UNDERWOOD, John Charles
| Service Number: | 4087 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 11 February 1916, Enlisted at Adelaide, SA |
| Last Rank: | Sapper |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Tunnelling Company (inc. 5th Tunnelling Company) |
| Born: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1873 |
| Home Town: | Broken Hill, Broken Hill Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Mining Surveyor |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 11 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Sapper, 4087, Tunnelling Companies, Enlisted at Adelaide, SA | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 May 1916: | Involvement Sapper, 4087, 2nd Tunnelling Company (inc. 5th Tunnelling Company), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Warilda embarkation_ship_number: A69 public_note: '' | |
| 25 May 1916: | Embarked Sapper, 4087, 1st Tunnelling Company (inc. 4th Tunnelling Company), HMAT Warilda, Melbourne | |
| 25 May 1916: | Involvement Sapper, 4087, 1st Tunnelling Company (inc. 4th Tunnelling Company), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Warilda embarkation_ship_number: A69 public_note: '' | |
| 25 May 1916: | Embarked Sapper, 4087, 2nd Tunnelling Company (inc. 5th Tunnelling Company), HMAT Warilda, Melbourne | |
| 29 Sep 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Sapper, 2nd Tunnelling Company (inc. 5th Tunnelling Company) | |
| 17 Jul 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Sapper, 4087, 2nd Tunnelling Company (inc. 5th Tunnelling Company), Discharged at the 2nd Military District |
Help us honour John Charles Underwood's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Next of kin given as his sister E. Underwood of Lithgow District School, NSW
Commenced return to Australia on 13 April 1919 aboard HT Castalia disembarking on 1 June 1919
Medals: Meritorious Service Medal, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Citation for MSM reads: On the 20th August 1918, whilst reclaiming a 70' well, a N.C.O. of this unit was overcome by foul air, and fell to the bottom of the well. Sappers 4087 John Charles Underwood and 7501 Thomas Hector Bruce Gollan, being fully aware of the extreme risk they were taking, unhesitatingly entered the foul air and, after great difficulty, brought the unconscious man to the surface. Through the gallantry and untiring efforts of these sappers. Underwood and Gollan, the life of Corporal Starr was saved.
London Gazette on 17 June 1919, page 7702, position 2
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 10 October 1919, page 1499, position 12