Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

John, known as Jack, was the third of four sons born in Mount Gambier on the 10th March, 1908 to Gertrude Sarah and Archibald Buchanan. His brothers included Harold, Robert and Hedley. The family lived in the rural community of Square Mile in the south-east of South Australia. The brothers attended school during the ‘Great War’ years, which had considerable effect on the students. At the end of year in 1917, two wagons left the school to take the excited children on a picnic in one of the local’s paddocks at Glenburnie. Parents also attended, helping with the sports events where the Buchanan boys showed their athleticism which was to be a feature of their sporting lives. Jack won the Grade IV, Bob the combined grades V and VI and young Hedley the Grade III sprints. The successful day concluded with cheers for the King and the ‘boys at the front’.
By 1921 Empire Day was being celebrated at Jack’s Square Mile School. The Head Teacher addressed the students about the building of the Empire, which was followed by the singing of several patriotic songs. The flag was saluted, and all students observed, with bowed heads, two minutes silence in respect for the soldiers who fell in the war. The National Anthem was then sung. At the afternoon sporting events, Hedley and Jack again excelled in the flat races and Harold in the Old Scholar’s race.
The family also attended the Yahl Methodist Church which held their Sunday School Anniversary picnic on a local park ground. Father, Archie was the official starter for the children’s races, with the boys again excelling in the flat races, relays and both Hedley and Jack being successful with their partners in the three-legged races.
The boys’ later schooling was at Mount Gambier High where, as a fourteen-year-old, Jack was selected to play against Mount Gambier Grammar School in a combined country team from O.B Flat, Square Mile and Yahl areas. Jack’s Country team won, and he was named in the best players. This form continued to be repeated in both athletics and football, with Jack also being successful in the Caledonian Games held on New Year’s Day ’24.
The boys all made a name for themselves in the football team, frequently with Jack, Harold and Hedley playing in the same team, South. Each week, the Buchanan name was featured in the Border Watch summary of best players. Early in ’31 Jack was described as having ‘Played a splendid game, but lost his head, more than once when beaten by his opponent’ to ‘Jack Buchanan again played a solid game but is inclined to wander from his man’, ‘Buchanan started South moving from the bounce’ and was ‘checking the Northern attacks in the half-back lines wonderfully well.. constantly in the picture, rucking and defending very solidly.’
By ’33, Jack had played his 100th game with South Gambier, playing with his brothers to form the half back defensive lines. At the half time interval, he was presented with a wallet of notes in recognition of his 100 games with the club. The President referred to Jack’s fine qualities as a player, comrade and man, adding “it would be Interesting to know how many times this fine back man had broken up an opposing attack.” He added that “It was the sincere hope of South that Buchanan would be able to play 200 games with South. They would then be content to let him retire and grow a "beaver" In responding Jack said he could only say that he was pleased to have been able to play for South so long. That season’s Grand Final in October was exceptional, with Millicent holding a two goal lead ten minutes before full time. Jack was instrumental and inspirational in defence, saving drives and inevitably being named South’s Best Player in their historic win. The local newspaper praised Jack’s efforts. ‘South had no better man than Jack Buchanan, whose half back play 'was again, of the highest order.’
Jack carried that form into the following seasons, again being praised for being an outstanding defender over the past decade, being selected to play in the South-Eastern Representative team. His most unexpected role as a full back, was to score a goal in slippery conditions against Bordertown in September ’37.
Jack had just turned 28 when his 68-year-old father, Archibald died in June ’36. He was buried in the local ‘New Cemetery’. Two years later the boys’ uncle, Walter Buchanan, who had served in WWI also died, with Jack and Hedley acting as pall bearers at the funeral. His service may have influenced both Jack and Hedley’s decision to enlist two years after Walter’s death.
The outbreak of War severely affected local communities. 32-year-old Jack, a farmer, enlisted in 20th June ‘40 and was allocated the number SX6471. His brother, 30-year-old Hedley enlisted just days later on the 29th as SX7066 in the hope the two brothers would train at Woodside together. Both were allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. Jack was honoured with a farewell social in Mount Gambier in April ’40. By October, he again returned home to a poignant farewell at the Yahl Memorial Hall, organised by the Yahl Paddock and Square Mile Farewell' Committees. He was greeted with the singing of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" which was followed by dancing, card playing and the inevitable sumptuous country supper. A variety of speakers spoke highly of Jack, commenting on his popularity, fine quality of sportsmanship, and of the role he was taking in the defence of the British Empire. Jack was then presented with a silver cigarette case and £5 note on behalf of his many friends. Following Jack’s response, the evening concluded with the singing of "Auld' Lang Syne " and "God Save the King".
The brothers were soon sailing on the Stratheden, arriving in the Middle East on the 17th December ’40 as part of the 2/48th Battalion. Soon after, Jack faced a severe penalty of being confined to barracks for 10 days, as surprisingly for a country man he lost, by neglect, his ammunition.
Despite several health issues, Jack was involved in the siege of Tobruk. In a futile attempt to demoralise the soldiers, leaflets were dropped by the Germans, urging them to surrender as they were living ‘like rats’ in hand-hewn sandy dugouts, plagued by flies and rats. Ironically, the men seized on the title, Rats of Tobruk, which they wore as an unofficial badge of honour.
By February ’42 Jack left the Middle East to return to Australia where he eventually served in Townsville, receiving a promotion to Acting Corporal. He was able to return home on leave, in March ’42, spending a few days at Port MacDonnell and then with his brother, Harold.
Having been promoted to Corporal, and serving in the Defence Canteen, Jack was able to have Christmas ’43 back home after time in a ‘Northern Battle Station.’
Finally, with peace declared, Jack was discharged on the 24th April ‘44 and Hedley on the 7th June returning to an official ‘Welcome Home’ for him and twelve other enlistees at Yahl Memorial in November ‘45. They were piped in through a guard of honour to the Hall which was overflowing with locals from the Square Mile. The men were presented with patriotic souvenirs before being served supper at tables which formed a victory V. Following speeches, Jack responded on behalf of the men, thanking everyone for the spontaneous and generous welcome they had received. Two minutes silence was observed in honour of two local men who did not return.
While the community welcomed their young men home, many soldiers had been deeply affected by the war. One was 30-year-old Laurence Maloney SX12640 who enlisted after Jack in the sister battalion, the 2/43rd. His suicide in May’47 followed a battle with PTSD, unresearched at the time, and labelled as ‘war neurosis’ and untreated. Jack was one of the pall bearers who carried his ‘brother’ to the graveside.
The following year Jack married Joan McMorron in March ’48 at Mount Gambier, with his brother Hedley acting as groomsman. Two years later, in February, Hedley married Betty Elsmere Naismith, with Jack then filling the role of groomsman.
With many soldier settlers becoming farmers, a plague of rabbits caused chaos and frustration for new and old landholders. Jack was praised for the efforts he had made to reduce the numbers of the vermin on his block, but the call was for all landowners to work together to eradicate the infestation.
Following the birth of their first child, Diane, 33-year-old Joan’s Ill health resulted in her being in the Mount Gambier Hospital for many weeks before being flown to the Adelaide Memorial Hospital. Sadly, she died there in September ’52, before returning to Mount Gambier to be laid to rest.
The community rallied around Jack, with Soldier settlers and farmers from Mount Schank, Pareen, Allendale and Eight Mile Creek arriving at Pareen, in cars, trucks, tractors and trolleys helping on the land Jack had not been able to tend. About 30 volunteers erected 25-chains of new netting fence and fumigated for rabbits.

In later years, Jack re-married to Dorothy with the two adding John and Helen to the family.
Aged 61, Jack died on the 28th February 1970 and was buried in the Carinya Gardens Cemetery, Mount Gambier. Dorothy lived to be 77 and died on the 9th November 1999.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion