal, the Victory Medal – as well as the Military Medal.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.