John Wheeler

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Tue, 28/04/2015 - 11:46

First Name:

John

Last Name:

Wheeler

Mother's Name:

Grace Wheeler

Father's Name:

Alfred Wheeler

Date Enlisted:

Tuesday, January 18, 1916

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Private

Unit:

36th Battalion

Company:

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Tuesday, December 12, 1916

Place of Death:

France

Cause of Death:

Died of wounds

Details:

John Wheeler (Service no. 5108) was born in Helensburgh, N.S.W. circa 1890.

At enlistment, John was married to Agnes, and they had a son, John (Jack); he was 26 years old, employed as a miner, and the family lived at Corrimal, N.S.W.

He embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A31 Ajana on 5th July, 1916 with 13th Reinforcements 20th Battalion.

After arriving in England John transferred to 36th Battalion. While engaged in the Western Front fighting on 11th December, 1916 he was wounded in action, receiving gun shot wounds to both legs and left thigh. He was evacuated to No 2 Casualty Clearing Station in France but at 10:45am on 12th December he died of these wounds.

John is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery, Plot III, Row A, Grave 175. Bailleul Communal Cemetery, France. Bailleul is a large town near the Belgian border. The Communal Cemetery contains 610 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 17 of the graves were destroyed by shell fire and are represented by special memorials.

John's service & sacrifice is commemorated on the Balgownie War Memorial.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, WHEELER JOHN