GEAR, John Foster
| Service Numbers: | 2040, 2515 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 June 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 24th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Adelaide, South Australia, 13 August 1894 |
| Home Town: | Ballarat, Central Highlands, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Humffray St Primary, Ballarat Agricultural High School & Melbourne University, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Student |
| Died: | Killed In Action, France, 5 October 1918, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ramicourt British Cemetery, France Row C, Grave No. 16 |
| Memorials: | Alfredton Humffray Street State School Roll of Honor, Ballarat Golden Point State School, Parkville Old State College Memorial Windows |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2040, 24th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul 1915: | Involvement Private, 2515, 6th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Demosthenes embarkation_ship_number: A64 public_note: '' | |
| 16 Jul 1915: | Embarked Private, 2515, 6th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Demosthenes, Melbourne | |
| 26 Aug 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2040, 24th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Anchises, Melbourne | |
| 26 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2040, 24th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: '' | |
| 26 Aug 1916: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches, Battle for Pozières , Mentioned for good gallant conduct in connection with hard fighting at Pozieres | |
| 24 Jan 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 24th Infantry Battalion | |
| 5 Feb 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 24th Infantry Battalion | |
| 1 May 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant | |
| 27 Sep 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 24th Infantry Battalion | |
| 31 Jul 1918: | Honoured Military Cross, "The Last Hundred Days", For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in charge of the brigade sniping section during an attack. He personally supervised the placing of his snipers on the whole brigade front, and throughout the day kept improving their positions. Under heavy fire he carried out a reconnaissance in "No Man's Land" in order to secure more efficient fire for some of his section, and throughout the operations maintained the superiority of fire over the enemy. | |
| 5 Oct 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 24th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 24 Battalion awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1918-10-05 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed
John Foster GEAR was born in Adelaide, South Australia in 1894
His parents were James & Sarah Jane GEAR
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
Lieut. JOHN FOSTER GEAR, 24th Batt. Military Cross
While in charge of the brigade sniping section during an attack he personally supervised the placing of his snipers on the whole brigade front, and throughout the day kept improving their positions. Under heavy fire he carried out a reconnaissance in "No Man's Land" in order to secure more efficient fire for some of his section, and throughout the operations maintained the superiority of fire over the enemy.
Mr J. A. Gear, herbalist, Ballarat East, received news that his son John Foster Gear, was slightly wounded, and in 2nd Eastern General Hospital, Brighton, England. Private Gear is an old Humffray st. State school boy, and when enlisting was a student at the Melbourne University, studying for Bachelor of Science. He also was a member of the City Rowing Club and holds the gold medal as champion athlete of Ballarat. There are over 50 of the Ballarat harriers enlisted.
Biography contributed by Andreena Hockley
John Foster Gear, son of Mr. J. A. Gear, of 14 Humffray-street, Ballarat East, was born on the 12th of August, 1894, at Adelaide. He attended the Ballarat Agricultural High School in 1911-12. He passed the Junior Public examination in 1911, and was, in 1913, a junior teacher at Golden Point School, Ballarat. He entered the Teachers' College in 1914, where he remained till his enlistment, meanwhile passing the first year of his course for Diploma of Education. He is recorded as a thoroughly capable, reliable student.
He enlisted as a Private on the 12th of May, 1915, and embarked with the 8th Reinforcements to the 23rd Battalion about the end of the year. While at Moascar, in Egypt, he was transferred to the 24th Battalion, and he went to France with this unit on the 20th of March, 1916. He was promoted Corporal on the 25th of July.
He was wounded at Pozières on the 5th of August, and invalided to England. He was mentioned in dispatches for good and gallant conduct in connexion with the hard fighting at Pozières. He rejoined his unit in France on the 21st of December; but, on the 10th of January, 1917, was sent to the Officer Cadet Battalion at Cambridge, and appointed to commissioned rank on the 7th of May. He rejoined his unit again on the 15th, and was promoted Lieutenant on the 27th of September. He was awarded the M.C. on the 31st of July, and was killed on the 5th of October, 1918, at Montbrehain.
Extract from the London Gazette :-" For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in charge of the Brigade sniping section during an attack. He personally supervised the placing of his snipers on the whole of the brigade front, and, throughout the day, kept improving their position. Under heavy fire, he carried out a reconnaissance in 'No Man's Land' in order to secure more efficient fire for some of his section, and, throughout the day, maintained the superiority of fire over the enemy."
Source: The Education Department's Record of War Service, Victoria, 1914-1919.
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