Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

London born on the 27th September 1918, John (Jack) was an early enlistee when WWII erupted. He was aged 21 and living in the Riverland area of Wunkar in the Loxton Waikerie area. He, along with many young men from all over the state lined up to enlist and do their duty. Many from the Riverland caught the train down to Adelaide, including Jack, to enlist on the 6th July 1940.He was assigned the number SX8238 and was allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. Initial days were spent in the cold of the Pavilions, now part of the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds before the new enlistees headed to Woodside for their preliminary training. Pre-embarkation leave followed.
Returning to their 2/48th Battalion, the contingent then embarked on the Stratheden for the Middle East, on the 7th November 1940, arriving on the 19th December 1940 where Jack’s Battalion completed a few months training in Cyrenaica. From there, Jack was soon on his way to serve in Tobruk, Syria and Egypt.
By January ’41 Jack was in camp at Dimra, Palestine where he shared a tent with others from the 2/48th including Tom (Diver) Derrick SX7964, Alfred De Caux SX7467 from Jervois, Robert Tipper SX7278 from Berri and Alan Pegler SX7727 from Glencoe West with the remainder being in different battalions. Remarkably all this 2/48th group, with the exception of Derrick, survived the war.
By the start of April 1941, the 2/48th were in Tobruk where the dust, flies, heat, minimal water supplies and constant bombardment were quite a challenge to new enlistees, with conditions not conducive to good health and hygiene. They were to become the famed Rats of Tobruk.
Jack was wounded in action on the 29th October ’42 at El Alamein. Conditions at the time were ever-changing and the fighting continuous. Montgomery had ordered the 9th Battalion to attack northward in what was to be relentless fighting in in a massive assault to ambitiously take the strategic position of Trig 29.
John Glenn in his book, ‘Tobruk to Tarakan’ describes the carnage.
‘The attack continued, however, without pause…it was only after hard fighting, with heavy casualties on both sides, that they were able to consolidate on their objective. The troops had never been more tired..
He continued: ‘The 2/48th had stirred up a real hornets’ nest.’ On just one night alone 9 of the Battalion were killed and 20 wounded in action. Of these 16 were from South Australia and the remainder from Western Australia. Glenn described the conditions where arrangements were made for ‘mines, wire ammunition, food, water, overhead cover, sandbags, tools, anti-tank guns, and all the rest, and holding the present position while preparing to launch another attack. And while all this was being done, the battalion was subjected to murderous fire from artillery and mortars.’ It says much for the battle-drill of the battalion and supporting arms that everything worked out smoothly, going off without a hitch.
‘The suddenness of this attack when it came, and the devastation caused by the artillery fire, created tremendous confusion in the enemy lines, leaving them no option but to make every effort to locate our exact position and try to seal off the penetration. Patrols of both sides were active; a number of clashes occurred in No Man’s Land.’ Glen continued, explaining that ‘one soldier, Jack Marshall ran up against a trip wire, sending up a flare that lit the area like day. This brought down heavy German fire, and Shepard was wounded in the arm. (Jack Marshall was wounded next night, Alf Clarke being killed by the same shell.)’
The Chronicle In November published an extensive list of others killed or wounded with SX8238 Pte. J. C. C. Marshall, Inf., Wunkar. Amongst these were three from Broken Hill, all from the 2/48th Battalion: SX6900 Pte. John E. Huxtable; SX8446 Pte. Ronald R. Matthews; SX11122 Pte. Laurence McEvoy and SX14337 Pte. Colin W. Morgan. (Laurence (Bill) McEvoy was under-age when he enlisted as a 16-year-old, and as a result of the accident was no longer able to hold a gun, so his war effort then ended.)
Alf continued to remain in Jack’s thought as he posted an in memorium in the Advertiser on Friday 27 October 1944, CLARKE, Alf, 2/48 Bn., killed in action on October 27 at El Alamein. Greater love hath no man than this. Inserted by SX8238, 2/48 Bn.
Jack later rose to become a Lance Sergeant and highly respected by those with whom he served.
He was able to return to Australia before undertaking training in Queensland, prior to being sent to New Guinea to face a totally different enemy and environment.
Many landmarks along the road between Jivevaneng and Sattelberg in New Guinea were named to be easily identified. They included White Rock Ridge, Green Ridge, White Trunk Tree, Coconut Ridge, Kunai Knoll and Fougasse Corner, which Glenn recorded ‘would always be remembered as dearly bought and dearly held.’ He described the heavy bamboo which lined the narrow road and provided the perfect enemy hiding places. Battalion casualties were to number more than one hundred. It was during one such patrol on the 8th November ’43 that Jack was again wounded in action but chose to remain on duty.
Jack survived the war and was one of the last to be discharged in January ’47.
Aged 73, Jack died on the 8th March 1993. His remains were placed in Centennial Park, RSL section Wall 125 and niche D001.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes, SX8133, 2/48th Battalion