MACPHERSON, John
| Service Number: | 746 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 17th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Broomhill, Cawdor, Nairnshire, Scotland, 20 March 1888 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Cawdor School, Cawdor, Nairnshire, Scotland |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died of Wounds, Rouen, France, 8 May 1917, aged 29 years |
| Cemetery: |
St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen Grave P. II. L. 12A. INSCRIPTION DEARLY BELOVED SON OF MR. & MRS. McPHERSON BROOMHILL, CAWDOR, NAIRN |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 12 May 1915: | Involvement Private, 746, 17th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 May 1915: | Embarked Private, 746, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Sydney |
John Macpherson
He was born 19th March 1888 at Broomhill Cawdor Nairnshire, the son of John Macpherson and Isabella Mackenzie. He was educated at Cawdor School 29.09.1896-12.05.02 then left to start work. He emigrated to New South Wales Australia 1912/13. He enlisted in the 17th Battalion A.I.F on 8th March 1915. He was 5ft 5.5 in height of a Dark Complexion with Brown Hair and Blue Eyes. He was wounded in the Scalp and Hand at Gallipoli on 16th September 1915. He was admitted to 16th Hospital Ship with influenza on 18th September 1915 and returned to duty on 23rd October 1915. He was promoted Corporal 1st November 1916 to Sergeant 8th February 1917 and was wounded in the head 15th April 1917. He died of his wounds on 8th May 1917 and is commemorated on Panel II.L.12A St. Sever Cemetery Extension Rouen France He was entitled to the Victory and War Medals and 1914-1915 Star
War Diary 17th Battalion A.I.F.
13/14 April 1917
Relived 16th Battalion in line in front of NOREUIL. Relief completed by 1.12 am 14th. Germans attacked & broke through 12th battalion on our right at 4.55 A.M, this left our right flank in the air. We were forced to retire to our outpost line with right coy under Lieut W.H. S. Sheppard at 5.20 A.M. By this time the enemy were well in the rear of our right and almost down to Noreuil. We counter attacked at 6am in conjunction with 19th & 20th Battalions & by 8 a.m. had regained all lost ground. We captured two machine guns and 54 prisoners. There were some hundreds of dead in front of our position. Our casualties were 5 officers wounded, 43 O.R. killed, 82 wounded, 51 missing.
AWM4/23/24/21
Submitted 7 April 2023 by Kenneth Nisbet
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
He was 29 and the son of Isabella MacKenzie MacPherson and John MacPherson of Broomhill, Cawdor, Nairn, Scotland. He is remembered on the family grave in the kirkyard at Cawdor.
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Enlistment date 8 March 1915
Rank on enlistment Private
17th Battalion, B Company
Age at embarkation 27
AWM Embarkation Roll number 23/34/1
Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on 12 May 1915.
Rank from Nominal Roll Sergeant
He is remembered on the Cawdor cairn war memorial along with two other Australian soldiers of the Great War.
Biography contributed by Kenneth Nisbet
After working as a Chaffeur in Nairn. He emigrated in 1912 and worked as a Labourer in NSW. He was 5ft 5 in height and had like his siblings blue eyes. My grandfather cannot remember his brother going to Australia as ge was aged 7 when he left. He was fondly remembered by the family with annivesary notices appearing in the local Newspaper.
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