Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

John Cromwell Hurley was born in Greta, Vic (south of Wangaratta) on 13 November 1889. He was a married Clerk with two children. His Next of Kin was his wife Alice May Hurley (nee Beckwith) of 112 Orrong Road, Armadale, Vic. (Later addresses were Rosetta St, Murrumbeena and, by 1934, 11 Gerald St, Murrumbeena). He was a Methodist with no previous military service. Parents: Thomas Hurley and Mary Elizabeth Scholes.

1916

5 May      Filled in Application to Enlist in the AIF

8 May      Signed paperwork, Attested, Oath Sworn and Medically Examined, Melbourne.

29 May    Commenced service with C Company, 22nd Depot Battalion, Royal Park, Vic

2 Sep      Accepted into 16th Reinforcements, 22nd Battalion, 6th Brigade, 2nd Division as 5931

2 Oct        Embarked HMAT A71 Nestor, Melbourne

16 Nov    Disembarked Plymouth, England

17 Nov    Acting Corporal, Lark Hill

1917

4 Feb       Private, Proceeded Overseas to France from Folkestone on SS Onward

                 Marched In to 2nd Australian Divisional Base Depot (ADBD), Etaples, France

8 Feb       Marched Out to Unit

18 Feb    Rouen, France, Acting Corporal

22 Mar     Private

23 Mar     Taken on Strength (ToS), 22nd Bn from 16th Reinforcements

30 Mar     Admitted to 7th Australian Field Ambulance (AFA), sick (influenza)

                 Transferred to Divisional Rest Station (DRS)

8 Apr        Returned to Unit (RTU)

9 Apr        ToS 22nd Bn

24 Apr     Promoted to Lance Corporal

3 May      Listed as Missing in Action at 2nd Bullecourt battle

2 Oct        Pension of £2 per fortnight awarded to Mrs Alice May Cromwell and £1 per fortnight to Miss Elva May Hurley, both of Rosetta St, Murrumbeena, Vic

26 Nov    Court of Enquiry finding, now listed as Killed in Action

Commemorated on the Villers Bretonneux Australian National Memorial and at the Australian War Memorial

Awarded:

British War Medal         48987

Victory Medal                 48387

Memorial Scroll 340591 sent to Mrs Alice Hurley 11 Aug 1921

Memorial Plaque 340591 sent to Mrs Alice Hurley 20 Oct 1922

From Greta Heritage Group and Greta Hansonville Hall

LCpl John Cromwell HURLEY

Today we remember the FOUR men with ties to the Greta Hansonville district who lost their lives on this day.

3rd May marks the start of the second battle of Bullecourt in 1917.

As part of the final throes of the British Army's Arras offensive, a renewed attempt was made to secure the fortified village of Bullecourt in the period 3-17 May.
The Australian 2nd Division (5th and 6th Brigades) and the British 62nd Division attacked at 3.45 am on 3 May 1917.

The Australians penetrated the German line but met determined opposition which frustrated the envelopment plan.

Drawing more and more forces in, renewed efforts on 7 May succeeded in linking British and Australian forces, but inspired a series of ferocious and costly German counter-attacks over the next week and a half.

Following the repulse of the counter-attack of 15 May, the Germans withdrew from the remnants of the village.

Although the locality was of little or no strategic importance, the actions were nevertheless extremely costly: AIF casualties totalled 7,482 from three Australian Divisions. (source https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/E84360)

All four men died on the same day, tragically two brothers.

None of the men’s bodies were ever recovered and they are immortalised on the Australian National Memorial at Villers Bretonneux.

Today the village of Bullecourt remembers the battles and the tragic loss of life.

There is a wonderful museum - The Bullecourt WW1 Museum, opened in 2012, is based on the collection and life’s work of the late Jean and Denise Letaille. It is well worth a visit.

Visitors are able to lay flowers at the ‘Bullecourt Digger’ in the Bullecourt Memorial Park which is just out of town- this is in the middle of the area in which the Australians attacked. It commemorates the 10000 Australian Soldiers killed or wounded during the first and second battles.

A few more hundred metres back out of town on an embankment above the road stands ‘La Petite Croix’ which overlooks the fields where the battle took place. This memorial has both unit and individual plaques attached.

In Memory of:
1. LCpl John Cromwell HURLEY [5931]
22nd Battalion, 16th Reinforcement
Notes: Brother of Horace Hurley

2. 2nd Lt Robert Whitworth WHITEHEAD [2472]
23rd Battalion, 5th Reinforcement
Notes: Brother of Walter Whitehead

3. Lt Walter Middleton WHITEHEAD  [1002]
21st/24th Battalion, D Company
Notes: Brother of Robert Whitehead

4. Pte Charles WINNELL  [#5110]
22nd Battalion, 13th Reinforcement

HURLEY.- Officially reported killed in action on 3rd May, 1917, battle of Bullecourt (previously reported missing), Lance-Corporal John Cromwell Hurley, 22nd Battalion, D Company, loved husband of Alice May Hurley, and father of little Elva and James, of Neerim road, Murrumbeena, aged 28 years.

HURLEY.- Killed in action on the 3rd May, (previously reported missing), Lance-Corporal John Cromwell Hurley, beloved second son of Thomas and Mary E. Hurley, of Victoria avenue, Ballarat, and brother  of Lieut.-Colonel T. E. V. Hurley, C.M.G., H. L. Hurley (on active service), Dr. L. E. Hurley (returned), Flossie, Myrtle, and Dorothy.

HURLEY. — In loving memory of my dear husband, John Cromwell Hurley, who was killed aftBullecourt, on the 3rd May, 1917.
I remember the night we parted,
I remember your last good-bye;
Ah little I thought when you left us,
You were going away to die.
Far away on the field of battle
Rained on by shot and shell;
Ever ready to do his duty,
That's where my dear husbund fell
— Inserted by his loving wife. May, and daddy of Elva and James Hurley.

HURLEY. — In loving memory of our dear son in-law, John Cromwell Hurley, who was killed at Bullecourt, 3rd May, 3017,
He feared no death when honor summoned him to Britain's aid;
Now he rests in shrouds of glory every debt of honor paid.
— Inserted by J. J. R. Bockwith, Laura and Hector, Murrumbeena.