Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

John Thomas WEDLOCK was born in 1877 in Hamilton, Victoria, the eldest of five sons born to parents Elizabeth (nee HALLAM) and Thomas WEDLOCK.

A single, 37-year-old railway employee at the time, John enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in Melbourne, on 22nd September, 1915.  Assigned the rank of Private, regimental number 5229, John completed his recruit training with 16th Depot Battalion at Bendigo, Victoria, and was initially allocated to the 15th reinforcements for the 6th Infantry Battalion on 6th January 1916.  He was subsequently re-allocated to the 16th reinforcements for the 7th Infantry Battalion at Broadmeadows Camp on 10th March 1916.

On 1st April 1916, John embarked in Melbourne aboard HMAT Suffolk, for active service overseas.  Upon arrival at Suez on 7th May, he was admitted to the Government Hospital with venereal disease.  Being discharged to duty in Tel-El-Kabir three days later, he was then transferred as a reinforcement with the 59th Infantry Battalion on 24th May 1916.  For the remainder of that month, the 59th Battalion took part in intensive training exercises in Moascar, Egypt with the rest of the 15th Infantry Brigade, conducting drills in attacking enemy trenches.  They then proceeded to the Western Front, arriving in France on 23rd June.

Taking part in the Somme Offensive from the beginning of July 1916, the 59th Battalion had a baptism of fire when they became part of the first wave of attack in the Battle of Fromelles on 19th to 20th July.  They suffered extremely high casualties as a result of the relentless machine gun fire from the enemy trenches.

On 14th August 1916, John was admitted to the No. 26 General Hospital in Etaples, France, with laryngitis.  He had two further admissions to this hospital in the ensuing two months, with bronchitis, and another unspecified illness, before being again taken on strength with the 59th Infantry Battalion on 16th December 1916.

Between April and August of 1917, John had repeated admissions to hospital for scabies, dermatitis and boils.  In September he had two weeks leave in England.  On 20th October 1917, John was detached for duty with the 15th Light Trench Mortar Battery, with whom he remained for the rest of his service.

As part of the 15th Infantry Brigade, the 15th Light Trench Mortar Battery took part in the night counter-attack that reclaimed Villers-Bretonneux on 25th April 1918.  John would have been one of a three man crew operating a Stokes 3 inch mortar, which fired a cylindrical bomb up to 800 yards.  Although of simple design, it was a weapon that was used with deadly effectiveness in trench warfare, which made them a prime target for enemy artillery.

At the age of 41, John married 38 year old widow Marie GEORGE (nee FULLER) at the Registry Office in Croydon, England, on 12th April 1919 (extract of marriage certificate in his service record).  He embarked in England with his new wife aboard HMAT Indarra on 12th July for return to Australia, arriving in Melbourne on 6th September.  John was subsequently discharged from the AIF on 29th October 1919 in the 3rd Military District, Melbourne, due to the termination of his period of enlistment.  He was later awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service.

John's wife Marie died in Carlton, Victoria in 1922, aged just 41.  John died in Sale, Victoria, on 9th October 1929, aged 52.  He was buried in the Traralgon Cemetery (now known as the Gippsland Memorial Park), in Victoria.

Compiled by Karan CAMPBELL-DAVIS from historical records held by the National Archives of Australia (service record);  Australian War Memorial (59th Inf Bn and 15th LTM Bty Unit War Diaries);  Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria;  and the Traralgon Record newspaper of 10th October 1929.