258226 Pte. John Patrick Purcell Stewart Australian Imperial Forces 15th Light Trench Mortar Battery from:Catherine Bay, New South Wales, Australia John Stewart was a wheeler from Catherine Hill Bay, New South Wales. He enlisted on the 8th of May 1916. He
returned to Australia 15th of April 1919. Jack Stewart was awarded the British War Medal, Victory Medal, the returned from active service badge and the Silver War Badge.
He applied to enlist in the 1st AIF on 2nd May 1916 at West Maitland, NSW. John had served about 2 months in the senior cadets but he was living in an exempt area.
his mother gave her consent for him to enlist.
His physical description was recorded as:
Height 5 feet 5½ inches,
Complexion fair,
Weight 9 stone 5 lbs,
Eyes blue,
Chest measurement 31 - 34 inches,
Hair brown
Distinctive marks scar on right shin.
He was a single man, 18 years 4 months, a wheeler and his address he gave was 2 Catherine Bay, NSW. His mother, Mrs E Stewart, of Teralba, NSW, was listed as his next of kin (father deceased). This next of kin was later changed to his wife Mrs D D Stewart of 53 Pisgah Street, Kefir Hill, South Wales.
John was enlisted in the 1st AIF at West Maitland NSW on 8th May 1916 and he joined B company of the Newcastle Depot Battalion with the rank of private. Then on the 5th July he was allocated to the reinforcement 2 of the Light Trench Mortar Battery and transferred to the Menangle Camp.
His unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A40 Ceramic on the 7th October 1916. They disembarked at Plymouth on the 21st November 1916 and moved to the Parkhouse Camp.
John was transferred from the Reinforcement Group to the 18th Battalion at Rollestone on the 6th February 1917. He moved from the 5th Training Battalion at Rollestone and proceeded overseas to France on the 19th April. He joined the 18th Battalion, in France, on the 9th May.
On the 11th May 1917 John was attached for duty with the 5th LTM battery, then on the 10th July he was transferred and taken on strength of the battery. Oral history tells us that he was a runner (message carrier)
He told me he was a runner and had to wait for the artillery shells to pass then run like mad ...
John reported sick on the 15th September 1917 and was given aid by the 7th Field Ambulance for P.U.O. (pyrexia of unknown origin). He was discharged back to duty after 4 days.
He reported sick again on the 12th December and was moved to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station with cardiac dilation then placed on Ambulance Train 28 and admitted to the 54 General Hospital. He was evacuated to England aboard the hospital ship Jan Breydel on 28th with V.D.H. severe. He was admitted to the Chilly Hospital at Eastbourne the same day. He was then transferred to the Central Military Hospital then to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on the 24th January 1918. Then, on the 2nd February he was discharged to the No2 Command Depot at Weymouth.
He was charged with being way without leave, from Littlemoore, from the 1st March to the 20th March 1918. The charge was dismissed by the Lt. Col. D.A. Lane because a medical certificate was produced covering the absence.
John embarked on the 15th April 1918 for his return to Australia for a change, due to Mitral Regurgitation, aboard the H.M.A.T. Marathon. He disembarked on the 12th June in Port Melbourne, then he travelled to Sydney (most probably by rail). He was discharged from the A.I.F. in the 2nd Military District (ie. NSW) on the 26th July 1918.
John Patrick Purcell Stewart was born at Teralba, NSW during 1898, the son of Charles Parnell and Elizabeth Anne Etewart. He died on the 4th April 1975 at age of about 77.
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