John CRAM

CRAM, John

    Service Number: 7219
    Enlisted: 16 October 1916
    Last Rank: Private
    Last Unit: 1st Infantry Battalion
    Born: Balmain, New South Wales, 1 June 1892
    Home Town: Drummoyne, Canada Bay, New South Wales
    Schooling: Sydney Technical High School
    Occupation: Law clerk
    Died: Penrith, New South Wales, Australia, 23 October 1965, aged 73 years, cause of death not yet discovered
    Cemetery: Not yet discovered
    Memorials: Sydney Technical High School WW1 Roll Of Honour
    Show Relationships

    World War 1 Service

    16 Oct 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 7219, 5th Divisional Signal Company
    10 Feb 1917: Involvement Private, 7219, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: RMS Osterley embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
    10 Feb 1917: Embarked Private, 7219, 1st Infantry Battalion, RMS Osterley, Sydney

    Help us honour John Cram's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

    Biography contributed by Sydney Technical High School

    John Cram was born on 1st June 1892 in Balmain, New South Wales (NSW) to his father, Peter Cram (1860-1946), and his mother, Emma Maria Cram (1869-1938).[1] He was the eldest of his six siblings: Robert Napier Cram (1894-1974), Peter Cram (1897-1984), William Cram (1899-1972), Margaret Emma Cram (1902-1990), David Cram (1907-1955), and Helen Cram (1910-2000).[2] In 1905, he attended Sydney Technical High School and graduated in 1911.[3] He identified as a Presbyterian[4] and was employed as a law clerk.[5]

    On 16th October 1916, John Cram, at the age of 24 years (and four months), enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) as part of the 5th Divisional Signal Company[6] in Liverpool, NSW.[7] After training at Liverpool, he embarked on 10th February 1917[9] as part of the 1st Infantry Battalion, 24th Reinforcement[10] on the RMS Osterley from Sydney, NSW[11] 

    After disembarking, John Cram was first attached to the 1st Training Battalion at Durrington on 11th April 1917.[12] Afterwards, he was temporarily attached for duty with the AIF Headquarters Depot in the United Kingdom, Tidsworth on 8th June 1917.[13] On 8th September 1917, he was promoted to the role of extra-regimental corporal and was detached from his then current duty and, on 6 December 1917, transferred to the Signal Engineers Depot as part of the Signal Engineers Training Battalion in England, Bedfordshire, reverting back to Private once again.[14] One day later on 7th December 1917, he was taken on strength (i.e., permanently transferred) to the Signal Engineers Detail.[15]

    He served continuously as part of the Detail, only being temporarily attached to the 12th Field Artillery Brigade from 8th June 1918 to October 1918,[16] until on 12th June 1918 where he was be taken on strength to the 5th Australian Signal Company[17] as a Sapper,[18] the unit he was part of for the rest of the war.

    Cram fought one major battle during his time as part of the 5th Australian Signal Company, the Battle of Mont St Quentin, specifically in Péronne.[19] This was one of the most influential battles of the war, lasting from 31st August 1918 to 4th September 1918, as it resulted in the loss of Mont St Quentin, a vital part of the German’s second last line of defence: the Sommé line, and, in turn, the loss of the defence line as well.[20] With it, the Germans were forced back to their last line of defence: the Hindenburg Line.[21] After the Battle, he served continuously until demobilisation,[22] after which he successfully returned to Australia alive on 16th October 1916 (exactly three years after he had first enlisted)[23]

    John Cram, after returning from WWI began studying law at the University of Sydney in July 1920[25] and was approved by the Full Court to “practise as solicitors of the New South Wales Supreme Court”.[26] In 1926, he married Margaret Caldwell Cram (1900-unknown).[27] With her, they had three children: David John Cram (1928-1973), Jean Margaret Cram (1937-2011), and Neil Cram (unknown-unknown).[28]

    In 1938, he became a hospital director by being part of the board of directors of the Nepean District Hospital after being unanimously appointed,[29] becoming a life member of the Hospital in 1960[30] and only retiring once he had reached the mandatory retirement age on 7th June 1962.[31]

    On 14th June 1951, he was granted life membership by the Penrith RSL sub-branch for his “many years’ sterling service as secretary, president, and member.”[32] He also continued assisting members of the armed forces and the armed forces in other instances (i.e., not just through the RSL) such as when he assisted as an alderman in a recruiting rally on 23rd October 1941[33] or when he held a “diggers’ carnival” on 9th March 1944.[34]  As when he was younger, John Cram was still a Presbyterian and continued to serve his religion, becoming Assembly Elder of the Penrith Presbyterian Church on 13th March 1956.[35] Finally, on 23rd October 1965, John Cram, at the age of 73, passed away (cause of death: unknown).[36]

     

    References

    1. FamilySearch, n.d., John Cram, Salt Lake City, viewed 3 Aug 2024, <https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/GQC7-M93/john-cram-1892-1965>

    2. Ibid.

    3. Exact dates are unknown. The years were calculated; if he was born in 1892 and he attended high school when he was 13, he would have begun to attend in 1905. Additionally, if he graduated six years later, he would have graduated in 1911.

    4. Anonymous, 1916, Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad, National Archives Australia, Canberra, viewed 3 Aug 2024, <https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=3439735&isAv=N>

    5. Ibid.

    6. Virtual War Memorial Australia, n.d., John CRAM, Canberra, viewed 3 Aug 2024, <https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/85012>

    7. Anonymous, 1916, Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad, National Archives Australia, Canberra, viewed 3 Aug 2024, <https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=3439735&isAv=N>

    8. Virtual War Memorial Australia, n.d., John CRAM, Canberra, viewed 3 Aug 2024, <https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/85012>

    9. Ibid.

    10. University of New South Wales Canberra, n.d., John Cram, Canberra, viewed 3 Aug 2024,  <https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=66008>
    11. Virtual War Memorial Australia, n.d., John CRAM, Canberra, viewed 3 Aug 2024, <https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/85012>

    12. Anonymous, n.d., Untitled Service Record, National Archives Australia, Canberra, viewed 4 Aug 2024, <https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=3439735&isAv=N>

    13. Ibid.

    14. Ibid.

    15. Ibid.

    16. The University of Sydney, 2 March 2021, John Cram, Sydney, viewed 4 Aug 2024, <https://heurist-usyd.cloud.edu.au/heurist/?db=ExpertNation&ll=Beyond1914>

    17. Anonymous, n.d., Untitled Service Record, National Archives Australia, Canberra, viewed 4 Aug 2024, <https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=3439735&isAv=N>

    18. The University of Sydney, 2 March 2021, John Cram, Sydney, viewed 4 Aug 2024, <https://heurist-usyd.cloud.edu.au/heurist/?db=ExpertNation&ll=Beyond1914>

    19. Ibid.

    20. Australian War Memorial, 3 February 2022, Mont St Quentin and Péronne: Australian Victories, viewed 4 Aug 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibitions/1918/battles/mtstquentin>

    21. Ibid.

    22. Ibid.

    23. Cram, J., n.d., War Service Record, The University of Sydney, Sydney, viewed 4 Aug 2024, <https://heurist-usyd.cloud.edu.au/heurist/?db=ExpertNation&ll=Beyond1914>

    24. Anonymous, n.d., 2021 New WW 1 Honour Board Name List, Sydney, viewed 4 Aug 2024, <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1z18h_FP6do8oC1vUZdvXkflDIIaWCDX3/edit?gid=1271196694#gid=1271196694>

    25. The University of Sydney, 2 March 2021, John Cram, Sydney, viewed 4 Aug 2024, <https://heurist-usyd.cloud.edu.au/heurist/?db=ExpertNation&ll=Beyond1914>

    26. Sydney Morning Herald, 23 February 1923, “PERSONAL”, p. 8.

    27. FamilySearch, n.d., John Cram, Salt Lake City, viewed 3 Aug 2024, <https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/GQC7-M93/john-cram-1892-1965>

    28. Ibid.

    29. Nepean Times, 17 March 1960, “LIFE MEMBER”, unknown page number.

    30. Ibid.

    31. Nepean Times, 7 June 1962, “Hospital Director’s 24 Years Service”, p. 3

    32. Nepean Times, 14 June 1951, “Life Membership R. S. L.”, p. 1

    33. Nepean Times, 23 October 1941, Recruiting Rally, p. 1.

    34. Nepean Times, 9 March 1944, “Diggers’ Carnival”, p. 3.

    35. Nepean Times, 13 March 1956, Personal, unknown page number.

    36. Virtual War Memorial Australia, n.d., John CRAM, Canberra, viewed 3 Aug 2024, <https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/85012>

    Bibliography

    FamilySearch, n.d., John Cram, Salt Lake City, viewed 3 Aug 2024, <https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/GQC7-M93/john-cram-1892-1965>

    Anonymous, 1916, Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad, National Archives Australia, Canberra, viewed 3 Aug 2024, <https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=3439735&isAv=N>

    Virtual War Memorial Australia, n.d., John CRAM, Canberra, viewed 3 Aug 2024, <https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/85012>

    University of New South Wales Canberra, n.d., John Cram, Canberra, viewed 3 Aug 2024, <https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=66008>

    Anonymous, n.d., Untitled Service Record, National Archives Australia, Canberra, viewed 4 Aug 2024, <https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=3439735&isAv=N>

    The University of Sydney, 2 March 2021, John Cram, Sydney, viewed 4 Aug 2024, <https://heurist-usyd.cloud.edu.au/heurist/?db=ExpertNation&ll=Beyond1914>

    Australian War Memorial, 3 February 2022, Mont St Quentin and Péronne: Australian Victories, viewed 4 Aug 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibitions/1918/battles/mtstquentin>

    Anonymous, n.d., 2021 New WW 1 Honour Board Name List, Sydney, viewed 4 Aug 2004, <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1z18h_FP6do8oC1vUZdvXkflDIIaWCDX3/edit?gid=1271196694#gid=1271196694>

    Sydney Morning Herald, 23 February 1923, “PERSONAL”, p. 8.

    Nepean Times, 17 March 1960, “LIFE MEMBER”, unknown page number.

    Nepean Times, 7 June 1962, “Hospital Director’s 24 Years Service”, p. 3

    Nepean Times, 14 June 1951, “Life Membership R. S. L.”, p. 1

    Nepean Times, 23 October 1941, Recruiting Rally, p. 1.

    Nepean Times, 9 March 1944, “Diggers’ Carnival”, p. 3.

    Nepean Times, 13 March 1956, Personal, unknown page number.

    Read more...

    Links and Documents