Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

John James Clarris was born in Taroom, Queensland on 4th March 1892 to John Conrad and Maria Jane (Cox) Clarris on 4th March 1892. Johnny married Ellen Maud Dobe, daughter of Henry and Sophia (Butterfield) Dobe, in Toowoomba on 3rd September 1914 and they had five children, of which two boys died as infants.
He was a carpenter by trade and got a job building bridges when his children were young. The family lived in a tent and moved from site to site with him.

The family story is that as he was newly married at the outbreak of WWI and considered to be working in an essential service, Johnny was not permitted to enlist. In WWII, he enlisted on 28th May 1940 at Kelvin Grove, Brisbane when he gave his age as 34 years 1 month when in fact he was 48 years 1 month old. As told by his son Norman, Johnny lowered his age for WWII as he had missed out on the Great War and wanted to serve his country.

Johnny was assigned to the 2/15th Battalion, Service Number QX854, and sent to the Middle East and later to Papua New Guinea. During his service in PNG, he had leave in Cairns where he met up with his two sons, both in the RAAF: Norman was serving as a mechanic at the airfield in Milne Bay, PNG and Arthur was a Leading Aircraftman with the 7 Mobile Works Squadron, PNG.

Johnny suffered quite a few ailments during his service - Malaria, Dengue Fever, Pneumonitis, Emphysema and Osteo Arthritis. He was awarded six medals for his wartime service:
1939-45 Star
Africa Star with 8th Army Clasp
Pacific Star
Defence Medal
War Medal 1939-45
Australia Service Medal 1939-45

When Johnny was 64 years old, he was building a house in Taroom when he fell off the roof and died of his injuries in the Toowoomba Hospital on 17th August 1958. He was laid to rest at the Drayton-Toowoomba Cemetery where his grave is maintained by the AWG.