Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”

Died on this date – 9th December…… John Andrew Gibson Rennie was born at Bundaberg, Queensland on 9th March, 1897.

Agnes Douglas Rennie, mother of John Andrew Gibson Rennie, died on 2nd March, 1903, aged 35.

On 22nd June, 1915 John Andrew Gibson Rennie enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) as an 18 year old, single, Farmer from Mt. Larcombe (Spelling as per Embarkation Roll), Gladstone, Queensland.

Private John Andrew Gibson Rennie, Service number 2158, embarked from Brisbane, Queensland on HMAT Armadale (A26) on 20th September, 1915 with the 7th Infantry Brigade, 26th Infantry Battalion, 4th Reinforcements.

He joined his Unit at Tel-el-Kebir on 11th January, 1916. On 15th March, 1916 Private Rennie proceeded from Alexandria to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force). He disembarked at Marseilles, France on 21st March, 1916.

Private John Andrew Gibson Rennie was wounded in action in France on 5th August, 1916. He was admitted to No. 3 Casualty Clearing Station on 6th August, 1916 then transferred to Ambulance Train. Private Rennie was admitted to 13th Stationary Hospital at Boulogne, France on 8th August, 1916 with Shrapnel wounds to head & eyes. He was invalided to England on 19th August, 1916 on Hospital Ship West Australia.

On 20th August, 1916 Private Rennie was admitted to 3rd London General Hospital, England with G.S.W. (gunshot wound/s) to head.

A Medical Report was completed on Private John Andrew Gibson Rennie on 31st August, 1916 at 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, England with his disability listed as “G.S.W of both eyes causing blindness”. The disability had occurred on 4th August, 1916 near Albert, France. “He was in a charge when struck by a fragment of shrapnel. He was taken to Boulogne Hospital, No. 13 Stationary, where he remained a fortnight and was then transferred to 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth. S.W.” Private Rennie’s present condition was listed as: “Right Eye. Enucleated. Left Eye. No perception of light. The optic nerve is ruptured.” An operation had been performed. The officer in charge of the medical case recommended that Private Rennie be discharged as permanently unfit & this was agreed by Medical Board on 1st September, 1916.

He was unfit for duty & was transferred to St. Dunstan’s Hostel, Regent’s Park, London, England on 7th September, 1916 to await final instructions.

St. Dunstan’s Hostel for Blind Soldiers and Sailors

In 1914 St. Dunstan’s Hostel for Blind Soldiers and Sailors was founded by Sir Arthur Pearson, author of Victory Over Blindness. A year later it moved to a property in Regent’s Park. The idea was to provide a hostel where ex-servicemen would go after they had received hospital treatment to ‘learn to be blind’. The legacy of the war meant that in 1921 men were still waiting to be accommodated, with 57 men awaiting admission. By 1929 there were still two thousand men in their care. The intake included 103 colonial ex-servicemen who were trained during their time at St Dunstan’s. 

The emphasis of the organisation was training, which often involved varying forms of technology that enabled the men to utilise their skills. This included adapted typewriters and telephones, with standardised assessments to encourage employment. St Dunstan’s often found itself in the papers and, as a more understood form of ‘disability’, attracted public sympathy.

(National Archives UK)

Private  Rennie was sent on furlo from 21st July, 1917 to 21st August, 1917 & was to report back to St. Dunstan’s Hospital, Regents Park.

John Andrew Gibson Rennie, Soldier, aged 20, married Harriet Gertrude Jane May, aged 17, on 3rd March, 1918 at St Marylebone Parish Church, London, England. The marriage was registered in March quarter, 1918 in the district of Marylebone, Middlesex, England. 

He was granted Leave from 4th May, 1918 until 31st May, 1918 on which date he was to report back to St. Dunstan’s Hospital, Regents Park. Private Rennie reported back to St. Dunstan’s Hospital, Regents Park on 31st May, 1918 from Leave. His injury – shrapnel wounds to head had healed but he was totally blind. He had been admitted to St. Dunstan’s Hostel on 7th September, 1916 Blind & was discharged on 27th June, 1918 fully trained in shorthand & typing. Private Rennie was transferred to 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital on 27th June, 1916.

On 30th June, 1918 Private Rennie was discharged from 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital for return to Australia.  He embarked from England on D 14 on 30th June, 1918. He embarked from Suez on 21st July, 1918 on H.M.A.H.S. Kanowna. Private Rennie was returned to Australia to be medically discharged due to G.S.W to both eyes causing blindness. He was transferred to 6th Australian General Hospital, Brisbane on 4th September, 1918. He was discharged on 5th October, 1918.

Private John Andrew Gibson Rennie was discharged from Australian Imperial Force on 5th October, 1918.

A daughter – Joyce Agnes Louisa Rennie was born in 1918 to parents John & Harriet Gertrude Rennie.

The 1919 Australian Electoral Roll for the division of Wide Bay, subdivision of Bundaberg, Queensland, listed John Andrew Gibson Rennie, of Crofton St. West. His mother – Agnes Isabella Rennie, Home Duties was also listed at Crofton St.

Mrs Harriet Gertrude Rennie & her daughter travelled to Australia in July, 1919.

John Rennie, Clerk, aged 23, & his wife Gertrude Rennie, aged 19, along with their daughter Joyce Rennie, aged 2, were passengers on Tahiti which departed from Sydney, Australia & arrived at port of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on 17th August, 1920 & was en-route to England. The family of 3 were passengers on Canada which had departed from Montreal, Quebec, Canada & arrived at the port of Liverpool, England on 2nd September, 1920.

A daughter – Vera Jean Rennie was born on 21st October, 1920 in London, England to parents John & Harriet Gertrude Rennie.

Private John Andrew Gibson Rennie died on 9th December, 1920.

He was buried in East Finchley Cemetery, Middlesex, England and has a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)

https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/-east-finchley.html