Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

John Till was 20 years old, single, and a horse Breaker or drover from Hay, NSW when he enlisted at Cootamundra during January, 1916 with the AIF.  

Lance Corporal John Till was wounded in action in France on 25th September, 1917. He was admitted to 6th Field Ambulance on 25th September, 1917 with severe shrapnel wounds to hand, leg & head.

He spent over a month in the 12th General Hospital at Rouen, France as his leg had been amputated in the Casualty Clearing Station 2 days after he was wounded. Till was evacuated to England and admitted to 3rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford, on 9 November, 1917 where his condition was reported as still serious.

The Riverine Grazier, Hay, NSW – 27 November, 1917: OUR BOYS AT THE FRONT

‘Mr George Till has received a notification from Base Records that his son, Private John Till, is out of danger. By last mail he also received a letter from Nurse Taylor, of the 12th General Hospital, France, in which it was stated that Private Till was in a serious condition. He had shell wounds of the head, a fractured left arm and had had his left leg amputated. The nurse expressed hope the patent would recover, and stated that everything possible was being done for him. That the treatment was successful is shown by the satisfactory information from the Base Records.’

He was still seriously wounded and remained in hospital. John Till married Martha Matilda Dickins, perhaps one of his nurses, on 29 June 1918 in St Mary and St John Church, Cowley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.

A Medical Report had been completed on Lance Corporal Jack Till on 11 November 1918 while a patient at 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital. His disability was recorded as Amputation of left leg – middle third. The injury had occurred on 25 September, 1917 at Ypres and he was wounded in left leg, left thumb, chest and head by shrapnel. Extensive injury occurred to his left leg which had been removed at Casualty Clearing Station on 27 September 1917. The Medical Board recommended that Lance Corporal Till be permanently unfit for General Service and permanently unfit for Home Service and returned to Australia.

He was granted furlo from 15 February 1919 and was then admitted to 3rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford on 21 February 1919 with influenza. John Till died at 2.45 am on 22 February, 1919 at 3rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England from Pneumococcal Meningitis.

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland

Died on this date – 22nd February…… John Till was born at Hay, New South Wales in 1895.

He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 5th January, 1916 as a 20 year old, single, Horse Breaker from Belmore Street, Hay, NSW.

Private John Till, Service number 5458, embarked from Sydney, NSW on HMAT Ceramic (A40) on 14th April, 1916 with the 2nd Infantry Battalion, 17th Reinforcements & disembarked at Suez on 16th May, 1916.

On 24th May, 1916 Private Till was transferred to 54th Battalion.

He embarked from Alexandria from 5th Division Depot on H.M.T. Ivernia on 21st June, 1916 to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force). He disembarked at Marseilles, France on 29th June, 1916 & joined 54th Battalion in France on 3rd August, 1916.

Private John Till was appointed Lance Corporal on 12th June, 1917.

On 25th September, 1917 Lance Corporal John Till was wounded in action in France. He was admitted to 6th Field Ambulance on 25th September, 1917 with shrapnel wounds to hand, leg & head. Lance Corporal Till was admitted to 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station on 24th September, 1917 (date as per Casualty Form – Active Service) with shrapnel wounds. He was transferred to Ambulance Train 2 on 26th September, 1917 then admitted to 12th General Hospital at Rouen, France on 27th September, 1917. Lance Corporal Till was transferred to England on 8th November, 1917 from 12th General Hospital at Rouen, France.

He was admitted to 3rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford, England on 9th November, 1917 with G.S.W. hand & amputated left leg. His condition was reported as serious.

Newspaper item – The Riverine Grazier, Hay, NSW – 27 November, 1917:
OUR BOYS AT THE FRONT
Mr George Till has received a notification from Base Records that his son, Private John Till, is out of danger. By last mail he also received a letter from Nurse Taylor, of the 12th General Hospital, France, in which it was stated that Private Till was in a serious condition. He had shell wounds of the head, a fractured left arm and had had his left leg amputated. The nurse expressed hope the patent would recover, and stated that everything possible was being done for him. That the treatment was successful is shown by the satisfactory information from the Base Records.

Mr G. Till, of Belmore Street, Hay, NSW, father of Lance Corporal John Till, was advised on 3rd December, 1917 that Private Till had been removed from the seriously ill list. Mr G. Till was advised on 13th December, 1917 that Private John Till was improving. His father was notified again on 22nd January, 1918 stating that Private J. Till was progressing favourably.

John Till married Martha Matilda Dickins on 29th June, 1918 in St Mary and St John Church, Cowley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England. John was recorded as a 22 year old from 54th Battalion, A.I.F., residing at 3rd Southern General Hospital. Martha was recorded as a 21 year old, residing at 27 Marston Street, Oxford.

Lance Corporal John Till was written up for an offence while in Cowley Section (3rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford) – A.W.L. (absent without leave) from 8.30 pm on 11th July, 1918 till 1 pm on 12th July, 1918. The offence was admonished by Officer Commanding, 3rd Southern General Hospital & Lance Corporal Till forfeited 2 days’ pay.

He was transferred & admitted to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford, Kent on 3rd October, 1918 with Shrapnel wounds left leg amputated. Lance Corporal Till was transferred to 2nd Auxiliary Hospital, Southall on 26th October, 1918.

On 9th November, 1918 Lance Corporal Till was admitted to 2nd Auxiliary Hospital, Southall from furlo. The Hospital Admissions form has the following details: “Amputation left leg – middle third – unhealed. 5-12-18 re-amputation. 20-12-18 healed on furlo.” Lance Corporal Till was discharged on 21st December, 1918 & granted furlo & was then to report back to 2nd Auxiliary Hospital on 4th January, 1919.

A Medical Report had been completed on Lance Corporal Jack Till on 11th November, 1918 while a patient at 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital. His disability was recorded as Amputation of left leg – middle third. The injury had occurred on 25th September, 1917 at Ypres & he was wounded in left leg, left thumb, chest & head by shrapnel. Extensive injury occurred to his left leg which had been removed at Casualty Clearing Station on 27th September, 1917. The Medical Board recommended that Lance Corporal Till be permanently unfit for General Service & permanently unfit for Home Service & returned to Australia.

He was granted furlo from 15th February, 1919 & was then to report back to 2nd Auxiliary Hospital on 1st March, 1919.

On 21st February, 1919 Lance Corporal Till was admitted to 3rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford with Influenza.

Lance Corporal John Till died at 2.45 am on 22nd February, 1919 at 3rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England from Pneumococcal Meningitis.

He was buried in Botley Cemetery, Botley, Oxfordshire, England where 7 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/botley.html