Hugh John (John) HISSEY

HISSEY, Hugh John

Service Numbers: SX22137, S53477
Enlisted: 24 August 1942
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: General / Motor Transport Company/ies (WW2)
Born: Gawler, South Australia, 12 March 1923
Home Town: Gawler, Gawler, South Australia
Schooling: Gawler High School, South Australia
Occupation: Junior Clerk
Died: 9 June 2009, aged 86 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Enfield Memorial Park, South Australia
Memorials: Gawler Council WW2 Honour Roll, Sandy Creek Honour Roll WW2
Show Relationships

World War 2 Service

24 Aug 1942: Involvement Sapper, S53477, General / Motor Transport Company/ies (WW2)
24 Aug 1942: Involvement Sapper, SX22137, General / Motor Transport Company/ies (WW2)
24 Aug 1942: Enlisted Urrbrae, SA
24 Aug 1942: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, SX22137, General / Motor Transport Company/ies (WW2)
21 Aug 1946: Discharged
21 Aug 1946: Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, SX22137, General / Motor Transport Company/ies (WW2)
Date unknown: Involvement

Help us honour Hugh John Hissey's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by tony griffin

Hugh, better known as John, was born at Gawler on 12 March 1923. He was the youngest son of Herman Hissey and Jessie Amelia McKenzie of Sandy Creek.

As a youth he was an outstanding cricketer and in 1940, as a 17 year old, was selected in the Gawler Association Cricket Team and was also the winner of the Gawler Cricket Association fielding trophy. After completing leaving at Gawler High School John started work in the Gawler Waterworks Office as a Junior Clerk on 2 January 1940.

Begrudgingly given permission by his father, the 18 year old clerk first enlisted in the Citizen Military Forces and commenced full time deployment on 27 February 1942. His first posting was to 7 Vehicle Collecting Centre (7VCC) at Urbrae. On 9 April he was transferred to Headquarters 4 Miliary District at Keswick where he was graded as a Group 3 Clerk.

On 24 August 1942 John transferred to the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and 3 weeks later was transferred to 16 Australian Field Ambulance. After 6 weeks he returned to 7VCC where he was immediately transferred to 122 General Transport Company. A month later, on 28 November 1942, John entrained for the Northern Territory and on 1 December detrained at Alice Springs where 122 General Transport Company would remain. In John’s own words he was “mainly based at Alice Springs and driving  on the Stuart Highway 630 miles to Larrimah (the old railway head to Darwin) with supplies and service personnel”.

On 17 June 1943 John was detached to the PMG (Postmaster General) at Tennant Creek until a transfer to 2/23 Australian Corps Field Park Company at Wagga, New South Wales, on 15 September 1944. This was the same unit in which his brother Gordon was serving.

There was much, excitement out Sandy Creek way last week, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. H. Hissey. The reason for all the joy was three of their four sons who are in the AIF arrived home on leave. Sgt. Geoff Hissey and Pte. Laurie Hissey are on leave from New Guinea after seeing action in the Markham and Ramu Valleys, and Drv. John J Hissey has been on service with a transport company 'up North' for nearly 18 months. Two of the boys, Laurie and John will be fortunate in celebrating their birthdays at home. John will celebrate his 21st on the 12th March.

 Bunyip, Friday 10 March 1944

 

On 13 October 2/23 Australian Corps Field Park Company began the long train trip to Wongabel in the Tablelands Region of Queensland where they established a new camp. It was just over a year later when, on 25 November 1945, John was transferred to 1 Engineer Store Base Depot at Rocklea in Brisbane. John served with this Royal Australian Engineers unit for 4 months before, on 27 March 1946 he emplaned from Brisbane for Adelaide. His posting for discharge was 122 General Transport Company although this unit had been disbanded at Fort Largs on 1 February.

John was discharged at Hampstead on 21 August 1946. He married Margaret Sandercock at Gawler on 24 May  1947 and the couple had four children. After 42 years service John retired from the Engineering and Water Supply Department in 1982.

At the age of 86 John passed away on 9 June 2009 and was buried in Enfield Memorial Park.

Read more...