GLASSON, John Langsford
| Service Number: | 4178 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Norwood, South Australia, 25 June 1895 |
| Home Town: | Kadina, Copper Coast, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Prince Alfred College |
| Occupation: | Surveyor |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 5 April 1918, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ribemont Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Crown Lands Department WW1 Honour Board, Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Kadina & District WW1 Roll of Honor, Kadina Memorial High School WW1 Honour Roll, Kadina Town Hall WW1 & WW2 Roll of Honour, Kadina War Memorial Arch, Kent Town Prince Alfred College 'Nobly Striving, Nobly Fell' Roll of Honour, Kent Town Wesleyan Methodist Church WW1 Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Jul 1915: | Enlisted | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 4178, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 4178, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Borda, Adelaide | |
| 5 Apr 1918: | Involvement Sergeant, 4178, 50th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4178 awm_unit: 50 Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1918-04-05 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Kadina Memorial School
John Langsford Glasson was born on the 25th of June 1895, son to Joseph and Lucy Glasson. Even though he was born in Norwood, South Australia, John lived out the majority of his life in the country town of Kadina, also in South Australia.
John pursued his education at Prince Alfred College in Adelaide. Once he had graduated, John began work in the survey department. In the early 1900’s surveyors were used to locate free land and to monitor population.
According to his enlistment form located in the National Archives, John enlisted on the 24 August 1915. He embarked on the 11th of January 1916 on board the HMAT A30 Borda. On arrival in Egypt, John took part in training with the rest of the 10th battalion, 13th Reinforcement. John’s initial military rank was Private, however as the war went on he was promoted.
Once John’s training was complete, he departed from the training camp in Egypt with the remainder of the 10th battalion to the Western Front. This is where John began his World War One journey.
On the 26th February 1916, John transferred into the 50th Battalion who were located on the Western Front. By May 1917 he had been promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal.
The 50th Battalion were needed to participate in the Battle of the Ypres. The unit fought trench warfare profusely in the most horrible of waterlogged conditions. This was a consequence of frequent rainfall, however, they were forced to withdraw and wait to be relocated as the battalion lost many soldiers.
On the 11th of February 1917, John was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. This was a very commended role which John would have been honoured to received.
In March 1918, the Allied forces launched the ‘Spring Offensive’ attacking the lowest part of the German sector in the Somme. The Allied soldiers pushed the German troops back. Throughout late March and into April 1918, the 10th Battalion took part in a series of defensive actions, including fighting near French towns. These attacks brought themselves closer to the end of the war. It was at this stage in the fighting, in June, during fighting around another town in France that the earlier attacks were described as "The best show ever done by a battalion in France”. The war was cut short for John as he was killed in action in Dernacourt, France on the 5th of April 1918, just 5 months prior to the signing of the armistice.
John was buried in the Ribemont Communal Cemetery Extension, located in the Somme, however, he has other memorials in the Kadina Memorial School, The Australian War Memorial and The Old Treasury Building in Adelaide.
John was awarded both the ‘British War Medal’ and the ‘Victory Medal’.
By Claudia Geekie
Year 9 student, Kadina Memorial School
BIBLIOGRAPHY
AGDD 2015, British War Medal. Retrieved June 9th 2016, from http://www.defence.gov.au/Medals/Imperial/WWI/British-War-Medal-1914-20.asp
AFDA 2010, John Glasson. Retrieved June 9th 2016, from https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=112276
CWGC 2015, Casualty Details; John Glasson. Retrieved June 9th 2016, from http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/43461/GLASSON,%20JOHN%20LANGSFORD
Australian War Memorial 2016, Role of Honour; John Glasson. Retrieved June 9th 2016, from https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1731506/
Australian War Memorial 2016, 50th Australian Infantry Battalion. Retrieved June 22nd 2016, from https://www.awm.gov.au/unit/U51490/
Australian Government 2016, Victory Medal. Retrieved June 22nd 2016, from http://www.defence.gov.au/Medals/Imperial/WWI/Victory-Medal.asp
Australian War Memorial 2016, Battle of Ypres. Retrieved June 23rd 2016, from https://www.awm.gov.au/military-event/E104/
New Zealand History 2016, Battle of the Somme. Retrieved June 23rd 2016, from http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/the-battle-of-the-somme/overview
Every Man Remembered 2014, Sergeant John Langsford Glasson. Retrieved June 23rd 2016, from http://www.everymanremembered.org/profiles/soldier/43461/
Australian War Graves 2015, Ribemont Communal Cemetery. Retrieved June 23rd 2016, from http://www.australianwargraves.org/www/592/1001127/displayarticle/1005258.html?pub=1&pagemode=2&objectid=1170648
CWGC 2016, Ribemont Communal Cemetery Extension. Retrieved June 23rd 2016, from http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/4604/RIBEMONT%20COMMUNAL%20CEMETERY%20EXTENSION,%20SOMME
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