Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Jack, named after his father (also J.W.) was born at Bowden, one of the early established towns to the North of Adelaide, on the 15th January 1908. Jack Jnr attended the local Brompton Public School, and as did many children at the time, left after the required compulsory age of 14 and found employment with the South Australian Railways at Islington as had his father. For those willing to work and learn on the job, promotion was readily available. Jack held a range of different roles with the Railways, being a Fitter’s Assistant when he enlisted, but also was a crane driver at the Islington Workshop. The Railways also offered extensive sporting opportunities including tennis, cricket, baseball and the like as well as the indoor sport of billiards, where Jack was reputed to have won the Railways Institute Cup in 1938.
Jack married Elizabeth Marjorie in ’36 with the two having sons, Trevor and David.
However, WWII intervened and the ranks of Railway employees rapidly diminished as men enlisted (with rail drivers being exempt). Aged 32, in June ’40, Jack enlisted and was allocated the number SX8835 in the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. Intensive training at Woodside followed before he was able to have a few days pre-embarkation leave. He then boarded the Stratheden on the 15th November and arriving in the Middle East on the 17th December ’41. Back home, his 64-year-old father retired from the railways, which he, also had joined as a 14-year-old in May 1891 and served for 50 years. He graduated to a photo printer in 1906 was appointed as a costing clerk in 1930, working with four different Chief Mechanical Engineers. It was a huge achievement and received much publicity.
Within a few short months Jack Jnr was with the Signals Training Battalion, having been classified as Medically unfit for service with Field Formations. Perhaps in frustration, this quite independent young man, he received a fine for disobeying a lawful command given by a superior officer early in May. Ironically, Jack continued to follow in his father’s footsteps for almost a year as a Group III clerk, a position he eventually requested to relinquish when his battalion returned to South Australia in ’43.
Jack briefly worked with the Garrison Battalion and was also on escort duty until affected by asthma. He became good friends with another member of the 2/48th Battalion; SX7653 Sergeant Sidney Bert, who was also declared unfit for active service with field formations (from a foot injury). Sidney and Zena Mutton of Berri married in a military wedding in the Berri Methodist Church at the end of November ’43. Sid chose Jack as his groomsman and Sgt.-Major Battams as best man. Fellow sergeants from their camp added to the day as a guard of honour for the newlyweds.
Soon after, Jack was discharged in time for Christmas. Unfortunately, recreational activities from his wartime service remained with Jack but were considered illegal for civilians.
Back working as a citizen, Jack became a stocker as did Alfred Hodgson who had serve in the Air Force as 26957. These two enterprising ex-servicemen were caught and charged in July ’47 with unlawfully carrying on business as bookmakers at Brompton. Additionally, they were also charged with being in the Gasworks Hotel, Chief street, Brompton, for the purpose of unlawful betting. They were seen taking 22 bets, representing 53/ in the front barroom of the hotel. Both pleaded guilty and were fined £35. Costs against Jack were £1/0/6 and against Hodgson 13/.
Two years later, 41-year-old Jack was again charge with illegal bookmaking in the bar of the Land of Promise Hotel, Hindmarsh, for the purpose of betting. Plainclothes police watched men walk up to Jack and hand-him money and when later searched, Jack was found with about £4 in his pockets, together with a newspaper racing page. With Jack admitting to his previous conviction in 1947, the magistrate declared he had no alternative but to order imprisonment.
Within a decade, aged just 49, Jack died on the 10th April ’57. He was buried in the Hindmarsh Cemetery, Lower Y 16. His service is also remembered in The Garden of Remembrance at Centennial Park. Elizabeth lived to be 58 and died on the 9th June ’68. She now rests with Jack at Hindmarsh.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.