MCLACHLAN, John Henry
| Service Number: | 481 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 27 August 1914, Enlisted at Sydney |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 1st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Werris Creek, New South Wales, Australia, 10 September 1889 |
| Home Town: | Werris Creek, Liverpool Plains, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Werris Creek Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Baker |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Gallipoli, 8 December 1915, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
Shell Green Cemetery, Gallipoli Peninsula Plot 11, Row D, Grave 3 Headstone inscription reads: Greater love hath no man than he lay down his life for his friends, |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Werris Creek Public School Pictorial Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 27 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 481, Enlisted at Sydney | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 481, 1st Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 481, 1st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Sydney | |
| 7 Nov 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, In the field | |
| 8 Dec 1915: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 481, 1st Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 481 awm_unit: 1 Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1915-12-08 |
Help us honour John Henry McLachlan's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Son of William and Mary Ann Ware McLachlan of Henry Street, Werris Creek, NSW. Brother of Georgina Elizabeth McLean nee McLachlan of Werris Creek, NSW
Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Biography contributed by John Oakes
John Henry McLACHLAN was born on 10th September 1889 at Werris Creek, NSW. He went to the Public School there. He was the eldest son of his family and had three brothers and four sisters. On 30th October 1913 he joined the NSW Government Railways and Tramways as a tram conductor (casual). On 22nd August 1915 his position was made permanent. However, before then, on 2ndSeptember 1914, he was released from duty to join the Expeditionary Forces.
Officially, he joined the AIF on 27th August 1914 with the rank of Private (Service Number 481). He was posted to the 1st Infantry Battalion. He nominated his mother, Mrs M A McLachlan, as his next of kin (his father had died before he enlisted).
The 1st Infantry Battalion left Sydney for Egypt in October 1914. It arrived in Egypt on 2nd December 1914 before embarking in April 1915 for the Gallipoli Campaign. The Battalion took part in the landings at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915, as part of the second and third waves. It continued to serve there until the evacuation in December 1915.
However, John was not at the first landings. There is an entry in his record which states that he was ‘Discharged medically unfit’ on 31st March 1915 and another entry which states that he joined the 1st Infantry Battalion at Gallipoli, from hospital, on 22nd June 1915. On 7th November 1915 he was appointed to the rank of Lance Corporal.
On 8th December 1915 he was killed in action.
His grave is in Shell Green Cemetery, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey. His place of association is Werris Creek, NSW.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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