MURRAY, John Patrick
| Service Number: | 34782 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 November 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column |
| Born: | Gunnedah, New South Wales, Australia, 30 November 1891 |
| Home Town: | Redfern, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway Ticket collector |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 4 August 1918, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Nov 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Driver, 34782, Field Artillery Brigades | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Jun 1917: | Involvement Driver, 34782, Field Artillery Brigades, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: '' | |
| 21 Jun 1917: | Embarked Driver, 34782, Field Artillery Brigades, HMAT Suevic, Melbourne | |
| 4 Aug 1918: | Involvement Driver, 34782, 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 34782 awm_unit: 2nd Australian Divisional Ammunition Column awm_rank: Driver awm_died_date: 1918-08-04 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Oakes
John Patrick MURRAY was born at Gunnedah, NSW, on 30th November 1891. He joined the NSW Government Railways and Tramways as a probationer in the Murrurundi District of the Traffic Branch on 29th November 1906. On 30th September 1907 he was upgraded to junior porter in the same District. On 28th March 1908, as junior porter, he was transferred to the Superintendent of the Lines Branch and remained in this position for over three years before he transferred to the Metropolitan District on 30th November 1911. On 18th November 1913 he became a Ticket Collector in the Metropolitan District and he was still in this position on 8th December 1916 when he was released from duty to join the Expeditionary Forces.
John officially joined the AIF on 21st November 1916. When he joined he was given the rank of Private (Service Number 34782). However, a few days later his rank was reclassified as Gunner, and he was attached to the 16th Reinforcements to the 5th Field Artillery Brigade. Then, on 16th April 1917 he was reclassified again, this time as a driver,. He was transferred to the April Field Artillery Reinforcements.
By the time John enlisted he was married (his wife’s Christian names were Mary Anne). They were living in Redfern in Sydney. John embarked for England aboard HMAT A29 ‘Suevic’ on 21st June 1917 and disembarked at Liverpool, England, on 26th August 1917. He went to the Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery, based at Larkhill, England for further training before leaving for France on 29th November 1917. He spent four days at the Australian General Base Depot at Rouelles before leaving there on 3rd December 1917 to travel to the 2nd Australian Divisional Ammunition Column, where he was taken on strength on 6th December 1917.
On 4th August 1918 John was killed in action near Amiens. His grave is in Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France. His place of association is Redfern in Sydney.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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