S24094
GAGE, John Richard Samuel
| Service Numbers: | 562, 562A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 May 1915, Keswick South Australia Australia |
| Last Rank: | Gunner |
| Last Unit: | 7th Machine Gun Company |
| Born: | Kensington, 21 February 1897 |
| Home Town: | Rosewater (Greytown), Port Adelaide Enfield, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not known |
| Occupation: | Farrier (service record) |
| Died: | Illness, Adelaide, South Australia, 1 January 1969, aged 71 years |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Rosewater Womens Memorial Roll of Honour WW1 |
World War 1 Service
| 1 May 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Keswick South Australia Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 May 1915: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 562, 27th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, embarkation_roll: roll_number: 15 embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: |
|
| 31 May 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 562, 27th Infantry Battalion | |
| 10 Nov 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, 562, 7th Machine Gun Company, Battle for Pozières | |
| 8 Dec 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 562A, 27th Infantry Battalion | |
| 9 Jan 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 562A, 27th Infantry Battalion | |
| 2 May 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 562, 7th Machine Gun Company, "The Last Hundred Days" | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Gunner, 562 |
World War 2 Service
| 1 May 1940: | Enlisted Wayville, SA |
|---|
Help us honour John Richard Samuel Gage's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
John Samuel Richard GAGE was born on 21st February, 1897 in Kensington, South Australia
His parents were John GAGE and Sarah GRAHAM
He married Gladys WYLD in 1920 - 5 known children
John died in 1969 and is buried in Centennial Park Cemetery in Adelaide, SA
His son Frank Walter GAGE served in WW2 ( SN SX33086) and died on 15th August, 1945 in Papua New Guinea
Biography
Surname: GAGE; Given Names: John Richard Samuel; Date of Birth: 21 February 1897; Date of Enlistment: 1 May 1915; Trade or Calling: Blacksmith; Birth Location: Kensington; Address prior to enlistment: Rosewater; Photograph sent by: Mrs Gage
Source: State Records SA
Details below from his service record:
Gage John Richard Samuel POB Kensington SA : POE Keswick SA : NOK F Gage John 35 Gilles Street Adelaide
John Gage enlisted the day after his 18th birthday, on the 22nd February 1915. His face is that of a young boy and it is quite likely that the enlistment officer would have been concerned that he may have been attempting to over-state his age. His younger brother, Frederick William Gage (warmemorial.erato.vm.e2.com.au) did exactly that just one month later.
John was assigned to C Company of the 27th Battalion which was then forming at Mitcham Camp. After basic training, he embarked with the main body of the Battalion on the HMAT Geelong A2 from Outer Harbour on 31 May 1915.
After disembarking and joining the rest of the Battalion in Egypt, John Gage landed with the 27th Battalion at Gallipoli, embarking from Alexandria on the 4th September 1915. The Battalion landed on and around the 15th September from Lemnos.
Like many other AIF men on the Gallipoli Peninsular at this time, he succumbed to disease. While many men suffered from Enteric Fever, in John Gage's case he was diagnosed with Cecitis, a severe intestinal inflammation, in October 1915 and was evacuated eventually to London. By the time he had recovered, the Battalion had withdrawn from Gallipoli, reconstituted in Egypt and embarked for France, where John Gage re-joined them in April 1916.
In July 1916 he was detached to the Brigade's 7th Machine Gun Company.
It appears in the absence of any information to the contrary that he remained with the 7th MG Company until officially posted in November 1916. He was mustered as a driver due most likely to his background with horses. As a driver he would have been tasked with moving food, stores ammunition and the Company's guns and people to from and around the front lines.
Shortly afterwards while billeted at Vignacourt (Check "Lost Diggers" imagery) he was kicked by a horse that he was shoeing, in the genitals. Not surprisingly, this rendered him a casualty and he was evacuated via Rouen, to hospital in London.
His injury was clearly serious as he spent nearly six months in hospital, finally returning via a number of postings to other MG Companies, between June and November 1917, to the 7th.
After a period of leave in March 1918, he was re-admitted to hospital in May 1918. By this time the 7th MG Company had been consolidated into the 2nd MG Battalion and John eventually re-joined the larger unit in mid June 1918 serving out the balance of the war with it.
As a '1915 man' he was identified early in 1919 for repatriation to Australia and eventually embarked on the "Warwickshire" on 5 April 1919 disembarking on the 24th May 1919.
He subsequently married and relocated to Tumby Bay on SA's Eyre Peninsular
He applied for and was awarded the Gallipoli Medallion in March 1967.
Awarded:
1914/15 Star 5799
British War Medal 3525
Victory Medal 3484
Gallipoli Medallion (1967)
Click images to start slideshow.