Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Born 29 May 1892 in Pewsey Vale, near Lyndoch, South Australia
(SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 502 Page: 67 District: Cra.)

Father Joseph HURST and Mother Elizabeth (nee FRANKCOM).

Described on enlisting as 22 years 3 months old; single; 5' 6 3/4" tall; 145 lbs;
fresh complexion; brown eyes; dark brown hair; Church of England

30/8/1915        Enlisted in Adelaide, South Australia
30/8/1915        Private in C Company, 2nd Depot

1-31/10/1915   Morphettville Camp

1/11/1915        Commanding Officer appointed John to 3rd reinforcements, 6th Field
                       Artillery Brigade, Maribyrnong Camp

28/1/1916        Embarked from Outer Harbour, Port Adelaide on board HMAT Themistocles A32
                       as a Private in 3rd reinforcements, 6th Field Artillery Brigade

29/2/1916        taken on strength 2nd D.A.C. from reinforcements

19/2-9/3/1916  Gunner in 2nd D A Col 

10/3/1916         taken on strength of 6th Field Artillery Brigade, Ismailia

17/3/1916         Embarked for overseas per HT Arcadian, ex Alexandria
                        disembarked at Marseilles, France

1/5/1916           Shoeing Smith

13/5/1916         transferred to 106th Battery, France

24/5/1916         Sick with Mumps, admitted 5th Field Ambulance, France
3/6/1916           discharged to unit

11/11/1916       Promoted to Provisional Shoeing Smith Corporal, in the field, France
                        Promoted to Temporary Shoeing Smith Corporal

11/12/1916       Promoted Shoeing Smith Corporal

6/8/1917           to UK on leave
19/8/1917         rejoined from leave

27/9/1918         to UK on leave
13/10/1918       rejoined unit from leave

21/1/1919         detached to Australian Corps Workshops Jeumont, in the field
27/2/1919         rejoined 6th Field Artillery Brigade, in the field

9/3/1919           permanently appointed to 4th Australian Field Artillery Brigade

6/4/1919           marched out to Base

29/5/1919         returned to Australia, on board Rio Negro, ex Devonport, England
22/7/1919         disembarked at Melbourne, Victoria

15/9/1919         discharged from service in AIF

Medals:
British War Medal (9097) and Victory Medal (9033) 

On returning from the war he went into business as a blacksmith, with his brother Bert, in McLaren Vale, South Australia.

29/5/1922         John married Vivienne Kezia Hagger, at St Pauls Church, Adelaide, SA.
3 children:-        Allen Hurst,  Doug Hurst  and  Rex Hurst.

In 1929 he bought 700 acres in Orroroo, in the mid North of SA, and farmed cows and dairy cows.

It is then noted on Census records that he lived in Blyth with his wife and children, continuing to work as a blacksmith.

Vivienne passed away in 1942.

In 1945 he and the family moved to Crystal Brook, SA, where he started the family business- an agricultural engineering business- called J H Hurst & Sons. This was a very sucessful business which his sons did join and worked there.

17/6/1965    John Henry Hurst passed away. 
buried in:     Crystal Brook Cemetery, Crystal Brook, SA
                   Row 12, Plot No. 221A

Julie stated:  "I remember great uncle John as a lovely man who always had his shirt sleeves roll up.
                   He looked a lot like my grand father, so I always liked him." 

Submitted by Julie Morcom (with information from her Aunts) and updated by Julianne T Ryan,
31/5/2015.  Lest we forget.