Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Jerome was the son of Jeremiah Andrew SUTTON & Mary Kathleen CURTAIN and was born in 1889 in Dismal Swamp, near Kalangadoo, SA.

His parents were married on the 22nd of January 1877 in St Teresa’s Church, Mt Gambier.

His father was the son of Anthony SUTTON & Mary KEARNAN and was born on the 6th of March 1850 in Dismal Swamp, Mt Gambier, SA.
His mother was the daughter of Patrick James CURTAIN & Mary MURPHY and was born on the 13th of April 1855 in “Woodview”, Port Fairy, VIC.

Jerome was the eighth child born into the family of 13 children.

His father was a farmer and the family lived at Dismal Swamp, about 3 miles south of Kalangadoo.
The property was named “Avondale” and was located about 3 miles from Dismal Swamp Station which was owned by Jerome’s paternal grandparents.

After completing his education Jerome worked on his parent’s property and became a farmer.
His father died in 1910 and his mother continued to run the farm with the help of her sons.

With the outbreak of WW1 his brother Samuel enlisted on the 5th of January 1915 and posted to the Light Horse Base Depot, but was discharged on the 23rd of February as he went AWOL from camp and was found drunk.
He then re enlisted on the 3rd of May 1915 into the AMC, No.1 Australian General Hospital (58A) and embarked for Egypt.

At the age of 25, Jerome enlisted in the 1st AIF on the 17th of August 1915 and was posted to the 27th Battalion, 7th Reinforcements.
He embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A7 Medic on the 12th of January 1916, disembarking in Alexandria on the 16th of February 1916.

Three days after Jerome disembarked in Alexandria, his brother John enlisted into the 43rd Battalion on the 19th of February 1916. He served for 147 days before being discharged medically unfit, due to blood poisoning.

Jerome served in France until the 5th of August 1916 when he suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his right temple and right eye and was evacuated to England and admitted into the 3rd London General Hospital in Chelsea.
Whilst he was here his brother John re enlisted on the 21st of October 1916 (3136) and was posted to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, 24th Reinforcements.

Jerome lost his right eye and at No.1 Command Depot in Perham Downs he was medically classified C1 which meant he was no longer fit for overseas service.
Whilst he was here, John embarked on HMAT Clan MacCorquodale on the 5th of February 1917.

Jerome embarked from England on the 22nd of July 1917 on board HMAT Nestor, disembarking in Adelaide on the 21st of September.
Three days later he boarded to train to Mt Gambier and passed through Kalangadoo where he was given a hearty welcome at the station by the local Cheer-up Society.
On the 6th of October Jerome was given a welcome home social in the Glencoe District Hall.
Jerome was discharged from the AIF, medically unfit, on the 23rd of October 1917 and was granted a war pension of £3 per fortnight.

On the 13th of October 1919 his mother transferred the farm to Jerome.

On the 27th of October 1919 his sister Majorie married Bernard Murray NULTY in St Paul’s Church, Mt Gambier and Jerome gave her away.

Jerome married Mabel May ELLISON on the 16th of February 1920 on St Paul’s Church, Mt Gambier.
Mabel was the daughter of William ELLISON & Elizabeth Mary HESTER and was born on the 18th of December 1880.

In January 1929 bushfires broke out at Dismal Swamp and 2,000 acres of Jerome’s property was destroyed.

On the 11th of May 1931 Jerome was returning home from Kalangadoo at about 10 o'clock when the cart which he was driving collided with a stump and capsized.
He was thrown out and his leg was broken above the ankle.
He crawled for two miles to within 200 yards to the camp of Messrs. Evans, Williams, and McLaughlan, who found him exhausted at 4am next day.
Mr. Williams rendered first aid and Jerome was taken to the Mount Gambler Hospital by Mr. J. V. Angus.

Sadly, Mabel died on the 6th of November 1931 in the Mt Gambier Hospital and Jerome buried her in the Millicent Cemetery.

In February 1943 Jerome married Ada Evelyn SAVILL.
Ada was the daughter of Thomas Francis SAVILL & Eliza Jane HOLLAND and was born on the 3rd of August 1892 in Allendale East, SA.

Ada trained as a nurse in the Mt Gambier Hospital, but owing to ill health she was unable to complete her training and retired. She cared for her mother who lived in Agnes Street, Mt Gambier and when they married they both then lived with her mother for a short period and Jerome joined the Mt Gambier RSL Sub-Branch.

Sadly, Ada then died on the 17th of April 1944 at their home in Agnes Street, Mt Gambier and Jerome buried her the following day in the Lake Terrace Cemetery; Section G, Plot 586, with her mother.

Jerome returned to his farm and was still there in 1952.

Jerome died on the 12th of June 1961 and was buried 2 days later in the Lake Terrace Cemetery, Mt Gambier; Section LA, Plot 582.

Jerome never had children.

Military

At the age of 25, Jerome enlisted in the 1st AIF on the 17th of August 1915 in Adelaide and was allotted the service number 3328 and posted to E Company, 2nd Depot Battalion.
He listed his mother, of “Avondale” Kalangadoo, as his next of kin.

He was then transferred to the 1st Depot Battalion on the 1st of September and on the 1st of October he was posted to the 27th Battalion, 7th Reinforcements.

Jerome embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A7 Medic on the 12th of January 1916, disembarking in Alexandria on the 16th of February 1916.
After 4 weeks of training he embarked from Alexandria, disembarking in Marseilles on the 27th of March.

Jerome was taken on strength with the 27th Battalion on the 2nd of May, who were in the front line trenches near Armentieres.
Three days later he suffered with Influenza and was admitted into the 6th Australian Field Ambulance and then transferred to the Divisional Rest Station the following day. After 5 days here Jerome was discharged and rejoined his Battalion.

On the 21st of May Jerome failed to obey an order, in that he was in Armentieres without a pass and was awarded 4 days field punishment No.2.

The men found Armentieres a very interesting town, and were able to purchase many comforts to make the army rations more palatable. There were nice tearooms, and many army canteens and institutes, which all helped to deaden for a time memories of the discomforts and disabilities of the front line.
A local dyeworks had been taken over and converted into baths and laundry, and the delight that the hot baths and clean clothing gave to all ranks can easily be understood.
Although the town and neighborhood were frequently under enemy shellfire, the inhabitants appeared indifferent, and in the surrounding fields agricultural operations were not allowed to be interfered with.

All the townspeople carried gas masks in readiness for any hostile gas action, and even the school children carried them in an extra satchel. Several alarms were given, and the spectacle of troops and civilians alike wearing the hideous masks, gave the impression that beings from another planet had suddenly populated the earth.

On June 7th these trenches were handed over to the 5th Brigade with Jerome and his Battalion taking up quarters in huts at La Rolanderie, near Erquinghem, where the troops were used in the construction and strengthening of the Bois Grenier line of defence.
La Rolanderie was a big farm house with a wide moat surrounding it. On one afternoon teams selected from two of the companies were playing a football match in truly Australian fashion, when suddenly a shell fell and burst in the middle of the field.
A glance upwards showed that a British aeroplane had been fired at by a German anti-aircraft gun, and the shell failing to burst in the air, had fallen on our football grounds to burst on impact. About half a minute later the game was resumed, and soon the ball was gaily floating on the slimy surface of the moat. A few moments hesitation and a cheer betokened the fact that one of the bystanders was stripping for an icy plunge. The ball was recovered and the game lost and won.

A few days later Battalion Commanders were called to confer with the Brigade Staff and on June 17th the Battalion moved out and made its way across the frontier into Belgium, where a halt was made at the battered township of Neuve Eglise and nearby was a camping ground known as Kortypip, where huts were provided for all ranks.

The night before they arrived here the 25th and 26th Battalions had gone into the front line, and as a welcome, the enemy had released a wide-spreading cloud of gas, which caused many casualties and penetrated far behind the lines. Nearly all of the vegetation was scorched and shriveled as a result, and the wind continuing favorable for further similar discharges, all gas masks were worn at the alert.
During their first night Zeppelins were distinctly heard and faintly seen passing over for a raid on the coast of England.

For about ten days Jerome and his Battalion were vigorously exercised, particularly in bomb throwing.
All the roads leading to the trenches were traversed both by day and night and the features of the position studied.
On June 26th they were detailed to take over the line from the 25th Battalion. The trenches were in a very bad condition and were quite unmade on a portion of the front occupied. The main communication trench was known as Medicine Hat Trail, and as the enemy occupied much higher ground in the vicinity of Messines, hostile gunfire was frequently directed along this trench, for a portion of which persons passing were in full view of the enemy.

A big bend in the trench line made enfilade fire easy on the part of the Germans. The enemy occupied a very commanding position and methodically shelled any portion of the trenches where repairs were attempted. At night the part of the front line which had not been made was held by small advanced parties while endeavors were made to build up a trench. The two lines of trenches were very close together, and the enemy made great use of minnenwerfer bombs, which were fitted with a powerful high explosive and did shocking damage to our trenches. There were many very sad casualties here, the effect of the bombs being particularly destructive, and D Company had a very bad time.

Late in June they received instructions to install gas cylinders in the front trenches in readiness to launch a gas attack with the first favorable wind. The cylinders had to be carried up, and carrying parties had an anxious time, as the enemy kept up a continuous gunfire over the whole of our area. However, the task was safely carried out, and on the next night a favorable wind blowing towards the enemy, gave them the chance of using gas for the first time.
A heavy bombardment started the performance and then gas mixed with smoke was discharged right along the line. The enemy evidently feared that an attack in force would follow and opened up a fierce artillery retaliation, but beyond a few raids at various points no attack was launched.
Evidence from aircraft next day was to the effect that the gas attack had caused a lot of casualties to the enemy.

Their term in the trenches ended at midnight on July 4th and from early morning the enemy gave them a lot of attention, evidently in reprisal for the gas clouds of the night before. During their time here great improvements had been made in the condition of the trenches, despite the fact that their work had been greatly impeded by enemy action.

It was nearly 1am when the 25th Battalion had completed relieving them and during the whole evening the rain had continued, and by that time was pouring down in torrents, while every ditch and trench was a roaring flood.
Then suddenly the rain ceased, clouds passed away, and a bright sky was over all, the 27th Battalion had marched out in teeming rain bound for the comparative comfort of Kortypip camp.

On July 8th they moved out on the first stage of their journey towards the big push on the Somme, and marched as far as Steenwerck, where they billeted over a wide area.
Two days later they were on the move once more and passed through LeVerrier, Outerstein and Merris, and found quarters between the villages of Strazelle and Fletre. The farms and homesteads were far apart and the Battalion was split into fragments before they were all accommodated.

The following day their march took them through Hazebrouck and onto Renescure, where very comfortable quarters were secured. They then marched to Mizernes and entrained at dusk for Saleux and then reached Bertangles that evening.
A few days was spent here in hard training, particularly in tactical exercises, before they moved to Toutencourt.
Their next move was via Harponville to Warloy-Baillon where General Birdwood attended and addressed them, making special reference to the work that was ahead of them.

On the evening of July 26th they marched once more and bivouacked at the brickfields on the outskirts of Albert before moving to Tara Hill where they bivouacked in and about trenches which had been occupied by the British.
The following evening they received orders that an attack was to be made on the heights above Pozieres and the 27th Battalion was to be the support.
The attack commenced as soon as it was dark, a short preliminary artillery bombardment opening the engagement. Unfortunately, the artillery preparation was insufficient and the advancing troops found the wire entanglements practically intact, while the front was swept by machine gun fire of so intense a nature that, while heroic attempts were made to force a way through, the troops were withdrawn after suffering severe casualties.

Following this failure they were issued instructions for their Brigade to make another attack and this time careful preparations were made to ensure that the artillery fire was effective on the enemy’s wire entanglements.
Continuous bursts of fire was to be maintained by day and night and machine guns being trained on all points to prevent repair work being carried out.
An assembly trench was dug about midway across No Man’s Land, the work being carried out by fatigue parties from the various Battalions, assisted by a pioneer unit.

The attack was scheduled for the 4th of August and in accordance Jerome and the 27th Battalion moved off from La Boiselle for the position of assembly that very afternoon.
The attack easily reached its first objective but the following morning the enemy launched a counter-attack and advanced under a barrage of hand grenades.

It was during this counter-attack, on the 5th of August, that Jerome suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his right temple and right eye.
He was transferred to the 44th Casualty Clearing Station at Brandhoek and then transferred by hospital train to the 13th Stationary Hospital in Boulogne.
Four days later, on the 9th, he was invalided to England and admitted into the 3rd London General Hospital in Chelsea.

Unfortunately Jerome’s right eye was not able to be saved and after 2 months he was transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Harefield.
Then on the 2nd of November Jerome was discharged from hospital and granted 3 weeks furlough.
He then reported to No.1 Command Depot in Perham Downs and was medically classified C1 which meant he was no longer fit for overseas service.

On the 12th of March 1917 Jerome was attached for duty to the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Southall, Middlesex for 3 months before being discharged to No.2 Command Depot in Weymouth, awaiting return to Australia.

Jerome embarked from England on the 22nd of July 1917 on board HMAT Nestor, disembarking in Adelaide on the 21st of September.

Jerome was discharged from the AIF, medically unfit, on the 23rd of October 1917 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.

He was granted a war pension of £3 per fortnight.