Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

FROM PLOUGH TO RIFLE
Ernest Raymond Dennis (Johnny) was born in Adelaide in the year 1912.He lived around the area for most of his life and up until his death still resided in the Adelaide Hills.
John as he was known as was born an only child and was taken in by his grandmother as his mother died at a young age. John’s grandmothers husband was part of the Imperial Forces which returned to Australia with young men changed forever. John took on the name Dennis from his Step grandfather as he was proud to be his son. When John was 6years of age his grandfather returned from the 1st World war in 1918 he could remember vividly going to meet the train, bringing home the returned soldiers and seeing many of them on crutches and sick, being carried off the train.
When he left school his occupation was a farmer in a small town in South Australia, in which he ploughed fields, grew crops and sheep and cattle.
History had repeated itself when at the age of twenty seven in 1939 war broke out again in Europe in which Germany crushed Poland. John had married his wife Mavis Dolman in July 1940, Mavis and John welcomed their first daughter Raelene in June 1941. Unphased by the war in which he took no interest, until in 1941 Japan entered the war. John joined the Military at that time. He missed the first 4 years of his daughter Raelenes life.
When John joined allot of his family had joined the war, 1 family member was killed at the age of 19 fighthing for his country and this made John angry that he did not get to live a full life.
He joined the 2/27 Battaliion, he soon had finished his training and was sent to his first action. The New Guinea Campaign, between 1942/1943 John was a forward scout, there is a saying in the Army,
He played a significant part in which he had to search for the enemy far ahead of the platoon behind him, he had to report on movements of the enemy. His position was to be as silent as possible so that he was not killed by the enemy. He was lucky to come away from New Guinea alive, as he was injured by a gunshot wound to the leg which was luckily not fatal. He told of great pain in which he and the men had to suffer such as dysentery, Tropical diseases and hunger.
Many more horrible things happened in New Guinea, he suffered form the disease Scrubtyphis. Making his way back to the hospital with the disease, which had killed many men in New Guinea.
When John arrived at the hospital he was told that his best mate had just been killed in the field where John had made his way.
Late 1943 after John had convalesce in Port Moresby he was sent home for 4 weeks, this wold be the only time Mavis would see John in 4 years of Defence force service.
The next campaign he took part in was the amphibious landing assault on Balikpapan in which the Australians had to drive the Japanese out of Borneo which is now known as Indonesia being the last action in which the Australians took part.
John Dennis served his country well, he sacrificed four years of his life to protect our country, I’m very proud of my Grandfather Ernest Raymond (Johnny) Dennis.
From your Proud Great Grandson
Brenton Ian Clark.