Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

John MORAN (Service Number 3553) was born on 4th March 1896 at Petersham. He first worked for the NSW Railways as a temporary junior porter in the Metropolitan District from 13th September 1912. In October 1913 he resigned but applied for re-employment and was allowed to take up a similar role in the Orange District from 10th September 1914. He remained in this role until he was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces on 28th August 1915. He had in fact already enlisted at Dubbo. Since he was not married, and his parents were perhaps dead, he nominated his aunt, Charlotte Moran, living in Ashfield, as his next of kin.

AHe was alotted to the 11th Reinforcements to the 4th Battalion, Moran embarked HMAT ‘Port Lincoln’ at Sydney on 13th October 1915, though he did not join that Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt until 21st January 1916. On 16th February he transferred to the 53rd Battalion at Zeitoun. After further training he embarked ‘Royal George’ at Alexandria for passage through Marseilles to join the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front in France. He was at Marseilles on 28th June. He was reported missing in action at the Battle of Fromelles three weeks later on 19th July 1916.  It was not until 2nd September 1917, more than a year later, that a Court of Enquiry ruled that he had in fact been killed in action that night.

William Mitchell (3400) reported:

‘We “went over” on the 19th July at Fleurbaix. Moran was 3 or 4 yards away from me, wheabout 100 yards of the German lines a bullet hit Moran just under the steel helmet and death was instantaneous. This happened on No Mans Land. I was wounded shortly afterwards.’

Much later, in 1920, his aunt Charlotte was approached for details for the National Roll of Honour and the official history. She perhaps misunderstood that she was being asked to pay towards his grave and wrote:

‘…In the form received about the doing up of the graves I would only be too happy to have 3553 John Moran’s Grave done, but poor boy had no grave. His dear body was never found…..’

On 14th May 1917, Miss V Baker of Oakey Park, Lithgow, wrote to the Base Records Office, Melbourne.

‘Dear Sirs,

I want to know if you could let me know anythink (sic) about Pt J Moran No 3553 53rd Battalion, he was reported missing last year & I would like to know if he was found. You would do me a great favour by letting me know. You will greatly oblige……’

Miss Baker’s relationship to John Moran is unknown.

His body was never found, and he has no known grave. He is remembered in the VC Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial, Fromelles, France.

- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.