John Harold Lindoy

John (Jack) Harold Lindoy was born on 2 January 1895 at Narellan; the family moved to Dapto the following month. His parents, John and Mary lived at New Dapto Rd, Wollongong throughout the war. Jack was a member of the North Wollongong Surf Club and played rugby league. He was described as a bit of a lad with a quiet, wry sense of humour.

Jack was unable to enlist early in the war due to the strict regulations; he was only 163cm (5”4) tall, 5cm shorter than the army requirements at the time. He was able to enlist on 4 December 1915 due to the need for more reinforcements which resulted in the army lessening its restrictions. He then joined the Waratah March on its way to Sydney.

Jack’s training at the Liverpool Army Camp was brief due to his previous involvement as a member of the Citizens Forces. He was assigned to E Company of the First Australian Infantry Battalion and embarked for Europe.

The company arrive at Marseilles on 17 May and went straight to the front to reinforce the 1st Battalion at Etaples. Jack was not at the front for long before he was wounded at Pozieres on 23 July, 1916. He lost his left eye and sustained extensive injury to his body. He was so seriously wounded that he could not receive treatment in France and was subsequently sent to hospital in Birmingham, England.

He returned to Australia on the SS Karoola. On his return to Wollongong, Jack was given a reception at the Town Hall (15/12/16). It was just over a year since he had enlisted and he was one of the first Waratahs to return to Wollongong.

Jack was a founding member of the Wollongong RSL and held executive positions during the Second World War. He never married and the effect of his war wounds affected his physical and emotional health. Jack lived mostly in Wollongong until his mother died. In 1952, he moved to Queensland and died at the Greenslopes Repatriation Hospital in Brisbane on 26 September 1964.