OULD, John
| Service Number: | 479 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 March 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 24th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, 16 August 1895 |
| Home Town: | Narre Warren, Casey, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Board School, England |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 8 August 1916, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
Boulogne Eastern Cemetery Grave VIII. B. 126 Unusually, the headstones are laid flat in this cemetery. This is due to the sandy soil., Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Boulogne, Nord Pas de Calais, France, Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension (Nord), Lille, Nord Pas de Calais, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Mar 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 479, 24th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 479, 24th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 479 awm_unit: 24 Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1916-08-08 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Births Sep 1895 Ould John Nottingham 7b 308
He was born in Radford in 1895 the eldest son of Richard, a leather finisher and Catherine Ould [née Hull] of Radcliffe-on-Trent. His father Richard was born in 1869 in Leeds and his mother Catherine was born in 1875 in Radcliffe on Trent, they were married in 1893 in Nottingham and went on to have 6 children , sadly one died in infancy before 1911. In the 1911 census he is shown as being 15 years of age and living on Bingham Road, Radcliffe on Trent, with mother Catherine, charwoman (housework) and his sisters Margaret 16, Ellen 12, brothers Charles 9 and Richard 7. He is employed as a printer at Edmund Wright’s, Bailey Lane. Catherine is recorded as wife not head of the family (father absent on the night of the Census?) At the age of 17 he emigrated to Australia on 29th July 1913 on the ship Port Lincoln owned by the Milburn steamship line from London Tilbury to Melbourne.
Occupation in 1911: printer at Edmund Wright’s, Bailey Lane, Radcliffe on Trent.
John enlisted on 22nd March 1915 in Melbourne, Australia giving his age as 21 years 5 months (according to his birth date he was 19 years 7 months old) he gave his occupation as farm hand.
From 22nd March 1915 to 28th April 1915 he was serving at the depot of B Coy 24th Battalion, Australian Infantry and on 30th August 1915 he proceeded to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey. On the 6th November 1915 he was promoted temporary Corporal and by 30th November 1915 had been promoted to temporary Sergeant. He was eventually withdrawn from Gallipoli and on 10th January 1916 he disembarked Mudros at Alexandria On the 20th March 1916 he proceeded to join the British Expeditionary Force in Alexandria and by the 26th March had disembarked at Marseilles, France .
On 8th August 1916, he was admitted to hospital in a moribund condition, with severe infection, he had a gun shot wound with compound fracture of the femur and gas gangrene had set in , he died on the same day, three days before his 21st birthday, and was buried on 10th August 1916 at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.
The Australian Red Cross files state in a letter dated Boulogne 2nd Jan. 1917 that he died of wounds at No. 13 General Hospital, Boulogne,
In memoriam published 8th August 1917 in the Nottingham Evening Post :-
“OULD. – In ever loving memory of my dear son, Sergeant J. Ould, Australians, died of wounds August 8th, 1916, age 20. Ever in our thoughts. Silently mourned, sadly missed. – Loving mother, sisters, and brothers.
“OULD. – In proud and loving memory of my dear brother, Sergeant John Ould, Australians, died of wounds August 8th, 1916. Ever remembered. – His loving sister Maggie and Bert.”
In memoriam published 8th August 1918 in the Nottingham Evening Post :-
“OULD. – In proud and cherished memory of my dear son, Sgt. John Ould (Australians), died of wounds August 8th, 1916. His life was ambition, we hope he got his commission in heaven. – Loving mother, sisters and brothers, Charley in Navy, Ivy Bailey, Australia.
“OULD. – In ever-loving memory of my dear brother, Sergt. John Ould (Australians), died of wounds August 8th, 1916. Peace, perfect peace. – Loving sister Maggie, Bert.”
He is remembered on the Radcliffe on Trent - St Mary's Church War Memorial.
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Age on arrival in Australia-18
Enlistment date-22 March 1915
Age at embarkation-21
Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A14 Euripides on 10 May 1915
Next of kin-Mother - Mrs C Ould, Radcliff-on-Trent, Nottingham, England.
His mother wrote:
John won a Scripture Certificate in the London County Council Schools, 15 May 1903.
He emigrated to Australia; family remained in England. According to the RoH circular, Ould and his friend Private Charles Paine, went to school together, worked together, went to Australia together, joined the AIF together, and practically died together (Paine having been killed in action two days before John Ould).
He is remembered on the Radcliffe-on-Trent War Memorial-Radcliffe-on-Trent is a village close to Nottingham in the East Midlands.
War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front.
Surname entered incorrectly on Embarkation Roll as OULA.
Sources:
CWGC
AIF Project
NAA: B2455, OULD John
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