WHARTON, John Arthur
| Service Number: | 6906 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 March 1917 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 21st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Carlton, Victoria, Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Richmond (V), Yarra, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Boundary Rider |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 6 Mar 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6906, 21st Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 May 1917: | Involvement Private, 6906, 23rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
| 11 May 1917: | Embarked Private, 6906, 23rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Melbourne | |
| 30 Jan 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 6906, 21st Infantry Battalion, Returned to Australia, underage. |
Mothered by the Queen
"When Queen Mary was in Melbourne in 1901, on the occasion of the opening of the first Federal Parliament, she visited the Women's Hospital, Carlton, and was photographed with a baby in her arms.
The baby is now Private J. A Wharton, of the Victorian Infantry. His parents live in Richmond. He is a husky fighter, aged 16 years, with 14 months active service to his credit. He enlisted when 14 1/2, giving his age as 18, and came scatheless through the terrible fighting at Bullecourt and in other engagements. Recently he sent a cutting of the photograph mentioned from the Melbourne "Herald" to the Queen, and was immediately invited to Buckingham Palace, where he spent last Sunday, dined with the King and Queen, and the Queen acted as mother to him, personally showing him over the Palace. The incident has revealed Private Wharton's age, and it is improbable that he will be again sent to the front."
Sourced from the "Portland Guardian" Thursday 29th November 1917. (trove.nla.gov.au) Also reported in the "Fielding Star" 28th November 1917. (paperspast.natlib.govt.nz)
Submitted 7 June 2023 by Andreena Hockley