KOSTERA, John Ainslie
| Service Number: | 5411439 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) |
| Born: | Victoria Park, Western Australia, Australia, 19 February 1939 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Wool classer |
| Died: | Western Australia, 28 February 2023, aged 84 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Karrakatta Cemetery & Crematorium, Western Australia Cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery, with his ashes collected, and no permanent memorial location currently recorded. |
| Memorials: |
Vietnam War Service
| 11 Jun 1966: | Involvement Australian Army (Post WW2), Lance Corporal, 5411439, 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) |
|---|
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Trevor Pyatt
John Ainslie Kostera
19 February 1939 – 28 February 2023
Biography
John Ainslie Kostera was born on 19 February 1939 at Victoria Park, Western Australia, the eldest son of John Joseph Kostera and Rita Pearl Kostera (née Priestley). His birth was announced in The West Australian, confirming the family's residence in Kalamunda.
He was later joined by a younger brother, Brian Kostera, born on 10 August 1943 at St Ives Hospital, Victoria Park. The two boys were raised in Kalamunda, where the Kostera family established themselves during the 1940s. A newspaper notice from 1949 records John, Brian, and their parents travelling together through the South-West of Western Australia, reflecting a close and active family life.
As a young man, John worked as a wool classer, before entering military service with the Australian Army.
He served during the Vietnam War era, attaining the rank of Lance Corporal (Service No. 5411439). Records show he was actively serving from 11 June 1966, and by 1968 he was stationed at Holsworthy, New South Wales, serving with the Royal Australian Regiment, where he was recorded on the electoral roll as a soldier.
Following his military service, John returned to Western Australia and later resided in Bentley, a suburb of Perth.
John passed away on 28 February 2023, aged 84 years. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery, with his ashes collected, and no permanent memorial location currently recorded.
Military Service
Service Number: 5411439
Rank: Lance Corporal
Branch: Australian Army
Conflict: Vietnam War era
Service Commenced: 11 June 1966
Known Units: Royal Australian Regiment (including 5RAR/6RAR association)
1968 Posting: Holsworthy, New South Wales
Family
Parents:
John Joseph Kostera
Rita Pearl Kostera (née Priestley) (1912–2001)
Sibling:
Brian Kostera (born 10 August 1943)
Residence & Electoral Records
1940s: Kalamunda, Western Australia
1963: Kalamunda district (occupation: wool classer)
1968: Holsworthy, New South Wales (occupation: soldier)
Later life: Bentley, Western Australia
Burial / Cremation
Cremation: Karrakatta Cemetery, Western Australia
Ashes: Collected (no known interment site)
Sources & Evidence
The West Australian, 21 February 1939 – Birth notice
The West Australian, 13 August 1943 – Birth notice of brother Brian
The West Australian, 13 January 1949 – Family notice (travel)
Australia Electoral Rolls (1963, 1968)
Australian Army service records (Vietnam-era service listing)
Karrakatta Cemetery cremation record (2023)
Disclaimer
This biography is compiled from a combination of official records and newspaper notices. While key life events and family relationships are well supported by primary sources, some aspects of John's military service and later life remain partially unverified and may be refined with further records.
Biography by Trevor Pyatt 11/04/2026