STEPHENSON, John Christian
| Service Number: | 790 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Hamilton, New South Wales, Australia, 29 June 1890 |
| Home Town: | West Wyalong, Bland, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | West Wyalong Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 26 June 1918, aged 27 years |
| Cemetery: |
Borre British Cemetery Plot II, Row B, Grave No. 20 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 790, 2nd Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 790, 2nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Suffolk embarkation_ship_number: A23 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 790, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Suffolk, Sydney | |
| 14 Dec 1916: | Honoured Military Medal, Battle for Pozières , At Pozieres, France, 23/25th July 1916. This NCO had charge of the signalling section and did excellent work with LCpl TOWNSEND laying cable and repairing telephone communication which had been cut by shell fire. under heavy shell fire, hat communication that was kept up was only due to energy and courage displayed by these men who worked under extreme difficulty. 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 184, Date: 14 December 1916 | |
| 26 Jun 1918: | Involvement Sergeant, 790, 2nd Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 790 awm_unit: 2 Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1918-06-26 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
An Original Anzac who served bravely during The Great War, memorialised at Sandgate Cemetery.
105 years ago today, on the 26th June 1918, Sergeant (signaller and batman) John Christian Stephenson (M.M.), also known as Jack and Johnnie, 2nd Battalion (Reg No-790), farmer from "Northcote", Ungarie Road, West Wyalong, New South Wales, was Killed in Action when hit by a piece of artillery shell in the back of the head at the Meteren - Strazeele sector near Armentieres, France, age 27 years 11 months.
Born at Hamilton, New South Wales on the 29th June 1890 to John (died 4.1.1929, West Wyalong, New South Wales, age 65) and Clara Magdolene (Magadiline, Magdalina) Stephenson (died 15.6.1943, West Wyalong, New South Wales, age 76, unfortunately, no gravesite photo available to see if their boys have been memorialised) of "The Willows", West Wyalong, N.S.W; grandson of John (died 14.8.1912, Hamilton, N.S.W., age 81) and Catherine S Stephenson (died 13.10.1887, Newcastle, N.S.W., age?), corner of Pitt & Railway Streets, Newcastle?, N.S.W. and Lindsay Street, Hamilton, N.S.W., Jack enlisted on the 22nd August 1914 at Randwick, N.S.W.
Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A23 Suffolk on the 18th October 1914.
Admitted to hospital 19.10.1915 (influenza), 27.12.1915 (debility not stated), 7.7.1917 (debility not stated).
Granted leave to England from the 9.10.1916 to 20.10.1916.
Awarded Military Medal 19th August 1916 (Pozières).
Jack is resting at Borre British Cemetery, France. Plot II Row B Grave 20.
Place of Association – West Wyalong, New South Wales, Australia.
Mr. Stephenson’s name has been inscribed on the Wyalong District Roll of Honor.
Younger brother Harold James (born 16.2.1897, West Wyalong, New South Wales, carpenter & joiner from "Northcote", Ungarie Road, West Wyalong, New South Wales, enlisted 15.7.1915, 4th Battalion, Reg No-3113, wounded in action - 21.9.1916 (GSW left side thorax, GSW back, severe), KIA 1.9.1918, Péronne, age 21, 56th Battalion, resting at Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Plot III Row E Grave 23) memorialised same location.
Younger brother William Charles (Bill, born 13.6.1892, Hamilton, New South Wales, carpenter & joiner from "Northcote", Ungarie Road, West Wyalong, New South Wales, enlisted 15.10.1915, 19th Battalion, Reg No-3631, wounded in action - 10.3.1918 (gassed, severe), 15.8.1918 (SW head), RTA 15.12.1919, 1st Australian Machine Gun Battalion, died 21.10.1966, Sydney, N.S.W., Plaque in New South Wales Garden of Remembrance, officially commemorated - https://connect.dva.gov.au/.../viewCommemoration.html...) also served 1st A.I.F.
I have placed poppies at the memorialised gravesite of Grandparents John and Catherine Stephenson in remembrance of the service and supreme sacrifice of their 2 WW1 Grandsons for God, King & Country. ANGLICAN 1-19. 98.
Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.
For more detail, see “Forever Remembered “
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/
Lest We Forget.
Click images to start slideshow.