POXON, John
| Service Number: | 1805 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 April 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 14th Light Trench Mortar Battery |
| Born: | Derby, England, 11 July 1887 |
| Home Town: | Lidcombe, Auburn, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway wagon builder |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 28 August 1918, aged 31 years |
| Cemetery: |
Daours Communal Cemetery Extension, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Apr 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1805, 1st Light Trench Mortar Battery | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Dec 1916: | Involvement Private, 1805, Light Trench Mortar Batteries, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Orsova embarkation_ship_number: A67 public_note: '' | |
| 2 Dec 1916: | Embarked Private, 1805, Light Trench Mortar Batteries, HMAT Orsova, Sydney | |
| 2 Oct 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 5th Light Trench Mortar Battery, Located at Rouelles in France. | |
| 5 Oct 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 14th Light Trench Mortar Battery, Transferred from 5th Light Trench Mortar Battery. | |
| 27 Aug 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 14th Light Trench Mortar Battery, Wounded at Proyart in France with wounds to left arm, leg and face. Taken to 5th Australian Field Ambulance, then transferred to 55th Casualty Clearing Station. Died the next day. | |
| 28 Aug 1918: | Involvement Private, 1805, 14th Light Trench Mortar Battery, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1805 awm_unit: 14th Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-08-28 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Oakes
John POXON was born on 11th July 1887 at Derby in England. He worked for the Midland Railway Company in England for seven years as an apprentice.
He came to Australia when he was 22-years-old. Approximately five years later, on 29th April 1914, he joined the NSW Government Railways and Tramways as a wagon builder (temporary) in the Locomotive Branch, based at Clyde.
John joined the AIF on 10th April 1916 with the rank of Private (Service Number 1805). He nominated his wife, Agnes, as his next of kin. At the time he enlisted the couple were living at Lidcombe in Sydney.
Before he left Australia, John was allocated to the 5th Reinforcements to the 1st Division Light Trench Mortar Battery. He embarked aboard HMAT A67 ‘Orsova’ for England on 1st December 1916 and disembarked at Plymouth, England, on 17th February 1917. From Plymouth he went directly to the Australian base at Perham Downs and he stayed there until 1st April 1917 when he was transferred to the 16th Light Trench Mortar Battery at Fovant. He was taken on strength of this unit the next day and he stayed with this unit until 25th September 1916 when he left England for France. On arrival he went to the Australian Gunnery Base Depot at Rouelles, where he remained until 2nd October 1917 when he was posted to the 5th Division Light Trench Mortar Battery, also at Rouelles.
On 5th October 1917 he was taken on strength of the 14th Light Trench Mortar Battery.
On 27th August 1918 he was wounded in action at Proyart in France. He had received shell wounds to the left arm, leg and face.
The next day, 28th August 1918, he was transferred from the 5th Australian Field Ambulance, where he had been taken initially, to the 55th Casualty Clearing Station and he died as a result of his wounds there the same day.
John’s grave is in Daours Communal Cemetery Extension, Daours, Picardie, France. His place of association is Lidcombe, Sydney, NSW.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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