Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

John (known as Jack) was born in Port Melbourne, Victoria on the 22nd December 1920 to Mary Ann and Justin Cleary. John came from a large family of eight children. While many of his siblings, including his mother, remained in Victoria, John travelled to Port Lincoln where he found work as a labourer.
However, with the outbreak of WWII, volunteer enlistees were sought in country areas, aiming for young, fit, preferably single young men. 20-year-old Jack enlisted at Port Lincoln on the 15th March ’41, naming his mother as his next of kin. Jack was one of eight other young men from the surrounding district who departed for Adelaide in March on the M.V. Minnipa. He was given the number SX11784 and allocated to the 2/48th Battalion reinforcements. Following a brief return to Lincoln, the following month he was amongst the group of young men who again headed off for training. They came from surrounding towns of Cummins, Elliston, Lock, Mannahill, Tumby Bay and Arno Bay, with Patrick Butterfield being the other Lincoln enlistee with Jack.
Soon after the Lincoln community became very proactive in beginning to compile a list of local enlistees, proposing to temporarily hang this Honor Roll in the foyer of the Civic Hall during the war, then create a permanent Roll post war.
Jack sailed for the Middle East arriving in May ’41. The primitive conditions of heat, dust and flies contributed to him developing enteritis and spending a short time being treated. Not unexpectedly, by September the conditions of war for the young man created an anxiety reaction and almost a month in convalescence. The effects, however continued to live with Jack.
Early the following year of ‘42, Jack was confined to barracks for two sessions, each of a week, then almost a full month for issues with drunkenness – the medicine to blur the horrors of war. These times were also coloured by physical ailments, a respiratory tract infection and dysentery. Other issues continued to come to the fore, indicating the depth of the trauma Jack was experiencing.
By September ’43 Jack returning to Sydney and later in the year, Melbourne where he served in the Education Branch. Jack married Olive May on the 27th June ’44, with Olive living in Aubury, NSW. In August that year, Jack was promoted to Corporal, but the experiences of war continued to affect his well-being, resulting in his discharge on the 17th October ’44, fit for duties other than active service.
Jack returned to Lincoln in February ’45, one of a large group of young men. All were to eventually have their names listed in the Lincoln Civic Hall. During Anzac Day celebrations in 2000, these young men from Port Lincoln were acknowledged as having risked their lives for their country in the ‘wars of last century; some lost their lives in battle. The following is a list of names of service people who fought in the World Wars, and an incomplete list of Korea and Vietnam servicemen.’
In ’55 Jack’s medals, the 39 – 45 Star and 39 -45 Defence medal were lost but fortuitously returned to the Army. However, without a current address following his mother’s death, they remained in this central location. Ironically, In March following Jack’s death Olive again contacted the Army regarding the lost medals. These were finally reunited with his family in August 1997.
In later years, Olive became a teacher with her career beginning in ’46 as a Graduate Assistant at Albury High. This became a career she was passionate about, especially encouraging the education of girls.
Aged 75, Jack died in New South Wales on the 17th September ’96 and was buried in the Leura Memorial Gardens and Crematorium in the Peace section, RGI Plot RG 40. A simple phrase, ‘Peace be Thine’ is engraved on his plaque. Jack is also remembered in the Rookwood Garden of Remembrance. His family also had his precious medals to remember him and his service.
Olive lived to be 84 and died in October 2006 with her plaque lauding her Championing Girls’ Education.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.