Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Corporal John Charles Oehme (Service Nos:S111611/SX39925) initially enlisted in the ACMF on 27 November 1942 as a Private - trade group Clerk - with 14 Infantry Training Battalion, and marched out to 2/4 Anti Aircraft Battery - Gunner. Private Oehme embarked from Brisbane for Port Moresby on 1 November 1943 on board the Katoomba, and was attached to 471, 24 and 32 Australian Heavy Anti Aircraft Batteries. On 31 July 1944 Private Oehme Discharged from the ACMF and enlisted the following day 'in the field in the AIF. Private Oehme remained in New Guinea until 6 February 1945, when he emplaned from Port Moresby for Cairns. He served again in New Guinea (11 May 1945 - 11 January 1946), and was a Corporal attached to 6 Australian Base Sub Area at Discharge on 28 February 1946.

John was born in Broken Hill, New South Wales in 1913, eldest of three children of Wilfred Charles Oehme (b1888 in Saddleworth via Riverton, South Australia) and Vera irene Fitzgibbon (b1889 in Broken Hill, New South Wales). Wilfred was working as a Fitter in Broken Hill in 1913 when he and Vera married. By 1917 they were living at Murray Bridge in South Australia, before settling in Cheltenham in Port Adelaide where they raised their family and Wilfred was an Engineer.

John worked in Port Adelaide as a Labourer and played 22 games for the Port Adelaide Football Club - 1933 to 1936 - as a Midfielder (Rover). In 1937 he was working in Broken Hill as a Labourer, and in 1939 in Alberton, South Australia married Barbara Clytie Stone (b1916 in Cheltenham, South Australia). John and Barbara settled in Broken Hill, where they raised their family and John was a Labourer. Barbara died in 1993 and John in 2003.