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John (Jack) and his twin brother, Robert (Bob) were born in Cummins on the 8th October 1919 to Francis (Frank) Lancelot and Sylvia Maud Reed. Jack was one of six children, including younger brother William (Bill) and sisters Rena Ann, Marjorie Sylvia and Grace. The children grew up on the Eyre Peninsula in Cummins, just north of Port Lincoln an area known for its grain farming, with the local railway well-utilised to transport wheat to Port Lincoln for export. Jack’s father, Frank a farmer, was active in his efforts on the Cummins Agricultural and Horticultural Committee for over fourteen years and secretary for seven of those years. He was also energetic in supporting the local football and cricket teams for which the boys played. Jack was a very competent footballer with the three brothers often combining in the forward lines.
Jack found casual work in the area around Cummins and was able to turn his hand to a variety of tasks as well as helping on the family farm. He still enjoyed the various local events that were held. A huge event for the times was the official ‘switching on’ of electric lights at Cummins in September ’39 with power supplied by the local the Umlauf Engineering Co. This was driven by two National diesel engines with the lights being clearly seen from Cabot's Hill, many miles from the township. To celebrate, the Cummins Hotel hosted a banquet, enjoyed by the Reeds.
Jack’s parents organised a surprise 21st birthday party for him and Bob with musical items, including tap dancing being part of the celebrations. Just three months later the twins and younger brother Bill all enlisted at Pt Lincoln on 11th Jan ’41 to serve in WWII. Six other local young men enlisted on the same day. The brothers were allocated consecutive numbers with 20-year-old Bill being SX11152, Jack SX11153 and Robert SX11154. They were to become reinforcements for the depleted 2/48th Battalion. A social was held for the brothers and Clem Mickan, with a huge crowd attending. The local defence unit formed a guard of honour for the new enlistees. The National Anthem was sung, and speeches made praising the young men, each of whom responded.
The brothers left by sea on the Minnipa at the end of January to attend their first camp with nine other recruits from the area. By March they had returned home to enjoy a social in their and Clem Mickan’s honour in the Cummins Hall. With all three sons enlisting, and Frank not therefore able to continue farming, Frank and Sylvia decided to sell their Cummins farm and move to a sheep property at Calca. The locals presented Frank and Sylvia with a mantel clock during interval at the Cummins football match in July.
Early days for the brothers were spent in camp at Terowie before they were sent to the Middle East, arriving in August ’41, spending time at the Staging camp Amiriya. In Adelaide to Alamein, based on the war diaries of his father, Darren Paech wrote that Bill was sent to ‘A Company as a rifleman to replace casualties. It was reassuring for him to get posted to the same unit as his brothers, but he now had the added worry of wondering if they would all make it back alive.’ He added that ‘By the middle of 1941, the 2/48th Battalion men were hardened, tanned and confident in their abilities as front-line soldiers. They had now proven themselves in combat.’
In May ‘42 Transport Driver C. H. Earl, with the A.I.F. In the Middle East, wrote home with his letter concluding ‘The three Reed boys from Cummins are camped only a few hundred yards away from me, but I have not been able to get leave to go and see them yet.’
Preparations for the taking of Trig 29, went smoothly with stores and ammunition being assembled and sent forward. For the men, each day was largely indistinguishable from the next, with incessant artillery fire, dust, heat and nervous tension their constant companions.’
In an interview many years later, Bill Reed shared that he had a premonition that he would be wounded that night. He admitted that he told no one and kept his fears to himself.
Conditions for those in the 2/48th were ever-changing and the fighting continuous. Fighting for Trig 29 began on the night of the 23rd October. John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan describes how ‘The darkness was rent by flashes from the mouths of over eight hundred guns. The night exploded as no night before had ever done. The desert burst into flame and shattering sound that shook the earth with its fury. Then came the dreadful whispering of thousands of shells rushing by overhead, the shock of explosions as they smashed into the enemy’s guns, men, tanks and communications. The bombers joined in, raining their bombs on the German gunlines. The tranquil stars seemed to quake in their heaven and to recede in horror at such destruction as had never before been witnessed in this land as old as time itself, or perhaps in any land. The smell of cordite drifted chokingly through the air, then dust billowed up and blotted out the flashing guns.’ Definitive news slowly drifted back about that horrific battle where the 2/48th lost 199 men killed or wounded of their 292 involved in that night’s conflict – over 68 percent of their men.
Bill’s premonition was correct. He was hit by a 3-inch piece of shrapnel and could go no further. Whilst in an ambulance (with a wounded German soldier) Bill immediately enquired about his two brothers. In Adelaide to Alamein Darren Paech wrote ‘It turned out that his brother, Bob had been hit by shrapnel just after Bill and was actually travelling in the ambulance behind him. He had been carried off the battlefield by Sergeant Tex Weston, who had already been hit several times himself.’ Bob would be okay. Bob had several wounds to his right thigh and left knee and was hospitalised for a month. However, there was no news of Bob’s twin, Jack, serving in the 2/48th Battalion’s Machine Gun Platoon. Frustrated, after a week in hospital, Bill still had no word of how Jack was. With no word after a week Bill asked to be discharged but this was refused by the medical officer. Bill ignored this order, discharged himself, organised being reissued with a rifle and equipment, then hid in a truck taking reinforcements and lightly wounded men back to the 2/48th Battalion with Private Bill McEvoy.
Bill then hitch-hiked to the Machine Gun Platoon where he was told by a friend, Corporal Clem Billings who also had just legally returned, having been treated for shrapnel wounds to his arm. Clem advised Bill not to go near Jack. Ignoring that advice, Bill found Jack in ‘a dugout nearby, shaking like a leaf. He was “shellshocked to buggery” recalled Bill. Jack ‘had been found on a battlefield bleeding from the ears and nose and was incapable of speaking and was still shaking violently even after seven days. Bill hugged his older brother, who began sobbing uncontrollably, and reassured him that he and Bob were both okay. He said he would write home saying all three had made it through the battle. Jack was able to recover after some time but was never able to serve as a front-line solder again.’ The effects on Jack were long lasting. He remained with the 2/48th for the duration of the war in an administrative role.
In the November ’42 issue of the Chronicle the brothers Bill and Bob were listed as two of 35 soldiers wounded. Jack’s severe concussion was not acknowledged. The Port Lincoln Times also shared the news in their November edition that ‘Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Reed, of Cummins, have been notified that two of their sons, Bob and Bill, have been wounded in action in Egypt. They enlisted in January 1941 and went overseas in the following April.’
Finally, the 2/48th Battalion left the Middle East in February ‘43, arriving in Australia via Melbourne. The remnants of the Battalion returned to Adelaide in March. The local News proudly announced ‘With 2½ years of history-making fighting behind it, the 9th Division A.I.F. received a warm welcome on its return to Australia. One of its South Australian battalions has won three Victoria Crosses and 60 other decorations and awards-more than any other A.I.F. unit.’ In March ’43 the three Reed brothers, Charlie Hewitt SX7629 also from the 2/48th plus Don Aird SX20045 arrived home on leave. Having had two years of active service in the Middle East, the Reed family hosted a welcome back party at their home, with dancing, items and speeches. Charlie, Don and the Mickan ‘boys’ from the 2/48th were all in attendance. The following month a social was also held for the 2nd AIF men who had returned. The three brothers and Clem Mickan were able to enjoy the celebrations together. Dancing, speeches and presentations plus a variety of items were staged including a tap dance from Private Bob Reed. This was followed by a lavish supper.
Jack then travelled to Queensland to prepare for service in tropical New Guinea. He went from Cairns to Milne Bay in August ’43, returning in February the following year before again returning to serve in Tarakan. By March ’44 The Port Lincoln Times was delighted to announce that Ptes. C. 'O’Farrell C. Hewitt, Jack and Bill Reed and Jack Turner were spending leave at their respective homes in Cummins. In ’45 both Jack and his twin brother Bob sustained second degree acid burns on their legs whilst on duty opening a drum of acid. A formal investigation revealed that there was no evidence of neglect, misconduct or carelessness’ either on his or ‘another person’s’ (Bob’s) part. It remained unclear what the brothers were doing at the time. The brothers received medical treatment for three weeks before being able to re-join their 2/48th Battalion.
Jack was formally diagnosed with indigestion (dyspepsia) in October ’45 but no formal link was made to the stressful conditions under which he had fought. He and Bob were eventually discharged on the 29th January, ’46.
With the war behind him, Jack married Ellen Mary Lower on the 28th April 1948 in the Cummins Church of England. Jack chose his two brothers, Bill and Bob to be best man and groomsman respectively. His mother, Sylvia also made their wedding cake. The young couple spent their honeymoon in Adelaide before returning to Cummins to live. They had a son, Gary William James Reed in December ’53. He died in February ’99 aged 45 in Kapunda. Their other children were Wayne and Selina.
Ellen pre-deceased Jack and died on the 20th June ’96. She was buried in the Kapunda Christ Church Anglican Cemetery. Five years later, aged 83, John died on the 23rd August 2003 in Adelaide. He was buried in Kapunda with Ellen and their son, Gary.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.