Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

By the mail just to hand the Rev. J. Blacket received his son’s last letter, also letters from officers of the battalion, describing the circumstances under which Captain Blacket fell. In the letter to his parents he says:—“We have had a lot of casualties, and I have lost some good men. Two jolly fine boys (in another company) were killed the other day, whom I used to teach—George Davies (son of Dr. Davies) and a lad named Godfrey. Davies had already been recommended for a decoration for bringing in wounded, and Godfrey (sic) when killed, was digging out a comrade who had been buried by a shell. However those deeds live and add lustre to the regiment’s name. The trouble is that so many are hit through going to the assistance of others when under fire. This is strictly against orders, but the spirit of those lads is such that it cannot be suppressed.” The letter from which the above extract is taken was written on July 1. Two days later Captain Blacket was killed by a shell. Writing to his parents, Lieutenant Colonel Dollman says:—“His passing away is a very heavy blow to every one in the battalion. I personally feel the loss very keenly. He was closely associated with me in the formation of the battalion, and his work was worthy of him. I deeply sympathise with you in his death and can assure you his place will never be adequately filled.” The junior chaplain (Colonel Crookstan) says:—“Our men had a pretty rough time, and it was on the morning of the day that they left the trenches for a rest that your son was killed: Lieutenant Hocking was killed at the same time, also a corporal named Foord, and Lieutenant Walker was much shattered. Only a couple of minutes before your son’s death, he gave his steel helmet to a private who had been almost covered with earth thrown up by a shell. It was an act that became the man, and was in keeping with the reputation he had among the officers and men.”

Extract from the Adelaide University Football Club and Adelaide University Cricket Club document honouring "The Fallen" Anzac Day 2015.

John played Intervarsity Football in 1908, 1910, 1911, 1912 and 1914 when he was captain. He was a Double Blue for football (1912) and cricket (1915). He played for AUFC in 1912 and 1913 and for AUCC from 1908 to 1912. He also played football for the Norwood Football Club. A teacher at PAC he was studying for an Arts Degree.

John enlisted on 24th March 1915 and landed on Gallipoli with the 27th Battalion on 13th September 1915. He was the first officer of the 27th wounded at Gallipoli. On 4th July 1916, while the 27th were holding trenches near Messines, he was killed when a high explosive shell landed near him. He was Mentioned in Dispatches “For conspicuous good work with his Battalion and while acting as Brigade Major from March to June 1916, when he was killed.” He was one of five brothers to enlist. His brother Joseph, also a member of the 27th, was killed in August 1918 during the Battle for Amiens.